Unpopular and Maligned Animals

[Sassy]

Originally Posted by The JD

There's a possum that lives in my back yard... we cross paths occasionally, since we're both active at night. Freaks me out every time- it reared up and hissed at me once, and I was the one who nearly played dead. I know I should feel more fondly toward North America's only marsupial, but they're just so....mismatched.

They get a bad rap on the rabies thing too. Though they *can* carry rabies, it's not very likely- their body temp is too low.

*squeals!!!* ick ick ick ick!!!! oh, I had a nasty run-in with one of these ugly buggers recently. My li'l dog got hold of one in the backyard around midnight one night... ok, good puppy, protectin' Mama from the overgrown rat... but... ick ick ick ick!!!! it STANK and I was SO glad the dog's shots were up to date ... Funny thing though... I thought she'd killed it. I hauled the dog off the possum and ran in the house ranting the whole way about having to deal with possum remains in the middle of the night and it cold and wet outside.......... erm, possums "play possum" when they're scared..... when I walked back outside to assess the situation the critter had disappeared.......... so the one good thing I can so for 'em, is I haven't had to bury one yet. *laughs!* .....