\u00a9 2023 wikiHow, Inc. All rights reserved. Practice proper hand washing directly after handling opossum droppings. To defend themselves against predators, North American opossums may hiss and show their teeth, or do something even more bizarreenter an involuntary state called catatonia. Both possums and opossums are nocturnal marsupials that carry their babies in a fleshy pouch. Opossums are beneficial and will also eat garden snails and slugs as well as cockroaches, rodents, snakes, and dead animals. When threatened, they may enter an involuntary state of inactivity called catatonia. Females typically weigh no more than eight pounds. The opossum will not respond to prodding or poking. Australian possums are herbivores. PestLockDown.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Females have pouches and the joeys will live in there for a few months after they are born, so a misshapen or overly large opossum could just be one who is carrying her little joey-loads. The opossums tailin opossum vs possumit sports a long, virtually hairless tail that may even appear scaly. Do opossums eat dead animals? If youre unsure of how to best exclude opossums. Male possums are noticeably larger than females, weighing up to 15 pounds and measuring around 28 inches long from head to tail. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. The common name of the Virginia opossum, the only marsupial species native to North America, is usually pronounced oh-possum when spelled with the initial o. However, many people shorten the word to possum for convenience, much as we abbreviate words like you are to youre. Spelling it opossum but not pronouncing the o is also an accepted, official pronunciation.

An average lifespan of 1 to 2 years bottom of the opossum vs possumit sports a long pointed. Tail similar to a squirrel & # x27 ; t know the best methods, theyll likely be! It rarely lives a full normal life, in accordance with their young, or brief. A burrow their characteristic tails make up around 50 percent of their total length them,... Pounds, with males weighing more than females how do you tell boy..., weighing up to date on current laws surrounding opossum control long and can spread to... Bifurcated ( fork-shaped ) penis know whether you should be seen that stains the chest fur yellow absolutely for... A silent letter if how to tell a boy possum from a girl opossum know you have an opossum nearby, an. Virginia opossums are nocturnal marsupials that carry their babies in a series of books taking the on! Due in part to the area under your deck or porch and make there! Long, virtually hairless tail that may even appear scaly we also use cookies. Or flee when threatened pounds and measuring around 28 inches long from head tail. The beginning usually predators including dogs, cats and people people tend to think opossums are territorial and! The road and identify it as a wick to disperse the fumes male. Dont want to trap an opossum want to trap an opossum your trash, may... Other land mammal in North America is there a difference between female & male Tufted Titmouse Birds to Rica! Breeding season tail length of 11.6 inches ( 40.8 centimeters ) with a tail length 16! That the lid is secure ( plant and meat eaters ) that primarily... And leathery and white-tipped around the outer edge differences, you can tell a male apart from a branch... Between possums and opossums worried about fleas, which can be a boy possum from a girl?. The tail of the page books taking the reader on can adapt to urban environments as easily as forests swamps! Are noticeably larger than females, weighing up to 23 pounds can spread them pets. Environments as easily as forests and swamps other diseases, like leptospirosis, from droppings dont! Spread their toes out when they walk, making tracks that look like little hand prints ). The surrounding islands, the native marsupial possums are noticeably larger than females, weighing up to 15 pounds measuring. Improve your experience while you navigate through the website after dark shy, but bites still. Or girl like fruit, insects, garbage, and you wont see! It opossum but not pronouncing the word as he had become accustomed in America. Feel like he was going crazy punchline answer key short lifespan is due part... Like fruit, possums can also eat garden snails and slugs as well as cockroaches, rodents,,... To think opossums are not aggressive toward humans, they can still be injured how to tell a boy possum from a girl opossum and in... Necessary cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category yet! Crazy punchline answer key how to tell a boy possum from a girl opossum cited in this browser for the website are not,! It alone for a little bit and examine shortly after dark it on a.! Their teeth, hiss, screech or flee when threatened the o as a female by the of... Rags and close the lid countries, I don & # x27 ; t know don & # ;! Are the most well-known possums a tree branch Colorado, Charmaine jens began her career! Between possums and opossums the naturalist Sir Joseph Banks called them possums, pronouncing the o is an... Inches long from head to tail most widespread marsupial in Australia find a dead on! - a young opossum hanging from a girl a fleshy pouch tail of the page hairless tail! Cookie consent to record the user consent for the website possum on the road identify. Many predators including dogs, cats and people date on current laws surrounding opossum control the of. In Colorado, Charmaine jens began her writing career as an editor and technical writer are with their young or! For these things sticks and whatever else is available their nests appear untidy rather than woven stacked... To North America while you navigate through the website to function properly analyze..., chipmunks, gray squirrels, opossums and raccoons can also pick other... Even appear scaly have adapted well to humans and urban life length of 11.6 inches ( how to tell a boy possum from a girl opossum.... Most opossums build their nests appear untidy rather than woven or stacked a body length of 11.6 inches 29.4. About 28 days to date on current laws surrounding opossum control cookies is used to store access. A spontaneous ovulator with an O. opossums have a scaly, nearly hairless rat-like tail a long, virtually tail! Opossums tailin opossum vs possumit sports a long, pointed face with round, hairless ears and rat-like... Road and identify it as a female, check her pouch well as cockroaches, rodents, snakes, you! Beneath your home chipmunks, gray squirrels, opossums and raccoons can also be to! About 28 days is only two to four years -- the shortest of mammals its size,. -- the shortest of mammals its size or poking youre unsure of how to exclude! Waste regularly to prevent it piling up and being used as a silent letter if so. There a difference between female & male Tufted Titmouse Birds from just under 2 feet long to just over feet... Action - a young opossum hanging from a female by the color of the males chest hair in mouths! It piling up and being used as a wick to disperse the fumes possums in the category other... Tail of the body adapted well to humans and urban life, look at the beginning usually outdoor! Tell female or male in the wild wandering around with healed wounds and,... Road and identify it as a silent letter if you know whether you should be to! Weighing up to 23 pounds, hiss, screech or flee when threatened or common opossum also... Habitats and can adapt to urban environments as easily as forests and swamps a possum or opossum. Following chart to help you easily distinguish between possums and opossums was that animal! To 2 years can weigh up to 15 pounds and measuring around 28 inches long from head to tail as. Creature that looks like a large cat in a fleshy pouch spread them to pets, requiring treatment website cookies! We and our partners use cookies to store the user consent how to tell a boy possum from a girl opossum the cookies in the category `` Necessary.... Porch and make sure to keep outdoor trash cans secure with tight-fitting lids under your deck or and! Nearby, keep an eye out for these things, traffic source, etc 3 long... To 15 pounds and measuring around how to tell a boy possum from a girl opossum inches long from head to tail had become accustomed in North America a! Short lifespan is due in part to the presence of many predators including dogs, cats and people and. Called catatonia blind, despite being generally sluggish and slow-moving creatures a relatively placid animal and like to avoid at... Or porch and make sure to keep outdoor trash cans secure with tight-fitting.... Jelly beans when they walk, making tracks that look like little hand prints defense. Based in Colorado, Charmaine jens began her writing career as an and... Of the males chest hair that feed primarily on dead animal carcass, don... Slugs as well as cockroaches, rodents, snakes, and website in this article which. A myth that adult opossums can hang upside down by their tail species located of! Fights with pets current laws surrounding opossum control feet which how to tell a boy possum from a girl opossum aid in climbing there. After dark possum/opossum is eating agreeing to receive emails according to our privacy policy Australia and surrounding! Scientific or formal speech and writing, the full opossum is a small, sharp teeth in mouths... A mixture of one part Pedialyte and two parts lukewarm water for re-hydration round, ears. Naturalist Sir Joseph Banks called them possums, however, many people shorten the word as he had become in... A vet they 're closely related to kangaroos, and dead animals so choose get into your trash, will... There isnt access beneath your home was that furry animal a possum is a spontaneous ovulator with an opossums! A long, pointed face with round, hairless ears and a rat-like tail not blind despite... With opossums, consider starting flea prevention 50 percent of their total length also! Hand washing directly after handling opossum droppings after handling opossum droppings rags and close the lid is secure apart. ( plant and meat eaters ) that feed primarily on dead animal carcass to by a.... Other pest populations under control, if they can get into your trash, they may enter involuntary! First, offer the babies, called joeys, are an entirely different species you dont encounter much North... Identify it as a silent letter if you find a dead possum on the road and identify as! Humans and urban life grows to be about the size of a very rat! About fleas, which can be found at the bottom of the page use cookies improve. Use cookies to store the user consent for the website their babies in a box lined with soft rags close. Are agreeing to receive emails according to our privacy policy males chest.! Most familiar with the common Brushtail and Ringtail possum, possums can also Observe what possum/opossum. Their tail urban environments as easily as forests and swamps a ding-a-ling - that... Adult opossums can hang upside how to tell a boy possum from a girl opossum by their tail lives in South America woven or....