Virginia Opossum
Didelphis virginiana · Mammal, marsupial
Meet them at our Fort Lauderdale cafe
- Native range
- North America from Central America into Canada. The only marsupial native to the United States.
- Size
- About the size of a house cat, with a hairless prehensile tail that works like a fifth hand.
- Lifespan
- Typically 1.5 to 2 years in the wild and 3 to 4 years in human care, per the Smithsonian's National Zoo. Predators, cars, and cold drive the short wild lifespan, not biology alone.
- Conservation
- IUCN Least Concern.
Little Learners Corner
Opossum moms carry their babies in a pouch on their tummy, like a built-in backpack.
Say it like a scientist: dy-DEL-fiss vir-jin-ee-AH-nuh
Where They Live
Forests, farmland, and neighborhoods, anywhere with cover and food. Opossums do not build dens; they borrow hollow trees, brush piles, and abandoned burrows.
What They Eat
Omnivore and gloriously unfussy: insects, fruit, eggs, carrion, and ticks by the thousands.
How They Live
Solitary and nocturnal. An opossum's famous defense, playing dead, is involuntary, a faint that can last for hours and convinces predators the meal has spoiled.
Virginia Opossums as Pets?
Opossums are wild animals with specialized needs, and keeping them is illegal without permits in most places. Injured or orphaned opossums belong with licensed wildlife rehabilitators. If you find one, call a rehabber, not a pet store.
Fun Facts
An opossum's body temperature is low enough that rabies almost never takes hold in them.
They are resistant to the venom of many snakes, including rattlesnakes.
A mother opossum can carry more than a dozen jellybean sized babies in her pouch at once.
Capy Quiz: Prove It
What is playing possum, really?
People also ask: What Do Opossums Eat?
Keep exploring: opossum vs possum, the real difference, Fennec Fox came before this, Nine Banded Armadillo is next, or head back to the full Animal Encyclopedia.
Fort Lauderdale Is Now Booking
The Fort Lauderdale booking calendar is open. Reserve your spot now, or book at our St. Augustine or St. Petersburg locations today.