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Brushtail Possum
Trichosurus vulpecula
Brushtails are nocturnal marsupials which have adapted to humans,
living in the roofs of houses and eating cultivated plants and
blossoms.
Description
Brushtail possums are marsupial animals about the size of a cat.
They have large ears, a prominent pink nose and large eyes which
enable them to see at night. The brushtail is steel grey to brown in
colour with a black bushy tail. They are agile climbers. Brushtails
are solitary animals, the male marks its territory with scent
glands.
Breeding
The female brushtail has a forward facing pouch containing two
nipples. She may breed after reaching 12 months of age. A single
young is born 18 days after mating and spends four to five months n
the mother’s pouch. It then spends another one to two months on its
mothers back before being weaned.
Any handling that needs to be done should be kept to a minimum.
Store up the reasons for getting the animal out and tend to
everything at once. When they first come into care, being held by a
human is a very stressful experience for these animals.
A daily diary should be kept with a record of time the possum is
fed, the amount taken, whether urine or feces have been passed and
any other information that might be useful if the possum is handed
to another carrier or the possum has to be seen by a vet.
Pouches are almost the most important part of a young joey's life!
Ensure that they are plentiful in supply, you will need them! The
material should be made of natural fibers to enable it to breathe,
preferably cotton as an inner liner and wool or wool blend as an
outer.
The size should be just large enough to accommodate the joey in a
curled up state and your hand at once. Any smaller and you will find
the joey hard to retrieve, and larger makes it difficult to warm.
Pouches should be changed and washed frequently. Do not allow a joey
to remain in a soiled pouch. Pouches should be thoroughly rinsed
after washing to remove any residue of soap or fabric softener.
Possums sleep in a fully curled position, which the joey will
achieve as it rolls into the pouch. Kicking and jostling around
whilst inside the pouch is normal and not necessarily a sign of a
frantic escape attempt To make a baby possum feel more secure, put a
small piece of sheepskin or small fluffy toy in the pouch and when
not being worn, a quietly ticking clock in the cage or box is also
soothing.
Joeys spend all of their time in close intimate contact with mum
while still in the pouch. It is a good idea, once your joey has
bonded to you, to groom your joey until emerging stage, as this will
make them feel secure, reducing the risks of stress related
illnesses. It also reduces the chance of bacteria entering their
systems.
Diet
Brushtails eat new tips, buds, flowers and fruit of most native
trees and plants also some insects, grubs and moths etc. Brushtails
will also graze on grasses. Brushtailed Possums adapt so well to
human habitation that they enjoy a "junk food" diet. Fruit flavored yoghurt for the
gourmet young possum! Fresh water should always be available,
especially in hot weather. If they are not eating well, some honey
dribbled over veggies and fruit may encourage them. When feeding
older possums there should be a little bit of food left over in the
morning, then you know they are having enough.
Nutripet or Nutigel (available from the vet) helps to build up an
undernourished animal.
Offer your possums a selection of these foods below.
| Mellaleuca |
Broccoli |
Cooked Potato |
| Gum leaves/tips |
Apples |
Mixed Vegetables |
| Plumbago |
Grapes |
Fruit Yoghurt |
| Roses |
Apricots |
Porridge with honey |
| Bottle brush |
Banana (sm amount) |
Boiled Rice |
| Wattle |
Melons (all types) |
Peas |
| Almond Blossom |
Corn on Cob |
Sweet Corn |
| Fuschia Leaves |
Kiwi Fruit |
Cauliflower |
| Geraniums |
Carrots |
Strawberries |
| Celery Tops |
Oranges (no peel) |
Plums |
| Tomatoes |
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Habitat
Most vegetation types from woodland to wet sclerophyll. Require
habitat with mature trees containing hollows. Brushtails adapt to
human habitation and will take up residence in roofs of houses.
Brushtails occupy a territory 3-5 hectares.
Possums need branches for climbing up and on, draught free, dry
nesting boxes up high and some logs on the floor for them to sit on.
Branches or thick pieces of bark are appreciated as they like to
gnaw off the bark.
Change the branches around and put new ones in regularly. A variety
of different types of eucalyptus leaves and blossom should be
offered to them daily, they seem to like them hung around their
branches. Fresh water should always be available.
Provide a feeding platform, well off the ground. Possums in the wild
do spend a small amount of time foraging on the ground but mainly
feed off blossums, fruits and leaves in the trees.
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