The Common Opossum (Didelphis marsupials) is a mammal species living from the northeast of Mexico to Bolivia. It prefers the woods, but can also live in fields and cities.

The Didelphias marsupial is approximately as big as a cat.  Its smooth tail can measure 50 cm. It has 50 teeth, and it can weight up to 13 pounds and can be as long as 3.5 feet from nose to tail.

The Opossum is a nocturnal animal. During the day, it sleeps in the hollow of a tree. Its head stays under the rest of its body. It eats a lot of different things such as mangoes, worms, frogs, and insects and sometimes even birds and eggs. They usually walk to get around but they can also climb trees.

A female Opossum can give birth to 5-9 offspring up to three times a year.  The newborns are kept in the mother's pouch for two months and then carried on the mother's back until they are three to four months old, male Opossums don’t usually come into contact with the offspring.

The common Opossum can live up to 2.5 years on average, but some can live for up to 5 years. The common opossum can also give birth to more than 50 young at a time, but only those that attach to one of her 13 nipples will survive. Once the young have developed further, but are still quite helpless, the mother will leave them in the nest while she forages for food.

Author:  Cassidy F
Published: 02/2012

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Photo Credit:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Rabipelao2.jpg