Common Brushtail Possum

Description:

The brush tailed possum is one of seven species and is about the size of a cat. It has a pointy snout and a pink nose. Its whiskers are long. They can grow to as big as 550mm long plus a tail which is another 250-400mm long. The tail is prehensile and assists the sharp claws in climbing trees. The young are usually born at the beginning of winter after a gestation period of about 17 days. When born the young possum makes its way to the pouch and attaches itself to a teat. It remains in the pouch for the next five months. By then winter has gone and it will venture out and climb on its mother’s back. It will travel like this for the next two months. Young females start to breed at about one year old.