Raiding the squirrel feeder tonight photo

[Omaha Steve]

Remember they are not forest rats. Opossums are a marsupial, or “pouched” mammal

http://opossumsocietyus.org/general-opossum-information/

General Information

Over 70 million years ago dinosaurs roamed the Earth. While they are now extinct, one animal who shared the same land with the dinosaurs still exists today… the opossum..

Despite its appearance, the opossum is not related to the rat. In fact, the opossum is a marsupial, or “pouched” mammal, and is therefore related to other marsupials such as the kangaroo and the koala. Like kangaroos and koalas, infant opossums stay inside the mother’s pouch to nurse and develop. The opossum holds the distinction of being North Americas’s only marsupial.

FULL info at link.

This is one of our two squirrel feeders just moments ago. S/he didn't move while the dogs were out. Our dogs never saw it.

[redwitch]

1. I like those varmints.

So homely they are cute. And the poor dears only defense is playing dead.

[Aerows]

5. Homely as can be.

But actually rather sweet and they perform a great service to ecology by eating the ticks dear carry that have Lyme disease.

[cwydro]

13. I love our possums.

They're sweet as can be.

[Autumn]

2. Look at that adorable face

[a kennedy]

3. Sorry, that is not an adorable face.......JMHO. It's actually creepy looking.

[Autumn]

7. I think it's adorable, the light shining in it's eyes just looks creepy

[Aerows]

10. Raccoons and cats also have that particular reflective quality

It's part of their ability to see in the dark. I can't remember if it is a function of the rods or the cones in their eyes, but in any case, it provides low light vision.

[Autumn]

14. It's just so darn cute. It's little face looks so happy.

[Aerows]

4. They have too low of a body temperature to get rabies

Last edited Fri Dec 4, 2015, 12:16 AM - Edit history (1)

have 50 teeth, and bifurcated pen ... I guess penii and vjayjays. They also have 13 nipples, 12 in a circle and one in the middle.

[longship]

6. There are many here in the national forest.

Opossums are no problem though. Nor are the porcupines, although I wish they would stop chewing on my porch late at night. Wakes me up!

Both are really cute.

I can do without the raccoons and the woodchucks, though. The former are just fucking assholes, the latter destructive as all hellfire. They are what 22 caliber rifles were designed for. Varmits!

I haven't seen a skunk in years.

But I am always kind and gentle with my late night porcupine visitors.

[Aerows]

9. If there were no raccoons in the world

... it would be a better dang place.

Now I don't *really* wish genocide on anything, but damn, you are absolutely correct, they are the assholes of the animal world.

[cwydro]

12. The raccoons have killed my chickens, but the possums are no danger to them.

Raccoons can be rabid, but possums are not. I totally agree with you.

When I was a kid though, I sure loved those little bandit faces.

[Omaha Steve]

16. Raccoons carry several diseases

They have a variant of distemper that even dogs that have had a distemper shot can become infected with.

[Gloria]

8. Any animal that sits IN its food dish is OK with me!!!

eom

[cwydro]

11. I love possums.

They come up to eat in our open area where we sit sometimes on the farm.

The cats ignore them, as do the geese. They're sweet creatures.

We feed them our extra chicken eggs.

[Liberal_in_LA]

15. Awww

[leftyladyfrommo]

17. They have terrible vision.

I read that they can only see about 7 inches in front of them.

We have a lot of them around KC. Possums and raccoons are always raiding something. They also like outside food dishes for cats and dogs.

[Solly Mack]

18. Opossums are Oawesome.