Our hosts for Nature Friday LLB Gang
In 2013 when the General Assembly was selecting North Carolina's State marsupial, it was easy since the Virginia Opossum is the only marsupial found in the state
Before I retired one of the Physics Professors from Argentina saw one for the first time. She had 2 cats👏. She loved all animals and became thoroughly infatuated them. She left bowls of cat food on her patio for them. (NC Wildlife discourages feeding them). Any way one day when she went out to put food in the bowl one of them took the opened patio door as an invite in. Needless to say when Mr. O got in the house her two house cats were not amused. She had to lock her cats in the bedroom until wildlife officers came to evict Mr. O.
The Virginia opossum (Didelphis virginiana), also known as the North American opossum, is a member of the opossum family found from southern Canada to northern Costa Rica, making it the northernmost marsupial in the world.[7] Commonly referred to simply as the possum,[8] it is a solitary nocturnal animal about the size of a domestic cat, and a successful opportunist.
Opossums are familiar to many North Americans as they frequently inhabit settled areas near food sources like trash cans, pet food, compost piles, gardens or house mice. Their slow, nocturnal nature and their attraction to roadside carrion make opossums more likely to become roadkill.The Virginia opossum is the original animal named "opossum", a word which comes from Algonquian wapathemwa, meaning "white animal". Colloquially, the Virginia opossum is frequently just called a "possum
Click here Hostess Miss Mimi
Flashback
December 12, 2010
Madi: A tale of one tail
This looks like it should hurt.
As always Madi your BFFF (best feline friend furever)
We had one living in the crawl space under the house - sometimes he would get in tw walls which was interesting. We had to chop 15;000 off our sale pice when the inspector found the nest
ReplyDeleteI have never seen an opossum in life but often on You Tube. They always seem so cute, but maybe I wouldn't think so if I met one face to face. Sweet flashback of Angel Madi.
ReplyDeletethese photos of Madi, made my eyes well with tears. so sweet.. I can tell you what opossums can do, ours dug 34 holes in one night in the side yard.. the yard is ugly so I don't care. since they are mild mannered and don't attack, we don't mind them, but I do mind the crazy but cute raccoons. If I could say the word or remember it I would start to call them vwapathemwa , love that name.
ReplyDeleteI've never seen an opossum in real life either. They're cute, but I wouldn't be thrilled with one inside! I can just imagine the reaction of that prof's cats!!
ReplyDeleteAs for Angel Madi, well, she had a most impressive tail! (Cue Darth Vader, in "The Empire Strikes Back", saying to Luke, "Impressive, most impressive" during their battle.)
Ahhh, it's early here....
When we were first married, we found a possum that had been hit by a car. George picked him up with a blanket and we took it to the animal hospital. He loved all animals for as long as I knew him - even snakes☺ You had quite the expressive tail, Madi!
ReplyDeleteHari OM
ReplyDeleteHeheheh, to be classified in the 'cute but mischievous' category!!! (Madi too...:-) YAM xx
I have seen plenty of opossum but only when I'm driving and they are crossing the road in front of me. Just the other day on my way home from work, one crossed in front of me. The roads were slippery and I was afraid to brake. I tensed waiting for the impact but thankfully I'm pretty sure I missed him
ReplyDeleteI always love a kitty with a great big fluffy long tail. So much more to reach down for and get the tip of when they're holding it up in the air for you. And I love possums. I'll never forget the year that we had a mama possum and her half grown babies that were living in our window well.
ReplyDeleteOne would think with common sense, you don't let a wild creature in the house, LOL! Anyway, we never had many around here but now with climate change we see them a lot, sadly mostly dead as they are not good at crossing streets, evidently. They are kind of cool critters.
ReplyDeleteI'll never forget the Opossums Dory and Jakey used to find on the fence of our house in Texas....they are such interesting creatures!
ReplyDeleteAngel Madi and her curly hook tail always make me smile!
hugs,
Beth
We know there are opossums around our property, but they have rarely been seen since they are most active at night. What a sweet memory of Angel Madi.
ReplyDelete