Virginia opossums (Didelphis virginiana) are the one marsupials in the USA and we’re proud to share our yard with them. As a result of they’re nocturnal, we nearly by no means really see them, however we all know they’re right here, because of our digital camera traps. Just lately we managed to movie a really attention-grabbing opossum habits: how an opossum makes use of its tail. Try the video beneath exhibiting the opossum tail in motion!

The opossum tail is used to hold nesting materials

Opossums use their prehensile tail to hold nesting materials (leaves, twigs, corn husks…) again to their dens. That is how they do it: opossums decide up leaves with their mouths after which go them to the entrance toes, then to their again toes. They curl their tail excessive of the bundle of leaves and carry this bedding round with their semi-prehensile tails as if it was a fifth limb! 

We’ve caught this habits a number of instances on our path cameras. The video beneath is the newest, the place an opossum is seen grabbing leaves and taking them to his den, which is barely about 10 toes from our home. We intentionally go away our leaves on the bottom within the fall so opossums, woodchucks, and squirrels can take them to their nests. Opossums don’t dig their very own dens. Our neighbor right here is utilizing a woodchuck burrow. Leaves are used to line the den, rising insulation by the chilly winter.

Opossum tails are used for balancing when climbing timber

Whereas younger opossums can grasp by their tail (if they’re made to take action), grownup opossums are too heavy they usually don’t use their tail for hanging. However they do use it for balancing and stabilizing on branches when climbing timber.

Opossum tails are usually not handles

Grabbing a completely grown opossum by the tip of its tail can critically hurt it by dislocating tail bones.

To study extra about opossums learn our article Possum vs Opossum: What’s the Distinction?