Awesome Opossum!
This week- we are staying up late and meeting the critters who are nocturnal and one of our favorite camp nocturnal residents is the opossum! These marsupials get a bad rap, but they are truly amazing! We invited our friend Ophelia Opossum to come and share some neat facts with us here at camp!
Hi everyone! I’m here to share with you more about me! Yay!!!
- I am the only marsupial in North America! That’s right- I have a pouch where my babies grow as they develop!
- The name is Opossum- true possums live all the way around the other side of the world in Australia and New Guinea! So- remember the O!
- We are mostly immune to venomous snakes! That’s right- we ain’t afraid of those legless reptiles!
- I love to eat snails, slugs, beetles and most importantly – ticks! Yep- I can eat around 4,000 ticks a week! That’s good because those nasty bugs can transmit some dangerous diseases.
- You primates think you are the only ones with opposable toes, well I am here to tell you- I have them too! They help me climb!
- I also have a prehensile tail! I can hang from it, but only for short periods. I can also carry things like grass with it.
- I have 50 teeth in my mouth! Say cheese!
- Finally- I do play dead when I am threatened. It is an involuntary response- I can not control it. I can stay in this state for up to 4 hours!
People say we aren’t cute, but I totally disagree! Look at that pink nose and cute ears! We are much more helpful than you realized! Let’s all give the opossums out there some love and respect! Now, who wants to go play opossum with me down by Lake Salamander?
The Adventures of Ellie and Edmond 
“I can eat around 4,000 ticks a week!” We need one of these at work!
50 teeth??!! Oh my goodness.