Possum. Playing dead or really dead?

Question

How can you tell if a possum is playing dead or is really dead? Or dog chased, caught and shook one and it is still playing (?) dead? How long can they play dead?

Answer 1

A dog can maul a possum so badly that you'll swear the critter is deader than a door nail. But you walk away only to find it gone when you come back a few minutes later. It got up and meandered away while you weren't looking. Possums really do play dead. Their metabolism almost comes to a stop, naturally. It's a self protective device that is so effective it fools almost every single animal that attacks it, and they seldom get eaten after an attack. They can play dead for hours if they need to. I once carried one home from a hunt when I was a boy. I walked, carrying it alternately by its tail and its hind feet until I got home. The hike was probably about forty-five minutes. Not once during the entire hike did I see or detect any sign of life in the animal. I got home and laid it on the porch while I went inside to get a knife with which to butcher and skin it. I was going to cook it for supper that evening or the next. The possum was gone when I returned to the porch.

So, the answer is that they really do play dead. And very well too.

Answer 2

wait...possums do play dead?? hehe i thought it was just a gimicky trick that pixar used on that one possom character in Over the Hedge.

Answer 3

You can tell it's dead when flies gather on it, they can play dead for however long they feel threatened.

Answer 4

If you think it's dead...or not - call animal control to come pick it up. Those things are really mean.

Answer 5

there was ants in a possums mouth. was it dead?

Answer 6

E's not dead, e's just resting.

Answer 7

Leave it alone and tomorrow if its gone it's not dead yet.

Answer 8

Is it smelling yet?