Dramatic Opossum Drops "Dead" In His Food Dish When Woman Approaches

Dramatic Opossum Drops "Dead" In His Food Dish When Woman Approaches
A dramatic opossum in Llano, Texas was caught "playing dead" mid-meal!
According to ViralHog, the homeowners explained that they feed the wild opossums each night. Sometimes, they get a bit spooked, however, and their body's shut down and cause them to "play day."

The homeowner said, "We feed the wild opossums every night. This one is scared of the crinkling bag noise and freezes up in weird positions. I had my phone so I videoed us making sure he was still alive."
In the clip, you can see the opossum dramatically sprawled out in the food. He doesn't budge as a woman approaches and starts petting and talking to him. Eventually, the woman notices a slight movement of the animal's mouth and feels satisfied that he's alright.

While many people believe opossums choose to "play dead" when they feel threatened, the Opossum Society of the United States notes that the defense mechanism is actually involuntary!
It happens out of pure stress and fear and the animal has no control over it.

They write, "The opossum has an involuntary comatose-like state induced by extreme fear...Somehow the opossum's body knows when the danger has passed, and the opossum 'comes to' again."
You can watch the video below:

It's important to note that you should never handle or touch a wild animal. While it worked out ok for the woman in the video above, Critter Control says that opossums should never be handled without proper training. They explain, "Although they appear lifeless, opossums playing dead are fully alert and may bite or scratch if grabbed, which can spread dangerous illnesses like rabies, tuberculosis, leptospirosis, and spotted fever."
Beyond that, it seems a little bit mean to touch an opossum who's already so terrified they're playing dead! Leave the poor thing alone so its body can "restart" and carry on with life.
Malorie Thompson

Malorie works as a writer and editor in Northern California. She's passionate about food, conscious living, animal welfare, and conservation. She's worked with a variety of publications in different sectors but is happiest covering topics close to her heart. When not at her laptop, Malorie can be found enjoying picnics on the beach, hiking in the redwoods, and spending time with her rescue pup, Jax.

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