The Nature Photography Thread

[reptile3]

Wow, Terry I don't think I have seen possum in pics like that.. so it was still sleeping when you picked it up?

[stonyloam]

oh my Terry,
i can't believe you picked it up!

It wasn’t as bad as it looks. He was completely comatose. I think when Chloe found him he shifted into “dead possum” mode. You had to look very close to see any sign of life. Gave me time to go get the camera. Rabies is extremely rare in possums (maybe due to low body temp) so I wasn't too worried about picking him up.

[reptile3]

Lori, that is soooo cool!!! When I was feeding a stray cat a yr & half ago, I would look out at night & see a possum eating the food. I would turn on the light & it would still be sitting there eating... that is cool

So cute, curled up.. look at it's belly, you feeding him well!

Terry, VERY cool pics!!!! I love possums! I've got one who hangs out in my shed where I feed the farm cats. I've named him Percival. He is such a hoot, sometimes I'll go out there and there'll be cat, cat, cat, possum, cat, cat lined up at the food bowl... LOL!!!

Here's Percival chillin on one of the cat beds!



(He has full ears... not so cold here!) I've managed a quick pet now and then but am very aware of those teeth of his.

[infernalis]

Opossum are cool..................

Some have bad tempers though.

[And_Lyn]

Now THAT is the type of possum I'm used to seeing lol

Opossum are cool..................

Some have bad tempers though.

[drache]

very cool photos, Terry
those are not native to the US, are they?
aren't they marsupials?
hi to Chloe for us

[stonyloam]

As I understand it, they originated in South America and have over thousands of years migrated northward into the southern US, and over the last several hundred years have made it into the northern U.S. Yes they are the only North American marsupial. That cute little belly on Percival might just be a pouch.

Yes Chloe is a good possum dog, except they fool her every time with the “I’m dead” trick.

[drache]

Yes Chloe is a good possum dog, except they fool her every time with the “I’m dead” trick.

they're the pros, so to speak

[Hornets23]

Awesome Possum Terry! Lori, Percival is adorable. A few years back I made the mistake of sticking my hand in a pet taxi at night thinking my cat would be in there. Then, finding something furry inside I didnt think anything of it at first until i realized that the fur didnt belong to my cat. So i looked in with a flashlight and it was an opossum with a bunch of babies. I was always fascinated (and grateful) that it didnt bite me.

[Stefan-A]

As I understand it, they originated in South America and have over thousands of years migrated northward into the southern US, and over the last several hundred years have made it into the northern U.S. Yes they are the only North American marsupial.

The Isthmus of Panama only formed about 3 million years ago, so it's definitely not an especially long time since they or their ancestors wandered over.