Short Tailed Oppossum

[aldebono]

Having had one of their native cousins in my care while it recovered from dog wounds, I can say that they are similar in some ways, different in others. The native cousin doesn't try to bite as quickly. The native cousin, like the STO, is very catholic in it's food acceptances, and both love mice. The Virginia opossum is a little more sociable with people. Both STOs and Virginia opossums show their displeasure by omitting a smell I would describe as four cylinder skunk--it's there and it's effective but it doesn't have the "whomp" behind it.

Possums will sit on your shoulder, though. This is a wild possum. She was brought into the house two months earlier because I thought she was dying from a dog attack. No good deed goes unpunished--the possum lived.

I have a female Virginia Opossum now who injured by a dog bite when she was very little. The dog crushed her pelvis when it bit her. She is happy and healthy with me now, even though she does not have use of her back legs. She has full run of my apartment and is definitely my baby.

Definitely not a pet for everyone, but I am definitely an opossum lover.

That little girl looks so sweet. I try to educate people about them whenever I can.