Soma
Sacred Earth => Animals, Birds, and all our other creature friends [Public] => Topic started by: nichi on July 28, 2006, 04:15:16 PM
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I live in the US, where this marsupial critter is abundant across the country, east to west.
Here's one of the cuter pictures of an adolescent I found on the Net:
(http://home.everestkc.net/econit/possum/possum.jpg)
On a couple of my trips to my mother's in Southern California, I've had various encounters with them at night out in back, on their patio, where the possums forage for peanuts or cat food left about.
They have quite a set of teeth, which they bare when threatened, but as I used to hang out with a group of raccoons once upon a time, I can tell you that the possum-teeth maneuvers are all talk and no action. If they are really threatened, they have the "play dead" response up their sleeve.
I mean, can this critter really be aggressive?
(http://images.enature.com/mammals/mammals_m/MA0062_1m.jpg)
(She carries her young on her back after they leave the pouch.)
(http://www.fcps.k12.va.us/StratfordLandingES/Ecology/Mammals/Virginia%20Opossum/0011.jpeg)
At any rate, there are 2 youngsters/adolescents frolicking through the backyard at night lately here. I caught one of them sitting in the peanut tray, and got close enough to fire off the folks' camera (will be interesting to see if the shutter ever really opened for the pic).
And then, sitting out there a couple of nights ago (because the heat is oppressively overwhelming in the house), I was quietly taking things in out there, at the table, listening to the waterfall in the little pond, and after about 5 minutes one of the young possums lifts up his head over the roll of barley which had been obstructing my view of him. He had been there the whole time, apparently! He looked across the table, into my face, as calmly as were we sharing a bottle of chianti. I actually expected him to speak.
What does this mean? Nothing in particular that I can see at this time, except that I find a small comfort in knowing that, wherever I end up, there will always be friends to be made. :):)
~v
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I love the pic of mama carrying the babies! That's awesome, I admire her ability to balance and climb with the lot of them on her back. She's amazing!
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Could she ever tell some stories of motherhood, eh?
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I love the pic of mama carrying the babies! That's awesome, I admire her ability to balance and climb with the lot of them on her back. She's amazing!
That skill becomes pretty handy in supermarket, right? :D
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That skill becomes pretty handy in supermarket, right? :D
Oh, if I could only carry them like that! My little ones always liked to run for the goodies. Keeping them rounded up, and giving them "the look" so they know I meant business, LOL!
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heheh -- I've wondered what the possum mom needs to do to kick the young off her back. I'll bet she just runs away one night. ;)
Kinda dark, I know --
In the furry kingdom, all sorts of approaches to motherhood!
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They look so sweet V! I dont have them here :(
Its a pleasant thought of you sitting outside after dark making friends. :-*
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Jen, no possums? Surprised!
(I've been meaning to ask you if you have porcupine up there... also on my list to see, along with moose!)
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are they possums? they're very qute
We have possums here but not like that - not that long snout, and their hair is much tougher - I hit one with the car the other night, stunned it, but it was OK - took off eventually, though I did worry if there had been some internal damage.
xero used to bring them up as pets - they'd run up your leg as you dashed from one room to another... sharp claws you know.
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I've seen footage of your possums there, M, and I wonder if they are even in the same family -- they do seem so different! Yours are much cuter and furrier!
Possums are the only marsupial on the n.american continent.
I think your possums are not marsupials... they're in some other family.
But they do have in common, apparently, that they end up as road-kill a lot! 8) :)
Edited to add -- I know how they ended up being named the same -- the tails! Both have dextrous, prehensile tails, I'm thinking.
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heheh -- I've wondered what the possum mom needs to do to kick the young off her back. I'll bet she just runs away one night. ;)
Yep!
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Jen, no possums? Surprised!
(I've been meaning to ask you if you have porcupine up there... also on my list to see, along with moose!)
Porcupines.... oh yes, my dogs have made me well aware of them coming home covered in quills.... ack! You wouldnt believe what its like to see a dog full of them.. its terrible. Depending on how stupid the dog gets with its fight, they can go completly through their tongue, roof of the mouth into the nose. In between their teeth lodged into gums... Hundreds of sharp quills to pull.... a misrible ride to see the vet.
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foxes are more clever - they piss on them which makes them open... then they're gone
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Cool.. I didnt know that!
Its a bit sad to think that humans have over the years controlled and trained dogs to forget their primal insticts.
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Porcupines.... oh yes, my dogs have made me well aware of them coming home covered in quills.... ack! You wouldnt believe what its like to see a dog full of them.. its terrible. Depending on how stupid the dog gets with its fight, they can go completly through their tongue, roof of the mouth into the nose. In between their teeth lodged into gums... Hundreds of sharp quills to pull.... a misrible ride to see the vet.
Uh-oh ... so they are not a welcome critter if one has a pet -- what a painful ordeal that must be!
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are they possums? they're very qute
We have possums here but not like that - not that long snout, and their hair is much tougher - I hit one with the car the other night, stunned it, but it was OK - took off eventually, though I did worry if there had been some internal damage.
xero used to bring them up as pets - they'd run up your leg as you dashed from one room to another... sharp claws you know.
The Aussie possum is defiantly a marsupial. We have several species ( About 11 or so with 4 or 5 subspecies I would a guess off the top of my head.) I would look it up but I loaned my books out to an interesting chap who is a cat and fox eradicator...but that's another story. - Though I did see him today after nearly two years. Gee, I should have asked him for my books. Always an awkward moment. (...when it isn't said)
Anyway,
The Virginia opossum (it is said) migrated up North America from South America fairly recently I understand. In the last few of thousand years. But before that...way back some 60 million years (it is said) the super southern continent Gondwanna split, eventually leaving Australia to evolve as a land raft for a wierd bunch of ancient and unique animals. For some reason, marsupial became the successful mammal group. The American possum is a distant relative to these. (and those still found in Sth. America)
They make wonderful companions around the garden. Though the males can get a bit chewy on your toes and ears as they get to that passionate age. And as Michael says, the weight of a full grown possum climbing your leg with those claws ......
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You're singing our song, xero --- fauna!!
No kidding about yours being marsupials-- sorry about transmitting the misinformation. This is intriguing that you raise(d?) them. I can't think of anything more lovely than having their company in the garden... So they chew on your toes and ears?? I think I'd love that, to tell you the truth! :) :o :) Were you breeding them or rescuing them, loving them as pets, what was/is happening with that?
:)