Phebe Phillips

"Simplicity of Life Allows Freedom"

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Why You Should Not Fear Opossums

By Phebe Phillips 15 Comments

Opossum Mom and Babies

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Did you know that Opossums have a talented gift for extending their life? I’ve developed a love and appreciation for opossums. My heart breaks when I see one run over by a car. Was it a single Opossum, or was it a female with babies in her pouch? Living in a high rise most of my adult life, I never gave them much thought. They looked like scary little aliens. Now that I’m in my ground level studio, I’m entertained by them almost every evening.

Baby Opossum at the studio food bowl.
Baby Opossum at the studio food bowl.

Reasons to Appreciate the Magnificent Opossum.

  • They’re the only North American native marsupial. Like a kangaroo, they carry their young in a well developed fur-lined tummy pouch for about 11 weeks.
  • Opossums in your yard, or around your property could be one of your greatest health benefits. They could end Lyme disease, because each Opossum may eat up to 4000 ticks per week.
  • They’re great ratters, keeping your place rodent free—eating cockroaches, mice, and dead animals.
  • If you’re a gardener, they eat many garden pests such as snails and slugs.
  • Did you know they’re resistant to venomous snakes? Yep, a snake bite, only makes them mad. If you live in an area of copperheads and rattlers…Do Not Kill Your Opossums—they very well could be you and your dogs best helper during snake season.
  • Opossums have rabies resistance. How so? Their body temperature is a bit lower than normal mammals, and since this virus needs warmth to grow, the lower temperature makes it difficult for rabies virus to develop.
  • They date back to dinosaur times.
  • They have 50 teeth in their mouth.
  • Their big survival skill is an ability to play and smell dead. When threatened they may hiss, fall over, roll their eyes back in their head, hang their tongue out, and release a foul smell. This talent leaves attacking predators that like to prey on scared, fighting animals with little interest in the dead possum.
Cat Harold and a Baby Opossum
Cat, Harold-of-God, and a Baby Opossum.

The Name Thing…Opossum vs. Possum

According to the site Writing Explained, they’re totally different animals. The Opossum is North American. It has a white face, grayish-white body, with black ears and feet, and a bare rat-like tail. The Opossum is what we also call the possum, but scientifically that’s incorrect. The possum here in the U.S. is an Opossums, like the one in the header photo of this post.

The Possum is an Australian animal with four color variations: silver-gray, brown, black, and gold. They have larger ears and softer fur, but most defining is their bushy, fur covered tail.

Read more, and see the different photos at Writing Explained.

You may find my most popular, “Opossums Are Your Friends” and “Opossum / Possum” Perfect Grammar shirts, Here… in the Shop of The Literary Catcast.

Check out all Cat and Opossum Designs Here: https://theliterarycatcast.com/support-merchandise/

Oh, and a Bit About Raccoons

Cat, Raccoon, and Opossum
A typical evening scene at the studio.

If you see a raccoon out in the day, most likely it’s a nursing mother with babies (called kits) in the nest. She must stay on the nest at night to protect the kits from predators, so she forages in daylight while predators are sleeping.

Find out more at DFW Wildlife.org

And many thanks to Prudi Koeninger for this PDF link below:

Jan2018 (1)rabies report for 2018

We keep a community food bowl of dry cat food, and a bowl of water on the studio terrace 24/7. Each night Opossums show up. I have a tree branch on the outside studio wall; they climb up and sit there for hours. When the babies arrive, I can’t get any work done for watching them share the food bowl, and learn to navigate the water bowl while not falling in.

Our Opossum eating his night snack on our studio terrace: https://youtube.com/shorts/r4E5DidORJ8?feature=share

Phebe Phillips

Phebe creates The Literary CatCast Podcast.

She lives in Dallas, obviously with a few animals.

 

Comments

  1. Amorette Ritter Burch says

    March 14, 2019 at 1:13 pm

    Thanks for sharing this helpful information. I tjought they were jyst dirty big rodents. Ill appreciatr them more now. Take care of you.

    Reply
    • Phebe Phillips says

      March 14, 2019 at 1:33 pm

      Hi Amorette,

      I know, I thought the same thing, till I started reading about them. I think opossums are awesome.

      Love, Love ~Phebe

      Reply
      • Christy Grose says

        April 2, 2019 at 5:41 am

        They are amazing and FABULOUS CREATURES…..I WILL HAVE ONE…I WILL SAVE SOME BABIES!!!!! Keep opossumimg!!!!
        Chris

        Reply
        • Phebe Phillips says

          April 26, 2019 at 9:11 am

          Hi there,

          YES!!!! Keep Opossuming!!!!! I Love It.

          With friendship,
          Phebe

          Reply
  2. Pam Busiek says

    March 14, 2019 at 3:38 pm

    On your page! Great info, insight and homework.
    Hugs,
    Pam Busiek

    Reply
    • Phebe Phillips says

      March 14, 2019 at 5:13 pm

      Hi Pam,

      Thank you so much. I hope was a helpful post.

      Much Love,
      Phebe

      Reply
  3. Denise Tuel Greak says

    March 14, 2019 at 8:34 pm

    Great information, especially for us East Texas Country Gals. Never realized what good friends they were! Always enjoy your blog…..

    Reply
    • Phebe Phillips says

      March 15, 2019 at 3:36 pm

      Hi Denise,

      I happy you like the blog. I think everyone should know about the opossums. They’re qualities are unknown to most.

      With friendship, Phebe

      Reply
  4. JoEllen Mckinley says

    March 15, 2019 at 8:58 am

    After 61 years of living in the country and seeing Opossums all of my life I am now informed of why God put them here with us. I shared your story with Eddie this morning so now he is informed. Thanks Phebe for enlightening us with your blogs!

    Reply
    • Phebe Phillips says

      March 15, 2019 at 3:37 pm

      Hi JoEllen,

      I think all our East Texas friends should know this. Especially for the copperheads. I’m happy you like the blog and find it helpful.

      With friendship,
      Phebe

      Reply
  5. Margaret Chapman says

    March 16, 2019 at 6:18 pm

    I like this information. I have a opossum that comes around at night.

    Reply
    • Phebe Phillips says

      March 19, 2019 at 3:49 pm

      Hi Margaret,

      We love opossums here. You need that opossum around your place. ~~Phebe

      Reply
  6. Dashon Stewart says

    December 31, 2020 at 10:37 pm

    I got some documents about opossums at the library.

    Reply
  7. Jeffrey Skoritowski says

    June 1, 2022 at 5:43 pm

    Keep your Pro Possumist propaganda to yourself. Possums are a menace wherever they are.

    Reply
    • Phebe Phillips says

      June 1, 2022 at 5:53 pm

      Hi Jeffrey,

      Thank you for commenting and being a part of this post. We allow all voices here at Phebe Phillips Blog.

      With friendship,
      Opossum Lover, Phebe

      Reply

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Phebe Phillips, 2021, Podcaster, Cat Lover, Poet, Storyteller

Phebe Phillips is best known for whimsical plush toys that filled the shelves of Neiman Marcus, FAO, and many fine retailers for 25-years. Today, she creates The Literary Catcast Podcast—dedicated to the preservation of vintage books and writings with cats as main characters, bringing them into the modern awareness of a podcast. She writes poetry and short essays for publication in journals. She has two upcoming books, Sleeping With Louie—a daughter’s soul journey as an only child of a mother with Borderline Personality Disorder, who was also an only child, and Upper East Side of The Pines—growing up in East Texas during the sweetness of the 1960s. She is married to Mac. They live with six cats! For now, they live in Dallas, Texas until they move deep into the East Texas piney woods in 2022.

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