Viewing a single comment thread. View all comments

euriphides t1_ivkbwbm wrote

Reply to comment by RobynFitcher in How To Survive College - I'm a shitty barista by fainting--goat

An Australian possum is a completely different, adorable animal, than an American opossum, though. Not that opossums can't be adorable, but they're also very aggressive when cornered and will take up residence in the carcass of whatever rotting critter they've found, until they eat everything but the bones and hide...

6

Baseit t1_ivsachl wrote

Ummm. Opossums aren't aggressive. They'll make 'false' moves to act aggressive as a first line of defense, but if that doesn't work, they'll play dead. Yes, even when cornered.

Like, y'know, "playing opossum"?

And no, they don't get rabies - their low blood temperature and crazy strong immune system practically renders them impervious to that.

3

euriphides t1_ivwo6zb wrote

Ah yeah, you're right, it's an act, but it looks scary so people freak out - my bad. If people just left them alone, they leave you alone.

3

RobynFitcher t1_ivszh4c wrote

Interesting. Are they omnivores or carnivores?

Some of our possums are vegetarian, like the little ringtails, whereas others eat insects as well as fruit and flowers, like brushtails do.

I wonder if American opossums have a diet more like a quill or a Tassie devil?

Time for a Google!

Edit:

From Wikipedia:

So, the opossums of the Americas are of the suborder ‘Didelphimorphia’, whereas the Australasian possums are if the suborder ‘Phalangerifirmes.’

(Didelphimorphia means ‘two wombs’)

2

euriphides t1_ivwo028 wrote

Insectivores, mostly, but they'll eat carrion too. They've got a bad reputation because they aren't adorable like your possums, but like most critters, if you leave them alone, they leave you alone. They consume a LOT of ticks, which is important, since ticks spread a number of nasty diseases to humans.

3