Training Ideas
For Short-Tailed Opossums (STO)
By Molly Kalafut
Sound Training
Make a specific sound when providing a treat to train short-tailed opossums to come running when they hear it. Rattling the food container, or making clicking sounds with the tongue are both good choices for sound training. This is useful for retrieving escaped STO! Their eyesight is notoriously poor (especially in the light), but their sense of hearing is keen so sound training is often very effective.
Cage-Open Training
Provide a treat every time you open your short-tailed opossum's cage or lift the tank lid (even if it's just one piece of dry food) to train them to run towards you when you open it. I had a STO who ran out from his nest when he heard the cage door open, and climbed out of his cage onto my shirt when he heard me rattle his favorite dry food pellets.
Treat Training
Offer treats in a specific place of the short-tailed opossum's cage to train them to run to the area when they see, hear or smell you coming. I trained one STO to climb to a "treat corner", hold onto the bars with his feet and tail and then lick baby food or fruit off my fingers through the cage wire. I have a STO who climbs to a clear plastic "lookout" area and looks at me when he wants a treat, or climbs into his reptile hammock and stretches towards the cage ceiling until I open the tank and give him a treat.
Treats & Bribing
A healthy yet effective alternative to unhealthy "treats" is feeding their normal food to them by hand. For example, instead of giving them 3 mealworms in their food dish, open the cage and hand-feed them 1 mealworm at a time 3 times during the day or evening.
Providing a small food reward every time you open your short-tailed opossum's cage may encourage them to come running when they hear the cage open. If you have a wire cage, STO may come to the bars of the cage looking for a treat if they hear or smell you coming. Holding the treat in front of them just beyond their reach then slowly moving it towards your hand, onto your shirt, or outside the cage can lead them to climb right on you.
