Virginia opossums (Didelphis virginiana) are the sole marsupials found in the United States, and we take pride in sharing our yard with them. Being nocturnal, we seldom actually spot them, but we are aware of their presence through our camera traps. Recently, we captured a fascinating opossum behavior on film: the use of its tail. Take a look at the video below that showcases the opossum tail in action!
The opossum tail serves to transport nesting materials
Opossums utilize their prehensile tail to transport nesting materials (leaves, twigs, corn husks…) back to their dens. Here’s how it works: opossums pick up leaves with their mouths and then transfer them to their front feet, followed by their back feet. They then curl their tail over the bundle of leaves and carry this bedding as if it were a fifth limb using their semi-prehensile tails!
We’ve observed this behavior several times with our trail cameras. The video below is the most recent example, where an opossum is shown collecting leaves and bringing them to its den, located just about 10 feet from our home. We intentionally leave leaves on the ground in the fall so that opossums, woodchucks, and squirrels can utilize them for their nests. Opossums do not excavate their own dens, and our neighbor is making use of a woodchuck burrow. The leaves are used to line the den, enhancing insulation during the cold winter months.
Opossum tails aid in balancing when navigating trees
While juvenile opossums can hang by their tail (if prompted), adult opossums are too heavy for this and do not use their tail for hanging. However, they do employ it for balance and stability while climbing branches in trees.
Opossum tails are not handles
Grabbing an adult opossum by the tip of its tail can cause serious injury by dislocating tail bones.
To discover more about opossums, read our article Possum vs Opossum: What’s the Difference?