Opossums get a bum rap. How to safely and humanely remove bats from your house, Better Business Bureau Accredited Charity. It is still unclear why a possum may walk in circles. Why would possums walk in circles? Wise-Answer possums The phenomenon of possums walking around in circles was first described as far back as 1834 in New York. 2023 The Humane Society of the United States Privacy policy and terms. This could be done for defense or aggressive reasons. Opossums will also come out of their dens or shelters during the day if chased or startled by other animals like dogs and cats. He addressed and resolved a couple of critter issues we were having. Opossums are often accused, but rarely responsible for getting into garbage cans or gardens. If food is scarce, they will spend as much time as necessary to locate it, scavenging at all hours. They do not navigate their way to a pre-decided locale for any pre-decided reason. It is always best to play it safe and contact the trained professionals at Critter Control to deal with daytime opossum problems. They cannot fight, and they cant run fast. Extreme fear will cause opossums to fall over dead, become stiff as though in rigor, and emit a smell that fools a predator into thinking they are spoiled meat. A possums behavior is strongly influenced by instinct, and these circular movements can also be seen as a defensive strategy. Often seen as a pest and accused of everything from knocking over garbage cans to killing chickens, these quiet marsupials are rarely a threat and easily sent on their way. Place the rice sock in the container under the towel, and place the animal on or near it, but not directly in contact with the rice sock. Possum behavior is instinctive, and is motivated by the need to remain safe from potential predators. Where was the possum found walking in circles? This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. They are well-adapted to arboreal and terrestrial habitats, and are found in the highest densities where concentrated food sources occur. The most common experience people have with this secretive species in North Carolina is on roadways at night, and many are hit by vehicles every year. Fur coloration ranges from light gray to nearly black, with most individuals exhibiting light underfur with black guard hairs. This could be used as a way to confuse potential predators, as it becomes difficult to anticipate a possums next move when it is walking in circles. They have a long, pointed snout and a prehensile tail, which wraps around tree branches for support. Only once theyve grown big and strong enough do they venture out, transitioning between their mothers back and the warmth of the pouch until they mature into adults. Paul Livingstone from the Animal Health Board in Wellington, estimates that each night the possums eat their way through 21 tonnes of native trees and pastures. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. Its also possible that the possum is attempting to mark its territory, as walking in circles is an instinctive way to delineate the area where it feels safe and secure. Virginia Opossum - North Carolina Wildlife Resources By the time their body is about 7 inches long, not including the tail (about the length of an adult humans hand), young opossums are weaned and able to survive on their own.
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