Possums are strictly nocturnal animals. This means that they spend the daylight hours sleeping. They look for a nest, shelter, or log where they get a sound sleep like most small mammals. Despite being arboreal, most possums don’t necessarily sleep in trees. Instead, they just climb trees to feed on shrubs or fruits and return to the ground to get their sleep.
The question now is, where do possums sleep during the day?
The ringtail possums that are primarily found in southern Australia don’t sleep in nests. It is believed that they sleep in tree hollows. Most of the time, although not always, there are dry leaves that line the tree hollow.
Rock ringtail possum is a completely nocturnal species. These possums climb into trees to look for food during nighttime. Similar to other ringtails, rock ringtail possums can be found sleeping in rock ledges during the daytime. They don’t build nests.
The western pygmy possum is also coequal as it likely spends the daytime in a tree-concave or splint-lined breeding ground. These possums can also sleep on grassy tree leaves. There are also cases when they sleep in a cackler’s nest erected on the ground.
The size of little pygmy possums is quite small and they usually look for shelter beneath overturned turf and wall cavities. A pygmy possum may also sleep in the nests of small birds.
Where Do Possums Live?
North America and Australia are the places where you can find the most number of possums. These tiny marsupials can be found all over the continents in large populations. It was during the 1900s when the animals migrated through the continents.
Due to the abundance of food and wildlife combined with the absence of natural predators, it didn’t take long before the United States had been widely populated by these animals to the point that these days, it is not allowed to release possums back to the wild once they get trapped.
These marsupials are nocturnal and right now, possums are the only species of marsupials that live in the US. These animals don’t hibernate during winter months and because they are nocturnal, possums are mostly active at night. During nighttime, possums mostly leave their shelter to eat even though it is also common for these animals to be active in the daytime.
Since possums are omnivores, these animals can survive in different kinds of environments. Tall trees are the natural habitats of possums. They climb the branches of these trees and carry their young around. Some of their natural habitats are forests with plenty of tall trees and greenery and permanent sources of cleaning water such as rivers. Because possums feed on different kinds of foods, possums can survive in urban and wild areas alike.
Wild areas provide shelter and safety to possums as well as a variety of foods. They can also consume fish from rivers and vegetables and fruits that they find on the ground. But, because of water pollution, wildfires, and deforestation, there are times when these animals also look for shelter in urban areas.
Rural and urban areas such as farms and cities provide lots of food and shelter for possums. Possums can consume all types of foods such as food that they find in trash cans, vegetables and fruits from gardens, and even pet food.
Due to the abundance of food available in human households, it is likely for possums to inhabit farms and homes. Possums generally prefer to live in wild areas. But, there are also instances when they seek refuge in urban areas such as when deforestation or fires leave them with no natural habitat.
Common Habits of Possums
As mentioned earlier, possums are nocturnal creatures so they are primarily active at night. Known for being solitary animals, possums often live on their own when not actively breeding. Even though they prefer traveling by land, possums are skilled swimmers as well, using their long tails and opposable rear thumbs to efficiently climb trees or other structures.
In general, possums eat fruit, insects, and grains although they will also feed out of pet food dishes, garbage cans, and compost piles as long as they get access to these. They are also known to eat mammals, birds, and fish.
Possums often have two up to three litters annually and every litter is composed of seven young on average. Similar to other marsupials, the first few weeks of the life of the young possums are spent in the pouch of their mother. After this particular period, the young will then leave their mothers to look for their very own home.
Natural Habitat of Possums
Possums will hunt for structures like concave logs, garages, run-in piles, tree depressions, or other creatures ’ burrows when seeking a home. They treasure surroundings close to barters or aqueducts but they can also live in different areas such as open or wooded fields and wettish to thirsty locations. Possums prefer their home to be closer to water and food.
Possum Prevention and Removal
To ensure that possums don’t take up shelter in residential houses, homeowners must ensure that they keep their trash in sealed receptacles that have animal-proof lids possibly in a locked outhouse or shed. It is also good practice to keep the dishes for pet food inside the house at night to prevent attracting not only possums but also other wildlife that can be a serious nuisance. Homeowners must also get rid of other obvious food sources and shelter in the property including fallen fruits and berries and logs and piles of wood.
When the day is nice, it is recommended to inspect outside the house for access points and holes like broken vent covers. To effectively limit the access of possums to the house, tree branches that hang close to the roofing must also be trimmed since possums are skilled leapers and climbers.
Knowing where possums live during the day can help a lot for you to deal with these animals properly.
