I am always asked by curious animal lovers what a short tailed opossum is when they hear that I have one. Most often they think it is a wild North American opossum that I have (maybe w/ a short tail ? *G*). So, I decided to create a page of information on these little critters to show people just what they are and to tell you a little bit about my Short tailed opossum , Sugarcube.
What is a Short Tailed Opossum ?
In their natural habitat, Short Tailed Opossums are found in Bolivia, Brazil, and Paraguay. They have been used for research in laboratory's in the United States but now have begun to gain popularity as pets. These small, curious animals make wonderful pets for the right owner.
Full grown they will be 4 to 6 inches in body length and weigh only 2 to 5 ounces. They are about the size of a gerbil, much different then your average wild opossum ! Their body is short and they have a hairless, prehensile tail that they use to gather bedding, pick up things, climb, and balance. My opossum uses her tail to clear a spot on the floor of her cage to lay on. For some reason she doesn't like to lay on the bedding, she's rather lay on the glass bottom of her critter tank.
Although they are in the Marsupial family, they do not have a pouch. Their fur is very soft like a rabbit's fur and is usually greyish brown and their tummy's are a lighter variation. Their mouths are triangular and hold 50 very tiny, very sharp teeth (trust me on this one, I've been nipped once). They have huge , paper thin ears and are very sensitive to sound. The eyes on a short tailed opossum are big and black and bulge from their head (but in a cute way :) ). They are nocturnal and are mostly active at night, however they will venture out during the day a lot.
Short tailed opossums also are very expressive and make a number of noises. They will chirp, squeak, click, snort, growl, and mine will even make what sounds like monkey noises. Most of these noises only come about when she is frightened or startled. She does squeak when she is out and about being curious and checking out what I'm doing.
These animals are also extremely clean and neat. After every meal they will wash themselves similar to what cats do. Licking their hands and washing their face, then a little combing here and there. In their cage they will pick one corner to defecate and urinate. Usually this is the corner farthest away from their sleeping area. It's very easy to litter box train them. Using a small, shallow container filled with litter, it will take them no time at all to use it. It's very easy to clean out their cages this way, well, it's even easy to clean it without the added little litter box. I usually only have to dump it out every few days. They are pretty low maintenance.
Short tailed opossums can be trained to be sweet , affectionate pets. But be prepared to handle them often or they won't bond with you easily. It's good to get them around the age of 3 to 4 months. This is when they are at their friendliest and more accepting of you. Even though you may gently handle your short tailed opossum often, sometimes they won't want to be handled no matter what. But, for the most part, they will quickly accept you.
Housing
Short tailed opossums don't need too much room. An aquarium with a secure lid makes the best home environment. A 10 to 15 gallon tank will work just fine. Twenty gallons is even better ; more room for them to explore and play. Make sure you have a very secure lid on it, though, because they are masters of escape. If they escape, good luck with finding them. I haven't had this happen to me, but have heard it's a very hard task.
It's good to have things for them to climb on, they love to climb. My Sugarcube even has her own little hammock in her tank that she just loves to hang out on. Also provide your opossum with a small exercise wheel. It will provide it with a great way to exercise and have a little fun :)
Make sure you also provide a little nest box and strips of paper or plain white paper towel works good. You can use a hamster box or make your own little nest box with a margarine container with a hole cut in the side. I have a wooden critter cave that Sugarcube just loves. She stuffs it with tissue and makes her little home as tidy as can be. If I disturb her environment then she'll start all over again and put it back in order (she's so fussy). Aspen or pine shavings , or corn cob litter can be used for bedding. DO NOT use cedar or newspaper.
Providing a constant supply of water is essential. They can dehydrate easily and will die. The glass tube waterer usually does not work well. A water bottle with a ball bearing works well. You can also provide a bowl of water but it will have to be changed often.
Short tailed opossums need a warm, humid environment somewhere between 70 and 85°. You can use a nocturnal heat lamp ( so it won't disturb it's sleep ) or ceramic heater that you can find for reptiles. The hotter the cage the more humidity you will need ! This is important. You may want to provide a small humidifier in the room to meet this need.
These are solitary animals. Never house them with other opossums unless you are breeding. Otherwise, housing more then one together can lead to fighting and even death.
Feeding
It is necessary to provide a well balanced, nutritional diet for your opossum. Fresh fruit , vegetables, crickets, mealworms, pinkie mice, and hard boiled eggs with the shell are all good choices. Mealworms daily along is a must or freeze dried crickets. Provide a variety of food otherwise they will get very bored and picky. They'll eat almost any fruit you give them. My opossums favorites are cantaloupe, honey dew melon, watermelon, bananas, pears, mangos, and oranges. I even give mine a little baby food every now and then. She loves that stuff :) I've also heard of feeding them tofu or non-fat yogurt. Sugarcube didn't care for it, but others may.
Another point on feeding. You may hear that feeding your opossum cat food is another choice. If you are going to do that please be aware that it isn't the best nutritional choice. Cat food is for cats and meets their nutritional needs just fine, but it will not meet the nutritional needs of your opossum and it is high in fat. This is what the breeder of Sugarcube fed her when she was a baby but I've since found that there are much better choices out there to keep your little friend healthy and happy.
Health
Short Tailed opossums can live to be 6 years or older. Providing a good food source and healthy environment will lead to a happy life for your pet. There are not too many health concerns to list here as long as you give them the environment they need and feed them fresh food daily they will be a healthy companion and will give you many years of pleasure.
If the environment in their cage is too dry their ears can become very brittle and sore. You will need to seek veterinarian advice if you should ever become aware of changes in attitude and appetite. Your opossum should always be alert and inquisitive and eyes should be clear.
If you look for one as a pet be sure to look for a reputable breeder and make sure eyes and nose are clear and that it has it's usual curious nature.
Taming your opossum
Opossums are easily trained. Start out by just putting your hand slowly in the cage. Don't be frightened by it's open mouth and snorting. This is just a defense mechanism - it is telling you that it is afraid. Just keep your hand still and eventually your opossum should come to smell your hand. Do this a bunch of times to get it used to your hand and your scent. After this you can start by gently petting it's back while it's in it's cage. Slowly work your way up to the picking up and handling part. You want your opossum to get used to you before you start picking it up out of it's cage. Once this is accomplished your little opossum will be on it's way to walking around on your hands and arms and cuddling in your neck. Then you can sit and watch tv together :) Just be patient.
Short tailed opossums make excellent pets for adults and children. As with any animal, they may not be for anyone. Please do your research and make sure that this is the pet for you and that you can provide a loving home that these special little animals deserve. They are very loving animals and are easily tamed.
Sugar in her defense mode
Sugar making her home tidy
If you have any questions or comments please email me at : HeaSmi@prodigy.net
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