this post was submitted on 11 Jun 2024
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As the local "weird possum girl", they are very intelligent! They shouldn't be!
See, opossum have smooth brains. This isn't normally linked to a high intelligence. Yet, they can remember if a food is toxic for up to two weeks after ingesting it, can learn and remember how to operate different sliding locks, and can solve simple puzzles with the right motivation(food)!
They can also form bonds, remembering people they like and dislike. Which is kinda funny to think about, because their babies spend a period of time riding around on moms back before they're big enough to waddle off on their own. If one falls off, she may very well trundle off, leaving the little one behind, who may hitch a ride on a totally different jill that happens to walk by.
goodness how i wish there was a weird possum girl in my locality
i would buy her lunch
not to eat with her as some creepy implied commitment to a date but because free food is an appropriate gift for opossum enthusiasts and I am just as happy for her to enjoy it without me if she so chooses.
(but to be fair i would prefer if she'd join me so i can listen to her talk about opossum facts)
I'd recommend something besides lunch for that, or at least have a strong stomach.
You'll eventually hit the gross facts, and the little guys can get gross. Still absolutely adorable scavengers who play a key part in the decay cycle, but gross.
I’ve a strong stomach, and insatiable curiosity.
What kind of gross? Like rabbits eating their own first-pass poo?
(My RN mother used to watch graphic surgical shows during dinner so almost nothing really bothers me…. Except spelunkers getting stuck in caves. Holy fuck does that bother me and I’ll never be in a cave, so very illogical phobia)
It's not just the first pass for a possum. It's every pass, as it may still carry excess nutrients they now need. They do it from a very young age.
They have a cloyingly sweet feces that stays on whatever fabric you're wearing while handling poop dishes in rehabs. They prefer moving water, but any water will do. I cannot put the smell into words. It's burned into your nostrils for hours after.
Cannibalism isn't uncommon amongst the species, but we have no clue why. They just randomly decide to eat each other.
No Biomass Left Behind!!! XD
Sounds like opossums will eat anything there is (or might be) nutrition in...
So wait, they poop in water? Like specifically?
Or am I misunderstanding, and the reason the water movement matters is that they eat shit then drink water? Or something else entirely?
Do they often get disease from consuming their poo? Since they scavenge and all, I assume they probably have decent immune systems, but fecal-oral is a super common disease transmission path.
Water specifically. It helps mask the smell, and it's a frequent spot for one of their favorite foods, frogs. They also fish whatever is left in the water, if any. A lot gets caught on their tails, which frequently dip into the water.
Surprisingly, they're extremely clean creatures, even with their dietary habits! They rarely carry any known passable diseases, even rabies! In fact, the biggest issue to look for is Metabolic Bone Disorder, or MBD, which is a sign of low calcium, and causes twisting of the bone structure, often leading to death. There is no cure, just slowing the spread.
Interesting, thanks for sharing that with me (and everyone else, I suppose). :)
Have a great day!
Two weeks doesn't seem like all that long before forgetting that some food was toxic lol
Tell that to lactose intolerant people who love cheese. -from the very same.
Yeah and that part about losing babies and walking off unawares doesn't seem so bright either
It surprisingly is at their overall brain capacity. They're intelligent relative to their brain mass.
This gal possums.
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I wish having possums wasn't illegal without a very burocratic license in my country (Brazil). My ex once found a trio of babies, after the mother was run over by a car, I wish she'd kept one. She gave them to the environmental police
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