Virginia Opossum

Link: http://www.americazoo.com/goto/index/mammals/4.htm

The Virginia Opossum is a very interesting critter! The only marsupial native to North America, it has a pouch like a Kangaroo where the female carries the babies (called Joeys) until they are weaned at around 3 months of age. The joeys will then ride on mom's back until they are large enough to run with her at night. The gestation period is only 13 days. When born, the joey is very premature and is the size of a raison. The mom licks a path to her pouch so the babies know where to go. Their mouths are sealed shut with the exception of a small hole in the front of the mouth. The babies swollow a nipple into their stomachs as Joeys are unable to suck like most mammals. The female opossum has 13 nipples, but a typical litter size is 7-9 babies.

Follow up:

"Possum" is a coloquial nickname for the Virginia Opossum. They are unrelated to the possums of Australia. The name opossum comes from the Algonquizn word for the animal, "Apossoun," and was first used in literature from Jamestown, Virginia.

The ppossum is a solatary, noctural creature which prefers woodlands. They are omnivorous and eat a wide varitey of insects, small animals such as rodents and reptiles, eggs, seeds, nuts, fruit and vegitation. Since they enjoy carion, they are most often seen dead on the road after being hit by cars while enjoying a meal.

These animals can appear to be very fierce. When cornered they will growl and show their 50 teeth-the most teeth of any mammal. When push comes to shove, they prefer not to fight and will often play dead. They will keel over, drool from open mouth with tongue hanging out, can pass a thin watery stool and emit a foul, "decay" like smell. Nursing females are unable to play dead.

All four paws look like hands and they have opossable thumbs on all extremities. They will use their prehensile tales for added support and griping power. Only the babies will hang, briefly, by their tales while exploring. Adult possums are too heavy to hang by their tales as they weigh between 7-12 pounds. They are found both in trees and on the ground. Opossums will have several nesting areas in their territory using leaves to line tree hallows or borrow abandoned skunk and groundhog dens.