Opossums

Opossums are very much like rats as they both are very adaptable to where they can live. Because of this, opossums are very widespread, like rats. 

They live for about 2 to 4 years. Their life is very simple compared to ours. They wake up at night to eat, and to feed their young. They also have to keep predators off their land. 

Predators can be anything that is bigger than them: owls, bears, dogs, and so on. They are about the same size as a cat, maybe a little smaller. Even though the predators are bigger and can kill them easily the opossums know how to "play possum". They "play possum" when they feel like they are being threatened or when they are scared. 

"Playing possum" 
They act like they are dead and also smell that way too! This might sound a little crazy. Like rats they groom themselves on a daily basis. So, how do they smell so bad, you might be wondering. They can make themselves smell bad by letting out a green fluid from their butt glands. And yes it is as gross as it sounds! This fluid smells so bad that it can make other animals that would eat them think that they are dead. And who would want to eat something that is already dead and might have a disease? Not me that's for sure! They also make themselves look dead. You can come up to touch it and it will let you push it around as if it were dead. 

They have a very wide range in food also. They can eat insects, snails, eggs from other animals, grass and plants, berries, fruit, vegetables, small rodents, and sometimes they can even eat snakes! 

An opossum is a marsupial meaning that it has a pouch. This pouch is for babies to grow up in. The babies live in the pouch for 2-3 months until they can come out and play with their siblings. But when the mom looks for food they stay on her back for another 2 months. After that they are ready to make a family of their own. 

Here is a drawing I drew of one of these strange cute little fellas: