Opposable Thumbs!

We were curious to learn more about possums, so we did some research. The website Planet Possum says they are the only marsupial native to North America. They date back to the time of dinosaurs, 70 million years.
When their babies are born, they are as tiny as honeybees. They immediately crawl into moms pouch where they continue to develop and latch on to one of 13, yes 13 nipples. They can have as many as 25 babies at a time but only the first 13 to make it will survive. As they grow, at about 2 months of age, they will go in & out of the pouch, sometimes riding on mom's back as she forages for food.

They are excellent tree climbers and spend a lot of time up high. Their prehensile (gripping) tail acts as another limb to help them climb and hold on.
Of course they are famous for playing dead as a last resort when bothered, flopping on their sides and hanging their tongue out. They let off a scent from their anal glands like rotten meat so the predator thinks they are a dead carcass and will go away. We're glad ours just decided to run off!

They also have opposable thumbs!
Do you know what that means??
Instead of chasing that thing away we should have let it into the house so it could open Fancy Feast cans for us when ever we get hungry!
Our own butler!
And we let it get away!
-Scout