Term
| What is the only marsupial found in North America, and one of the world's oldest mammals? |
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| What is a unique survival technique of the opossum? |
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Definition
| Playing Possum: pretending to be dead when a predator or child rushes at them or prevents escape |
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Term
| What can possums do in case he can't escape? |
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Definition
~click teeth (like Wheezie)
~hiss
~growl
~release musky |
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| How long does the death act of a possum last? Describe |
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Definition
| few minutes to several hours; lie still, eyes open and staring, mouth open, tongue limp |
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| What is a common winter problem for opossum? |
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Definition
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| Where do most marsupials live? |
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Definition
| warm climates like Australia and S America |
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Definition
| no, they grow a thin layer of fat and den up during snowy periods |
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| What is the population of opossums like? |
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| What is the possum classified as in PA? |
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| Where can opossum be found? |
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Definition
| IDEAL: bottomland woods that border streams. Also farms, woods, fields; suburbs |
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| What wildlife management techniques help opossums as well as large game animals like bear and deer? |
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Definition
| Thinning forests; planting edge zones with low-growing food-producing plants (berries); creating thick cover for their escape or rest; preserving hollow dead trees for shelter cavities |
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Term
| Why do people think opossums are rats? |
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Definition
| they are not rats; they have hairless scaly tail like rats, but opossums use their tails to climb trees |
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Term
| What is a possum's tail called? |
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Definition
prehensile, meaning "able to grasp"
opossums have partially prehensile tails they can use to dangle from a tree or anchor their body to a branch |
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Term
| When are possum litters born? |
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Definition
| late winter and early to mid summer |
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| How long is gestation for possum? |
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Definition
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| What are young possums like? |
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Definition
one half inch in length
.0005 ounces
hairless, pink, blind |
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Term
| What do baby possums do after they are born? |
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Definition
| use front claws to climb up the mothers' fur to a pouch on her belly, attach to one of the 13 mammary glands and begin to nurse. |
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Term
| How long do the babies nurse? |
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| What happens if there are more than 13 young opossums born? |
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| How do the young opossums keep from falling out of the pouch? |
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| How many young do opossum have? |
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| What are the baby possums like at 8 to 9 weeks? |
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Definition
| they let go of the mammary gland for the first time; eyes open; leave the pouch for short periods of time; riding mom's back and gripping fur with claws |
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| What are young possums like at 3 to 4 months? |
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Definition
| look for own food; begin to care for themselves; stop nursing |
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| What are other names for the opossum? |
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Definition
| possum; grinner; monkey rat |
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Definition
| size of large house cat, about 24-40 inches long; males larger; tail 10-12 inches |
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Term
| Why is Wheezie so annoying? |
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Definition
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| Explain: Opossums are both terrestrial and arboreal? |
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Definition
| spend time on land and in trees |
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Definition
| more than any other mammal in PA: 50 |
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| Explain: opossum is an omnivore? |
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Definition
| eats both plants and animals; love to scavenge |
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Definition
| five toes; first one is claw-less and acts like a thumb; other toes have claws |
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Term
| How do whiskers help the opossum? |
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Definition
| help them touch surroundings, esp at night |
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Term
| opossum sight and hearing? |
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