possums

This is my first time ever in the Pet Forum! This really isn't about a pet, but it's an animal thang so I thought I'd post here.

Two nights ago around 1am (yes, I was still awake and online) I heard this huge clatter. It was so loud that initially I thought it was my husband going through his closet junk or something.

It was a possum, right at my front door.

I've seen them for years, but mostly hanging out by the tree at the side of the house and eating my avocados. This one was foraging through the extra plant containers under the shelf by the door. It had a plastic bag (which we keep outside in case anyone gets inspired to weed) curled in its tail.

I tried banging on the window. It looked up, then continued foraging.

I opened the front door and stepped outside. The possum glanced at me, and continued to muck around the plastic bags. I didn't want to get close, because sometimes they bite if cornered.

The next morning, all the junk that's neatly stored under the ledge was dragged out all over, including a bag of potting soil that's about 3 lbs. I doubt the possum weighs much more than that. There were shredded plastic bags.

I'm guessing that the possum is building a nest, that's why the bag curled in its tail.

Part of me is not happy about a bunch of upcoming baby possums, but part of me admires this creature that's building a home for its babies in the middle of suburbia. I really don't want to kill it. I'm also afraid that if I trap it in a box, it will be released in the wild and/or killed. I also don't know enough about possums to know if the nest building thing means the babies are on the way, or they're already here.

Be very careful around the possum, they can be EXTREMELY nasty when they feel threatened. Once we had to use a live trap, relocated it and the animal was spitting (yes be careful, they spit) and thrashing about the cage like I've never seen.

[ April 15, 2005, 02:15 PM: Message edited by: Jersey Girl ]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought they played "Possum" and you could just pick them up and cage them. I learn something new every day. A possum spits!

chickadee

Yes, chickadee, possums spit which can be bad if they are rabid.

We used to get a lot of possums at my old house. They are especially mean if there are possum babies near.

They do play possum but not as timid as you would think. Once threathened, they go into attack mode and they are one nasty animal.

From what I understand, they rarely attack but will bite if cornered or threatened in any way.

Do they make the nests in the tree?

I have had a fair amount of experience with possums as I grew up in Southern FL and there are tons of them there. Basically, they won't hurt you unless you go after them. So may advice-- just steer clear. Put your garabage cans in the garage or somewhere they cannot get to it. Possums are wild and you really can't dictate where they build their nests or anything like that. So just try to co-habitate peacefully!

Baby possums are super cute by the way! :-) There was one that used to come up by our back door to eat the dog's food. He was adorable-- only about 4 inches long. We didn't try to go near him of course, and the dogs naturally kept away (although mine now will "tree" one on the fence sometimes and lose their minds-- I usually go outside and haul them in long enough for the possum to clear out).

I believe it is our responsibility as humans and the "dominant" species of this planet to find ways to allow fellow creatures, who's habitat we have all but destroyed, to live among us (not in the house, but in the vicinity). They were here first after all!

Kelly

Growing up I went possum hunting with my grandpa. The possums spit and 'sulled' and sat perfectly still while the dogs went berserk all around them. They were ferocious if the dogs came too close, but I don't believe they carry rabies. No one killed possums because they were not good to eat and their coats were worthless, but they were fun to hunt and great practice for the coon dogs.
And they are cute mothers. They carry their young hanging upside down from their tail.

Here's a couple of lines from a song sung by a possum in one of my children's plays:

The world is really awesome
When you're a happy possum
Looking at the world upside down
The day is always balmy
When you're hanging with your mommy
from her tail upside down

There's more, but...

And my Daddy always taught me to make a good deal by "Playing Possum" if I knew something better revealed later in a negotiation.

As you can see, I am bi-polar in my feelings toward possums.
smile

Possums are so ugly they're almost cute. Well, maybe I'll get to see the babies carried on the mother's tail. It would be kinda cool.

I've never seen more than one possum here, but there obviously must be at least two to reproduce.

I just hope they don't eat my lizards.

My husband came home from work one evening to see our Great Dane, Zeke, carrying a Possum in his mouth. Thought it was dead but later, Zeke came in with scratches on his jaw and my husband said he had Possum Breath! I think the Possum was playing Possum and escaped when it had the chance. I love them!

Have any of you ever heard of Fainting Goats? They stiffen up when scared and fall over.

Dianne,
I've heard of Tennessee fainting goats for sure. They were brought from Nove Scotia, Canada to Tennessee years ago. Poor things were used to warn sheep so they could escape wolf/predator attacks. Their fainting has something to do with genetics.
I have yet to see a possum except on tv.

chick

Be glad you haven't met one in person Chick...

We've got fainting goats here in the South, and we also have fainting chica...chi...whatever those tiny little dogs are that speak Spanish...you know...the Taco Bell Dog? Anyway, they will faint if you sneak up behind them and shout real loud. I never did it...honest Chatty, I didn't...but I know somebody that did. All those terriers will faint....I heard.

JJ

Possums are marsupials. The young climb into the pouch when they're born - they "hang around" on the tail after they're older. Here's a link.
http://www.nhptv.org/natureworks/opossum.htm#6
RE: rabies...rabies is a viral disease that can affect ALL warm blooded animals.

Takes a really rough and tough individual to sneak up behind a dog weighing usually under 7 pounds and scare it to death or into fainting. I'll tell you a true story. Once when living on the lake in Illinois, my little 6 pound Yorkie was out in the yard and a boy visiting my neighbor had my dog trapped against the wall and was banging a big stick on the ground in front of her. I rescued her and told him nicely, as he mouthed off, that if he did it again, I'd send her brother out to help her. Two days later I heard her screaming and the same little monster was at it again so I opened the door and let out her brother. The kid ended up on the ground shaking and crying and he pissed his pants. OH, did I forget to mention that her brother was a 110 pound doberman???? Bet that rotten little creep never bothers another little helpless dog....

My father's Yorkie was picked up by an eagle in Alaska. Forunately the dog fell out of the eagle's claws and wasn't very far up in the air. The dog only sustained some scratches from the claws.

Chatty that is hilarious! That little snot got what she deserved. The guy in my neighborhood who was mean to the little dogs ended up later in life going to prison...I am not making this up. He was mean when he was little, and ended up marrying and killing his little 2-year old daughter. I was about 10 or so when he went to prison. I heard he is out now. Can you believe that?

JJ

Thanks for the link unique. The habitats description says it prefers wet areas, definitely not here. I knew it was a marsupial.

The one that was rummaging by my door is lighter-colored than the ones in the website pictures, light beige with a pink face.