Comments on: Undead Possum http://mjd.joskinandlob.com/wordpress/writings/undead-possum Mad Ramblings of Michael J. DeLuca Mon, 25 Jan 2010 18:39:26 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.3 By: Jeff Howell http://mjd.joskinandlob.com/wordpress/writings/undead-possum/comment-page-1#comment-828 Jeff Howell Wed, 01 Oct 2008 15:31:17 +0000 http://mjd.joskinandlob.com/wordpress/?p=340#comment-828 Thanks for the reply. It is a strange creature, I enjoyed reading about them when I started to get visits by one. Here's a site I found interesting in addition to the Wikipedia article: http://www.opossumsocietyus.org/opossum_defense_mechanisms.htm It describes the faux death, which from the picture seems to be a flop over vs. a curl up. But maybe it varies based on how they were found. Nothing mentiones twitching ... so that does sound like a possible illness. I missed the part about him standing up in your entry, poor reading comprehension on my part. Hope you have a nice rest of the week, free of undead animals vegetables and minerals. Thanks for the reply. It is a strange creature, I enjoyed reading about them when I started to get visits by one. Here’s a site I found interesting in addition to the Wikipedia article:
http://www.opossumsocietyus.org/opossum_defense_mechanisms.htm It describes the faux death, which from the picture seems to be a flop over vs. a curl up. But maybe it varies based on how they were found. Nothing mentiones twitching … so that does sound like a possible illness. I missed the part about him standing up in your entry, poor reading comprehension on my part. Hope you have a nice rest of the week, free of undead animals vegetables and minerals.

]]> By: mjd http://mjd.joskinandlob.com/wordpress/writings/undead-possum/comment-page-1#comment-827 mjd Tue, 30 Sep 2008 23:17:42 +0000 http://mjd.joskinandlob.com/wordpress/?p=340#comment-827 I think they can be cute---rats can be cute too---it's just a matter of habit and surroundings. I don't think the one I saw was playing possum, though it's possible. Heh. Pun not intended. I think they lie down and curl into a ball to play possum. And while the wikipedia entry teaches me a number of things I didn't know, including that when they play dead, possums secrete some kind of faux-death perfume (which could conceivably have attracted the flies), it doesn't convince me that's what I saw. This one was standing straight up, eyes open, and like I said, twitching. I think it was sick. Though research does seem to suggest they aren't particularly susceptible to rabies...so who knows. But who plays dead standing up? I think they can be cute—rats can be cute too—it’s just a matter of habit and surroundings.

I don’t think the one I saw was playing possum, though it’s possible. Heh. Pun not intended. I think they lie down and curl into a ball to play possum. And while the wikipedia entry teaches me a number of things I didn’t know, including that when they play dead, possums secrete some kind of faux-death perfume (which could conceivably have attracted the flies), it doesn’t convince me that’s what I saw. This one was standing straight up, eyes open, and like I said, twitching. I think it was sick. Though research does seem to suggest they aren’t particularly susceptible to rabies…so who knows. But who plays dead standing up?

]]> By: Jeff Howell http://mjd.joskinandlob.com/wordpress/writings/undead-possum/comment-page-1#comment-826 Jeff Howell Tue, 30 Sep 2008 16:01:52 +0000 http://mjd.joskinandlob.com/wordpress/?p=340#comment-826 I know I'm in the minority but I find possums cute. They are the only marsupial in North America which I find kind of neat and strange. There's a lot of possum rehabilitation places I've noticed online. Possums tend to get killed by cars and the babies often survive. They 'play possum' like you found, pretending to be dead when scared. From what I've read, they are not often carries of rabies. And their appearance doesn't indicate a problem with garbage. I say this because I have a possum that occasionally comes to eat food I leave out for stray cats. They are noctural, so your daylight sighting could indicate that one had a disease or was just very hungry. Glad you didn't get hurt. I know I’m in the minority but I find possums cute. They are the only marsupial in North America which I find kind of neat and strange. There’s a lot of possum rehabilitation places I’ve noticed online. Possums tend to get killed by cars and the babies often survive. They ‘play possum’ like you found, pretending to be dead when scared. From what I’ve read, they are not often carries of rabies. And their appearance doesn’t indicate a problem with garbage. I say this because I have a possum that occasionally comes to eat food I leave out for stray cats. They are noctural, so your daylight sighting could indicate that one had a disease or was just very hungry. Glad you didn’t get hurt.

]]> By: mjd http://mjd.joskinandlob.com/wordpress/writings/undead-possum/comment-page-1#comment-825 mjd Tue, 30 Sep 2008 13:55:14 +0000 http://mjd.joskinandlob.com/wordpress/?p=340#comment-825 I know! Freaky, huh? Got to give myself credit for not going apeshit on the poor rabid beastie and bashing its head in with my cane. I know! Freaky, huh? Got to give myself credit for not going apeshit on the poor rabid beastie and bashing its head in with my cane.

]]> By: Erica http://mjd.joskinandlob.com/wordpress/writings/undead-possum/comment-page-1#comment-824 Erica Tue, 30 Sep 2008 13:46:17 +0000 http://mjd.joskinandlob.com/wordpress/?p=340#comment-824 Those undead bastards. Those undead bastards.

]]> By: Justin http://mjd.joskinandlob.com/wordpress/writings/undead-possum/comment-page-1#comment-823 Justin Tue, 30 Sep 2008 01:26:57 +0000 http://mjd.joskinandlob.com/wordpress/?p=340#comment-823 Barricade the doors! Barricade the doors!

]]> By: Becky http://mjd.joskinandlob.com/wordpress/writings/undead-possum/comment-page-1#comment-822 Becky Tue, 30 Sep 2008 00:14:01 +0000 http://mjd.joskinandlob.com/wordpress/?p=340#comment-822 Hmm, zombie possums. Very interesting. Hmm, zombie possums. Very interesting.

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