Virginia opossums (Didelphis virginiana) are the sole marsupials found in the United States, and we take pride in sharing our yard with them. Although they are nocturnal, making them difficult to spot, we are aware of their presence due to our camera traps. Recently, we captured some fascinating opossum behavior: the way an opossum utilizes its tail. Check out the video below showcasing the opossum tail in action!
The opossum tail serves to transport nesting material
Opossums utilize their prehensile tails to transport nesting materials (leaves, twigs, corn husks…) back to their dens. Here’s how they accomplish this: opossums collect leaves using their mouths, then transfer them to their front feet and subsequently to their back feet. They wrap their tail around the bundle of leaves and carry this bedding around with their semi-prehensile tails as if it were an additional limb!
We have captured this behavior multiple times on our trail cameras. The video below is the most recent instance, where an opossum is seen collecting leaves and carrying them to its den, located just about 10 feet from our house. We intentionally leave our leaves on the ground during autumn so that opossums, woodchucks, and squirrels can gather them for their nests. Opossums do not dig their own dens; our neighbor uses a woodchuck burrow. Leaves are utilized to line the den, providing extra insulation during the cold winter months.
Opossum tails assist in balancing while climbing trees
While juvenile opossums can dangle by their tails (if forced to do so), adult opossums are too heavy and do not use their tails for hanging. However, they do employ it for balance and stabilization on branches while scaling trees.
Opossum tails are not handles
Lifting a fully grown 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/)?