Table of Contents
How did possums evolve to play dead?
Wild animals have various defense mechanisms, and the opossum has the oddest of all. They play dead to avoid confrontations with predators. This is an involuntary response to a stressful situation that causes the opossum to go into shock. The opossum has no control whatsoever over this reaction.
Why do possums open their mouth?
And their main defense against would-be predators, along with playing dead or playing opossum, is a behavior called “gaping,” opening their mouths wide and making a hissing noise. Goldberg says while it may look menacing, the animal is bluffing. It’s a defensive, not an offensive strategy to scare off enemies.
Can I keep a dead possum?
Place the dead possum in a plastic garbage bag and tie the bag tightly. Place the plastic bag in a garbage can with a lid. Alternatively, place it in a cardboard box and tape the box shut. Keeping the carcass in a closed container prevents scavengers from getting to it and breaking the plastic bag.
Why do opossums play dead when they are in danger?
Playing dead is regarded as an instinctive response from an Opossum, as the prospect of facing danger can send the animal into a temporary shock. The shock experience by the animal will induce the animal to go into a comatose that may last for between 40 minutes or more than 3 hours.
Are possums dangerous to humans or pets?
Opossums become dangerous with their ability to transmit diseases to pets and people. Known to carry leptospirosis, tuberculosis, coccidiosis, spotted fever, tularemia, and other diseases, the pesky creatures pose serious health threats when they invade urban environments.
How long can a possum play dead?
Opossums can play dead for between few seconds and several minutes, depending on the types of predator or danger they are confronted with. In most cases, the predator will play around with the Opossum’s body for a while and leave it.
Why do opossums fake dead?
It comes from a characteristic of the Virginia opossum, which is famous for pretending to be dead when threatened. [45] [46] This instinct does not always pay off in the modern world; for example, opossums scavenging roadkill may use it in response to the threat posed by oncoming traffic, and subsequently end up as roadkill themselves.