Opossum Tail Facts – Humane Wildlife Removal

Facts About the Opossum Tail

Although opossums are mostly known for their involuntary ability to play dead in face of immense danger, their tail is just as interesting. In Disney movies, you’ve probably seen opossums hanging by their tails; an attestation to the strength it possesses. In this post, we’re going to examine the facts about the tail of North America’s only marsupials (Opossum).

#1 They have prehensile tails

In the evolutionary adaptation of some species, an appendage or organ becomes adapted for holding or grasping. This quality is referred to as ‘Prehensility’. Just like the feet of raccoons or the nose of elephants or the tail of monkeys are prehensile, opossums have prehensile tails that enable them to hold and grasp objects. This property makes their tail suitable for a wide array of activities including:

Climbing trees

When climbing on different surfaces, it functions as a fifth limb. It helps provide further grasp to help in the climbing process.

Carrying Objects

Because their tails are flexible, opossums can use it to hold leaves and sticks. They use this material to line their dens. Their tail is also suited for carrying food items to their dens.

Digging

In conjunction with their sharp claws, opossums make use of their tail when digging into the back of trees.

#2 Opossums can hang with their tails

One fascinating sight in wildlife is seeing an opossum hang with its tail on a tree branch without falling. Although boneless, the muscles in their long tails are so strong that it supports the entire body. They then use this stability to hop from one branch to another.
However, a common misconception is that opossums sleep while hanging by their tails. This misrepresentation is mainly propagated through movies like ‘Bambi’ that attempts to add fiction to their true attributes. In reality, they can only briefly hang. Also, younger opossums are more likely to hang because of their low bodyweight.

#3 They use their tail to generate scents.

In the animal kingdom, scents are crucial! Opossums use their scents to mark their territory, to signal to intruders to find somewhere else to stay. Sometimes, females use this scent in locating a suitable mating partner.

#4 They use their tails for signaling

All forms of animals have different means of communicating with each other when danger arises. For opossums, it’s their tail. When danger is lurking – like a predator or large dogs or raccoons or coyotes – opossums use their tails to send a distress message to other opossums around to stay clear of the danger zone.

#5 Playing Dead

It’s a well-known fact that opossums play dead in face of danger. This display is so convincing, such that the heartbeat becomes undetectable and their tail flags down. However, when the impending threat leaves, their tail is usually the first part of their body