And other
biological stuff:
Tail-- is not prehensile,which means its not
used for grasping (or, for that matter, hanging upside
down from). Instead it acts as a rudder when gliding
through the air. In the wild the tail was often used for
transporting leaves to the nesting site.
Ears--constantly in motion, moving
independently of each other, picking up the smallest of
sounds (such as the high pitched sounds of insects!).
Feet--and sharp claws for climbing walls and
other household items. The back inner big toe is the only
one which does not have a claw; this is often used for
grasping branches and grooming.
Teeth--the better to nip you with.
Gliding membrane-- officially known as the
patagium. In the wild they have been known to glide up to
148 feet, but do not take them outside to find out for
yourself!! (get a bigger house first)
Other somewhat
interesting facts:
Sugar Gliders were popular pets in Australia until
1959. At this time, the Australian government decided to
protect their flora and fauna by enacting strict laws
which ultimately reduced those kept as pets; exports of
the critter were also banned. Either way, all pets today
should be captive-bred. Do NOT buy a wild caught critter.
That just isn't nice.
The terms possum and opossum are not interchangeable,
and in fact are two different animals. There is the
American Opossom and the Australian Possum; these two
critters are only distantly related and are very
different from one another.
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