melonie
New member
I'm going to attempt to include a picture. This is my Virgina Opossum. She has six babies. Most of us haven't had the joy of seeing marsupial babies up close so I'd thought I would share. There are four species of Large American Opossum:
D albiventris, found in Columbia
D marsupialis, found in Eastern Mexico
D autita, found in Eastern Brazil
D virginiana (Virgina Opossum) found from New Hampshire to Colorado, and from southern Ontario to Costa Rica.
Opossum are usually pretty anti social, but Mandy is well a social hog! She is nocturnal however, and loves to make enough noise to wake me up when she DEMANDS attention. I do play with her during the day, but it's quiet time for her and she's not very energetic. (Like most nocturnal animals). Gestation is usually 12.5 - 13 days. Somewhat like our little short tail friends. They can have up to 56 babies ! The female only has 13 mammae so many of the babies perish..
They will leave Mandy's pouch at about 70 days old. But continue to nurse and stay with her up to 3 or 4 months. I will pull the babies at about 50 to 70 days and hand raise them.
I would love to share any experience with you and hopefully someone on the lists has one too and would like to share with me
Regards, Melonie
D albiventris, found in Columbia
D marsupialis, found in Eastern Mexico
D autita, found in Eastern Brazil
D virginiana (Virgina Opossum) found from New Hampshire to Colorado, and from southern Ontario to Costa Rica.
Opossum are usually pretty anti social, but Mandy is well a social hog! She is nocturnal however, and loves to make enough noise to wake me up when she DEMANDS attention. I do play with her during the day, but it's quiet time for her and she's not very energetic. (Like most nocturnal animals). Gestation is usually 12.5 - 13 days. Somewhat like our little short tail friends. They can have up to 56 babies ! The female only has 13 mammae so many of the babies perish..
They will leave Mandy's pouch at about 70 days old. But continue to nurse and stay with her up to 3 or 4 months. I will pull the babies at about 50 to 70 days and hand raise them.
I would love to share any experience with you and hopefully someone on the lists has one too and would like to share with me
Regards, Melonie
