Virginia opossums (Didelphis virginiana) are the sole marsupials found in the United States, and we take pride in sharing our yard with them. Due to their nocturnal nature, we seldom see them, but we are aware of their presence thanks to our camera traps. Recently, we captured an intriguing behavior of these opossums: how they utilize their tails. Watch the video below to see the opossum tail in action!
The opossum tail serves to transport nesting materials
Opossums employ their prehensile tails to transport nesting materials (leaves, twigs, corn husks…) back to their dens. Here’s how they accomplish this: opossums pick up leaves using their mouths, then transfer them to their front feet, and subsequently to their back feet. They curl their tails over the bundle of leaves and carry this bedding around with their semi-prehensile tails as if it were an additional limb!
We’ve captured this behavior several times on our trail cameras. The video below features the most recent instance, where an opossum is seen collecting leaves and transporting them to its den, which is located just about 10 feet from our house. We intentionally leave our leaves on the ground in the autumn to allow opossums, woodchucks, and squirrels to take them to their nests. Opossums do not excavate their dens. Our neighbor utilizes a woodchuck burrow. The leaves serve to line the den, enhancing insulation during the cold winter months.
Opossum tails provide balance when traversing trees
While juvenile opossums can dangle from their tails (if prompted), adult opossums are too heavy and do not use their tails for hanging. However, they do use them for balance and stabilization on branches while climbing trees.
Opossum tails are not handles
Grabbing an adult opossum by the tip of its tail can inflict serious injury by dislocating its tail bones.
To discover more about opossums, read our article [Possum vs Opossum: What’s the Difference](https://www.travel4wildlife.com/possum-vs-opossum-the-real-answer/)?