Facts ringtail possum?

Question

Hello everybody,

could any of you pls give me some interesting facts on the ringtail possum?

thx

Answer 1

If you cook them slowly or in a stew they are nearly edible.

Answer 2

its called ring tail coz its tail is shaped like a ring

no coz it has a ring around its tail

a common misconception

xoxo! gud luck! :]

Answer 3

This little creature is a very social animal with people. With the destruction of much of its natural habitat, the Common Ringtail Possum along with the Common Brushtail Possum has adapted to living close to people and is a very common site to people in Australia. They inhabit the roofs of peoples homes and will live in the walls of houses too. They are often seen in the evenings in gardens and running along power lines.

  The Common Ringtail Possum can make quite a good pet if treated well and given lots of attention. They are a delightful little creature and are distinguished by their white tipped prehensile tail, which they curl up into a tight ball when they are sleeping.

   A nocturnal animal with very good night vision, the Common Ringtail Possum gets active at night and sleeps during the day. Most of their activity is from dusk until midnight. This is great for people who have the evening hours to interact with their pet

Answer 4

The Name "Possum": The ringtail, which derives its name from its curled tail, is often called a ringtail possum. The word "opossum" was taken from the Algonquian Indian word for the animal. Although other animals in South America and Australia are called "possums," they are not closely related to the Virginia animal, and only derive their name by dint of a generally similar shape. True opossums are unique to North America.

Location: Eastern coastal Australia, New Guinea and Tasmania.

Habitat: Arboreal. Rain forests, eucalypt forests, and woodlands.

Description: The ringtail is a relatively slender possum of house-cat size and a long tapering, prehensile tail. Its thumb and adjacent forefinger are opposable to the other three digits. Its color varies, but it is generally gray-brown above and beige on the belly, with white patch behind the ears. The tail is tipped white, and is usually curled in a "ring." Its head and body length is 11"to 14" and it weighs up to 3 lbs.

Behavior: The ringtail is the most common of thirteen species found in New Guinea and Australia. It is most active between dusk and midnight. Its name is derived from its habit of holding its tail curled when not using it for climbing. It builds a nest about a foot in diameter from leaves, grass, and twigs, which it places among branches in a tree or the forks of heavy shrubs or clumps of mistletoe. Both males and females work on the nest, which may be built at any time of the year. The ringtail is strictly herbivorous, feeding on the leaves and buds of trees, primarily eucalyptus and acacia.

Reproduction: Females usually produce one litter per year between May and August. There can be one to three babies, but most commonly two, which leave the pouch permanently after about 120 days. ther are all identical, same color same dna, females usually have to bree severl times before becoming pregnant

Go to the Marsupials Page to get a general discussion of these animals.

Or compare and contrast the Ringtail with other Opossums.

Ring-tailed Possums more details features:

Front teeth

Three pairs of upper incisors, one pair of lower incisors.

Head

Rounded head with slightly bulging eyes.

Ears

Short rounded ears with white patch behind.

Colouring

Variable grey to near-black back, sometimes tinged red-orange, white to red-orange below; red-orange legs.

Tail

Tapering prehensile tail with a white end of it, naked underside, furred above. Carried in coil when not used.

300-350 mm.

Body size

300-350 mm.

Body weight

700-1100 g.

Preferred habitat

Almost exclusively tree-dwelling, in forests, woodlands, rainforests, dense scrub and suburban gardens. Nest in spherical nests (dreys) in tree hollows, undergrowth or tree forks. Mainly plant eaters. Has adapted to living in city environments, often foraging in gardens.

Habit

Nocturnal.

Status

Native marsupial.

Scientific name

Pseudocheirus peregrinus

Answer 5

They live in austraila and eat plants.

Answer 6

maybe

Answer 7

Ring-tailed Possum



Front teeth

Three pairs of upper incisors, one pair of lower incisors.

Head

Rounded head with slightly bulging eyes.

Ears

Short rounded ears with white patch behind.

Colouring

Variable grey to near-black back, sometimes tinged red-orange, white to red-orange below; red-orange legs.

Tail

Tapering prehensile tail with a white tip, naked underside, furred above. Carried in coil when not used.

300-350 mm.

Body size

300-350 mm.

Body weight

700-1100 g.

Preferred habitat

Almost exclusively tree-dwelling, in forests, woodlands, rainforests, dense scrub and suburban gardens. Nest in spherical nests (dreys) in tree hollows, undergrowth or tree forks. Mainly leaf-eaters but may eat flowers and fruits. Has adapted to living in urban environments, often foraging in gardens.

Habit

Nocturnal.

Status

Native marsupial.

Scientific name

Pseudocheirus peregrinus.

Answer 8

yuks sorry

Answer 9

Family:                    Petauridae.

Status:                     Protected.

Size:                        Length 12 to 14 in. tail up to 14 in., weight 3 lbs.

Diet:                        Herbivore.

Characteristics:        Nocturnal, gregarious.

Area:                       Australia.

Offspring:                One to three.

Predators:               Foxes, cats.



Trivia:

·       There are 15 species of ringtail possums—the common ringtail is the most numerous.

·       Opossums are different from possums—they’re larger and have white faces.

·       Other names for the common ringtail are Grey Queensland Ringtail, Banga, Rufous Ringtail, Southeastern Ringtail and Tasmanian Ringtail.



Lifestyle

The ringtail possum gets its name from the way its tail curls up into rings when it’s not being used. The tail is prehensile, which means the possum uses it to grip branches. The ringtail is most often found in trees, but will descend occasionally to scamper about on the ground. It mostly comes out at night, and sleeps curled up in a nest, or drey, made of shredded bark, leaves and twigs, in the fork of a tree. On clear, moonlit nights, their activity is curtailed, because the light makes them clearly visible to their predators. Possums eat leaves, flowers, fruit and buds. They’re relatively quiet animals—their only vocalisations consist of soft twitters. They have excellent night vision due to their large, protruding eyes and soft woolly fur. Their lives are sometimes cut short when they grip power lines with their tails.



Territory

The common ringtail lives in eastern Australia, including the provinces of South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland, West Australia and the island of Tasmania. Its preferred habitats consist of rainforest, woodland and scrub. Although this particular ringtail is the most common ringtail, its numbers began declining in the 1950s, mainly due to relentless hunting. From the 1920s to the 1950s, over 7.5 million common ringtail possum furs were exported from Tasmania alone. Loss of habitat was another major concern, as common ringtails need suitable trees in which they can build nests to sleep safely during daylight hours. Without that, they’re extremely susceptible to predators. They are now protected by Australian law.



Reproduction

Mating season begins in April or May, and lasts until November or December. During that time, the male and female possum live together in one nest. Because these animals are so shy and secretive, studies on them are still incomplete and the gestation (duration of pregnancy) period is unknown, but believed to be between twelve days and two months. The youngsters live in the mother’s pouch for the first four months, then they ride on the mother’s or father’s back until they’re fully weaned, between five and eight months. Both parents take care of the babies, grooming and teaching them how to survive. The average lifespan of a common ringtail is three to six years in the wild.

Answer 10

Are you talking about Common Ringtail Possums, or Rock Haunting Ringtail Possums? The Common Ringtail Possum (Pseudocheirus peregrinus) is an Australian marsupial. In Greek, peregrinus means false hand, and in Latin it means pilgrim. They are nocturnal herbivores and have a prehensile tail. Their back feet are syndactyl. These possums also have developed a behavior called coprophagia. Rock Haunting Ringtail Possums are also an Australian possum. They are found in Kimberley of Arnhem Land and Gulf of Carpentaria across Western Australia and Northern Territory and just passing the Queensland border.

Answer 11

OK.  I don't know what kind of facts your looking for but all I know is that I have had 4 own me.  Their diet consists of raw meat , berries, fruit cat food/ wet and dry, you need to add calcium to their meals.  Although they are not as comical as the ferret they do develop their own personalities and become very lovable in time.  They have a lot of razor sharp teeth but mostly use them for defense just like their claws. They love to climb and be cuddled.  Opossums are not domesticated animals and not intended to be pets, the only reason I had the ones I did was because the mother was killed so I rehabilitated them.  You have to have a permit from the division of Wildlife to keep one.  All in all, they are cute and love able but can be hazardous to other family pets.

Answer 12

Well, I'm not an expert or anything, but I think there possums. :)

Answer 13

did you know that they play possum? the actually do and would think they are dead and when you walkaway they come alive and take off.

Answer 14

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_Ring...

Answer 15

Well...they aren't pets!

Answer 16

Opossum have more teeth than ANY other mammal. They have around 50 teeth, and the average mammal has only 44.

They birth and raise their young in a pouch (like a kangaroo) and are the ONLY native north american marsupial (pouch). Their young are born looking like a little worm and grow in the pouch until they are old enough to hitch a ride on the back.

Opossums don't play dead on purpose,,,they actually have NO control over it. When they are startled/frightened a chemical is released in the brain that renders them unconcious.

Answer 17

possumms are unbelieveadle. playing possum is thiere game

Answer 18

just like go to yahoo home page then like type in RingTail Possum facts. Good Luck!

Answer 19

THEY ROCK! Possums are the bestest. =D

Teddy Grahm! ;)

Answer 20

they are very cute awesome fantastic long adorable smart thinking creature

Answer 21

Nocturnal, about cat size, well adapted to living near humans.  The link below will give you more details when you get a chance to read.

Answer 22

It has a ring round its tail.

Answer 23

i think they are sort of like lemurs.

Answer 24

your best bet is to do an internet search

Answer 25

The Common Ringtail Possum eats a variety of leaves of both native and introduced plants, as well as flowers and fruits. This possum also consumes a special type of faeces that are produced during the daytime when it is resting in a nest. This behaviour is called coprophagia and is similar to that seen in rabbits.

About the size of a cat, the Common Ringtail Possum is grey with white patches behind the eyes and on the belly, and orange-brown tinges on the tail and limbs. Its long prehensile tail has a white tip and it uses it like a fifth limb to climb and jump between connecting branches, fences and powerlines. The structure of its forefeet, with a gap between the second and third fingers (known as 'syndactyly'), allows the possum to hold onto branches securely.

The Common Ringtail Possum is nocturnal and eats a variety of leaves of both native and introduced plants, as well as flowers and fruits. By eating its own faecal pellets, it digests its food twice to extract the maximum amount of nutrients. When the mother is feeding, the male carries the young on his back and cares for them. This is the only species of possum currently known where the male helps to care for the young.

During the day, the Common Ringtail Possum sleeps in its spherical nest or 'drey' made from grass and shredded bark. It builds the drey in a tree hole, tree fork or dense vegetation, and several individuals may share the one nest.

Answer 26

I don't think they are that interesting . . .Google it. . . . all I do know is that they taste good in stew ! !

Answer 27

Head:Rounded head with slightly bulging eyes.

Ears:Short rounded ears with white patch behind.

Colouring:Variable grey to near-black back, sometimes tinged red-orange, white to red-orange below; red-orange legs.

Tail:Tapering prehensile tail with a white tip, naked underside, furred above. Carried in coil when not used.

Body size:300-350 mm.

Body weight:700-1100 g.

Preferred habitat

Almost exclusively tree-dwelling, in forests, woodlands, rainforests, dense scrub and suburban gardens. Nest in spherical nests (dreys) in tree hollows, undergrowth or tree forks. Mainly leaf-eaters but may eat flowers and fruits. Has adapted to living in urban environments, often foraging in gardens.

Nocturnal.

Native marsupial.

Scientific name:Pseudocheirus peregrinus

Answer 28

Well...they aren't pets!

hmm

Answer 29

The Name "Possum": The ringtail, which derives its name from its curled tail, is often called a ringtail possum. The word "opossum" was taken from the Algonquian Indian word for the animal. Although other animals in South America and Australia are called "possums," they are not closely related to the Virginia animal, and only derive their name by dint of a generally similar shape. True opossums are unique to North America.

Location: Eastern coastal Australia, New Guinea and Tasmania.

Habitat: Arboreal. Rain forests, eucalypt forests, and woodlands.

Description: The ringtail is a relatively slender possum of house-cat size and a long tapering, prehensile tail. Its thumb and adjacent forefinger are opposable to the other three digits. Its color varies, but it is generally gray-brown above and beige on the belly, with white patch behind the ears. The tail is tipped white, and is usually curled in a "ring." Its head and body length is 11"to 14" and it weighs up to 3 lbs.

Behavior: The ringtail is the most common of thirteen species found in New Guinea and Australia. It is most active between dusk and midnight. Its name is derived from its habit of holding its tail curled when not using it for climbing. It builds a nest about a foot in diameter from leaves, grass, and twigs, which it places among branches in a tree or the forks of heavy shrubs or clumps of mistletoe. Both males and females work on the nest, which may be built at any time of the year. The ringtail is strictly herbivorous, feeding on the leaves and buds of trees, primarily eucalyptus and acacia.

Reproduction: Females usually produce one litter per year between May and August. There can be one to three babies, but most commonly two, which leave the pouch permanently after about 120 days.

Go to the Marsupials Page to get a general discussion of these animals.

Or compare and contrast the Ringtail with other Opossums.

Answer 30

possum.... thats a funny word lol

Answer 31

well.....first.....spell correctly....the correct spelling is as follows: oppossum