They may have become infected with something, or have come under attack from bigger predators. She has a background in Broadcast Journalism & Political Science from CUNY Brooklyn College. Approaching an animal that appears to be infected with rabies, common in opossums due to the open foaming mouth, is, in general, not a very good idea, even if it appears dead. So what makes them so fascinating? Walrus Opossum | San Diego Zoo Animals & Plants Opossum Lifespan: How Long Do Opossums Live. Opossums have a relatively short lifespan, as we have discovered. Chad Fox is a wildlife expert who loves spending time in nature and working with animals on ranches and farms in Texas and Oklahoma. This New World species is correctly called an "opossum" as opposed to the Old World "possum". Captive opossums normally live between 3-4 years, however up to 8-10 years has been described. The Virginia opossums long muzzle allows its keen sense of smell to detect all sorts of omnivorous delicacies including a wide range of plants, fruits, insects, and other small animals. Virginia Opossum Courtship and Mating. Therefore, many people believe that studying the opossum gives a glimpse into the past. Overall, the lifespan of a possum can vary depending on a number of factors, including their environment and access to food and medical care. Their eyes may still be slightly open, their ears may twitch at sudden sounds, and they may notice shallow breathing and a heartbeat. - Mass, Density & Weight, Working Scholars Bringing Tuition-Free College to the Community. "Opossums do not fare well in captivity" has to be the worst line of the whole article. In North America and Canada, the only marsupials we have is the opossum. With a lifespan that normally only extends two or three years, opossums can live many additional years as a pet in captivity. In captivity, the oldest recorded opossum was four years and five months old. They have a short lifespan of only two to four years, but they reproduce rapidly and have a stable population. Their strong sense of smell helps them find a variety of decaying food, and they prefer to follow the scent of decaying flesh. 6 What do possums eat and are they dangerous? She has a Master's Degree in Education from Western Governor's University and a Bachelor's Degree in Sociology from Southern Methodist University. This species, still described as "neotropical" by some sources, has been moving north since at least the 1950's. In many parts of the northeast, opossums (frequently shortened to "possums") are as familiar as squirrels. During day to day activity, they are almost silent, so it isn't easy to detect them. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. In general, the longest that a possum has been recorded living is about seven years. However, this cute animal does not causeany risk, unlike rodents. In the Americancontinent alone, there are almost 100 different species of this mammal. Common opossum foods include: This water opossum, or yapok, is eating a fish. They could easily become overweight and struggle with health issues as they get older. They may even have ingested poison left out for rats by humans. Since you may not be feeding them a proper raw prey model diet, you may need other supplements. Its fur is more or less dark gray all over its body, except for the face and the throat, which are white in color, and its pink nose. The average lifespan for the Virginia opossum is between two and four years. By supporting San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, you are our ally in saving and protecting wildlife worldwide. Most opossum populations are stable. Virginia opossums may be preyed upon by owls, domestic dogs, coyotes, red foxes, raccoons, bobcats, and large snakes. Possums are not well-adapted to extreme cold or heat, and they can suffer from exposure to these conditions. Often misunderstood and persecuted by many, opossums actually help keep the environment healthy and tidy by eating dead stuff and lots of disease-carrying ticks. Another factor that can contribute to the short lifespan of possums is exposure to harsh weather conditions. Diet The number of annual litters is influenced by the climate: in northern regions, an opossum has just one litter per year, while opossums in warmer climes may have up to three litters in a year. Telling if an opossum is playing dead or not can be a difficult task. The captive specimens have a maximum life expectancy of about 4 years. At this moment in time, its illegal to own an opossum as a pet in several regions. Though opossums can live up to four years in captivity, in the wild, they usually only live a year or less. This Didelphidae family of marsupials is native to the New World; the Virginia opossum Didelphis virginiana is the only marsupial native to North America. These soft nesting materials make the den a dry place to live. When an opossum feels threatened, its immediate and involuntary reaction is not to run or fight but to roll over and play dead. Baby opossums are known as joeys. However, there is no change in heart rate or brain waves when an opossum is playing dead. The opossum is found in North America, South America, Australia, and Oceania. However, this is often much shorter. The hind foot has a large thumb-like toe that they use to grab branches. If protecting their young, add biting to the list. Although six years sounds like a short time, this is a long time compared to the average one to two years they typically survive in the wild. 302 lessons. Even if your pet opossum gets a lot of exercise, it should be kept on a strict diet regimen. Other regions may or may not have similar laws, but Canada is one region where you can own some exotic pets. Opossums have a bad reputation for being garbage intruders and scary-looking critters who crawl up onto our homes at night. Should You Keep a Short-Tailed Opossum as a Pet? - The Spruce Pets Opossums are generally considered to be wild animals. When they are 75 to 85 days old, they are weaned and rarely return to the pouch. Possums The opossum's tail is a very useful tool. The only species in North America and Canada is the Virginia opossum, sometimes called the common opossum. How long does a possum live in captivity? Once an opossum has spent their effective breeding lifespan of around two years, its body is effectively seen as finished. These predators can kill and eat possums, reducing their population and limiting their lifespan. Baby opossums can use their tails to hang from tree branches temporarily, but adults are typically too heavy to do this. As a result, possums in captivity can live for longer periods of time than those in the wild. According to the Opossum Society of the United States, large predators like wild mammals, pets, and humans are the main cause of the opossums short lifespan. Unlike other wild animals, they do not have the potential to carry diseases like rabies. Learn more about us & read our affiliate disclosure. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. There are other adaptations to the opossum. The opossum also has opposable thumbs on its hind feet for holding onto branches. Opossums give birth to typically 7 or 8 babies, or joeys, but can have up to 20 at one time. Opossums have adapted well and become more resourceful with their food sources, eating anything from fruit and grass to small birds and lizards. Although some live longer, the average lifespan of the opossum is only 1-2 years. Spiders Captive opossums live slightly longer, with the oldest . After birth, the helpless babies must crawl into their mother's pouch in order to nurse and continue development. In captivity, opossums may be safe from external factors that cause death such as predators, harsh environmental conditions, and starvation. An organismsDarwinian fitnessis calculated as the number of offspring it leaves behind that survive to reproduce. Opossums are omnivores, meaning that they will eat anything. But theyre not rodents even though they look similar in many ways. The tone of the hair can vary between gray, brown, black, and white. He spends most of his day sleeping in the trees, rock crevices, abandoned burrows, etc., and goes out at night to find food. On average, opossums have a short lifespan. The Virginia opossum (Didelphis virginiana), also known as the North American opossum, is the only opossum living north of Mexico, its range extending south into Central America.It is the northernmost marsupial in the world. As a pet, they may be able to live longer because they are not facing predators in the wilderness and trying to survive from them. They have no visible eyes or ears. The longest an opossum usually lives in the wilderness is about four years. People sometimes refer to opossums as living fossils because they have been around for approximately seventy million years. Senescence is rapid. Vehicle strikes are another danger. Enrolling in a course lets you earn progress by passing quizzes and exams. A kit will generally open its eyes when it is 55 to 70 days old. One of the main reasons for the short lifespan of possums in the wild is predation by other animals. If you have ever seen an opossum, you know that it is very recognizable. You may want to know whether or not this creepy wildlife creature may attack you. A well-ventilated aquarium (at least 20 gallons) with a tight-fitting lid or a narrow-mesh wire cage should work well. But how long do these animals typically live? You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. (With Examples). During the estrus season, female opossums will accept a male just once. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. Many of the New World explorers had never seen a marsupial at all. They also eat many harmful insects, including ticks. While there are many different species of opossums, only one type lives in the United States and Canada. This type of opossum also imbibes in carrion (already-dead animals) and even garbage. They eat fruits, leaves, reptiles, flowers, birds, insects, and even small mammals. In minutes or hours, the opossum will likely regain consciousness and escape quietly on its own. The story went that the mom would sneeze out her joeys into her pouch. The ring-tail opossums, like gliders, are less vocal and produce the soft call. In the United States, every state has different laws or permit requirements for exotic animals, and wild animals ownership. The development of hair is noticeable, and it comes in very quickly. See how they survive here. To evade these predators, an opossum will often play dead. Unlike koalas, brushtail possums are probably the only arboreal marsupials to feed on different types of plants during their foraging journey. When threatened, opossums run, growl, belch, hiss, urinate, and defecate. The oldest opossum ever seen in the wild was three years old. Despite being born blind, they will climb up under their mothers tail and traverse her hairy belly to reach her pouch for protection. It is the only North American native marsupial. A female may have up to 25 young in a single litter. What if this growling scavenger carries diseases? The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. Opossums in the wild and in captivity have very different life cycles and life expectancies.
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