Is a Short-Tailed Opossum Right For You?

By Molly Kalafut

If you are reading this article before buying a short-tailed opossum...congratulations for doing your research! Your opossum (if you get one) will thank you!

I am a pet owner and not a breeder, so I'm not trying to sell STO. I want to help the right people find STO and help potential owners sort through the good and bad things they've heard. Over the years I've heard many success stories ("STO are the best pet I've ever had!") and horror stories ("STO are the worst pet I've ever had!"). This article is based on what I've heard from owners on both sides of the fence.

Personally, I love my STO! They are great pets for me. I love watching them, playing with them, finding new fruits and insects to give, and changing cages around to give more room and toys and places to hide or sleep. My nocturnal STO works great with my night-owl tendencies. On the other hand, many disappointed owners have told me their new STO wasn't quite the pet they imagined or wanted.

People's opinions of short-tailed opossums as pets vary. Predictably, owners who had a bad experience with a constantly escaping, hiding, sleeping STO do not recommend them to others. Owners with sweet and cuddly STO say they are great pets. Some breeders tend to recommend STO as fabulous pets for everybody; adults, teenagers and kids while most owners do not recommend them for children.

Article Topics

1. Good Pet For...
2. Maybe Not a Good Pet For...
3. STO and Children
4. STO and Hobby Breeders
5. Why People Give Away Their STO
6. Questions To Ask Yourself

Good Pet For Owners Who...

• Have handled or spent time with short tail opossums and enjoyed them.
• Have patience for handling, bonding and training with their STO for months.
• Are busy and may not have a lot of time during the day to spend with a pet.
• Are night-owls who may see their nocturnal STO more than early-bedtime owners or children.
• Love spoiling their pet; experimenting with different fresh foods and climbing toys.
• Can be responsible caring for an exotic pet.
• Can enjoy watching their pets and not need a lot of interaction to be satisfied with their pet.
• Can appreciate STO for the fascinating, different little creatures they are.
• Can afford at least a 20 gallon cage, toys, and veterinary care for their pet if necessary.

Maybe Not a Good Pet For Owners Who...

• Don't want a pet that sleeps during the day - short tail opossums are nocturnal and will sleep during the day.
• Need tons of love, attention and appreciation from a pet - they might prefer a dog, cat, ferret or rat instead.
• Expect their STO to be social, friendly and tame the first day, week or month they own one.
• Would be bored by a pet that sleeps so much hidden in their nest box. Most STO owners agree they are better for older children or teenagers.
• Want to breed them immediately - short tailed opossums are difficult to breed and may injure or kill each other.
• Can't afford a decent cage or supplies - if they can't afford a one-time $50 for a cage and supplies, how can they afford a vet if their opossum needs one?
• Only want a litter-box trained short tail opossum because not all STO will use one - and many STO will go to the bathroom in both their litter-box and on their exercise wheel.
• Have never seen, handled or held a STO before buying one.

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Short-Tailed Opossums & Children

I recommend parents buy short-tailed opossums for the whole family to enjoy, rather than as a pet specifically for their child. Most STO pet owners recommend them for responsible, older children and teenagers rather than young kids. While parents are often fascinated by the STO, most young children get bored quickly with a pet they never see because it sleeps all day hidden in a nest.

Young Children

If you as a parent want a pet whose sole purpose in life will be entertaining your child, I do not recommend a nocturnal pet like short tail opossums. I've received too many frustrated emails from disappointed parents complaining their child's STO wakes up after the child's lights are off.

On the positive side, a frequently successful situation is when parents who love exotic pets add a STO to their home "zoo" of pets. When a short tail opossum is one of many pets in the home, children seem to enjoy them more because the STO is under less pressure to "perform". The children can always play with another pet if the STO is sleeping.

I have also heard positive stories about short-tailed opossums kept in school classrooms. They are different and interesting as pets and offer a valuable educational opportunity. They often do well in classrooms that house a variety of pets.

Teenagers

Teenagers in high school and college often enjoy short-tailed opossums because they are quiet, easy to take care of and don't demand a lot of attention. Unlike some pets that suffer if they don't receive enough attention, the solitary STO are fine when left to their own devices. STO can suit the odd hours of students very well.

Other Pets

Gerbils may be a better choice than a short-tailed opossum for young children, if you want a pet only for the children's enjoyment that doesn't sleep all day. Gerbils are diurnal so they adjust easily to a child's schedule, they are easier to care for, droppings are less smelly, they rarely bite and are easier to catch when escaped. They are also usually very curious and quickly come out of their nest when children reach into the cage.

Short-tailed opossums may be a better choice for a child than a hamster. People who had hamsters when they were kids often tell me the hamster bit them constantly, slept all day, and ignored them the rest of the time. Short tailed opossums are at least more interesting than that, don't usually bite and many STO enjoy being played with and handled.

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Short-Tailed Opossums & Home/Hobby Breeders

While breeding short tail opossums can be fascinating and rewarding, STO are not suited to casual breeding from pet owners.

• They are often described as "frustrating" to breed.
• One or both can be injured or even killed during mating.
• Some pairs refuse to mate at all.
• The father needs a separate cage to prevent him from harming the mother or babies.
• Siblings can become hostile to each other as early as 6 weeks after birth and may need separate cages.
• Mothers may need to be separated from their babies after 6+ weeks if she becomes aggressive towards them.

Many people enjoy breeding their small pets for fun and enjoyment. But breeding short-tailed opossum is often stressful for owners because STO are generally antagonistic to each other, even during the mating process. If the only reason you want a pair of STO is to breed them for fun I recommend choosing a different pet. It's not very fun to wake up in the morning to a dead pet, or to have a tank of fighting opossum babies tearing at each other's ears when you don't have enough room for separate cages or can't find homes for them elsewhere.

If you decide to breed, I strongly recommend the following:

1. Try to find potential homes for babies before they are born.
2. Make sure you have enough space and can get supplies for up to 13 STO babies.
3. Have a trusted vet who will be willing to see and treat your breeding pair in case there are serious injuries.
4. Read about Short-Tailed Opossum Breeding Facts.

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Practical Warnings

Inevitably, some owners give away or sell their short-tailed opossum. Awareness of their reasons might help potential owners decide whether a STO is right for them or not.

The primary reason people abandon their STO is disappointment their pet wasn't more friendly, interactive and affectionate. Some of their specific reasons include:

• Ran out of patience trying bond or interact with their short tail opossum.
• Unhappy their opossum only sleeps and runs in the wheel.
• Frustration with short tails that bite when woken up.
• Regret they hadn't handled a short tailed opossum in person before buying one.
• Disliked their STO pooping and peeing on them whenever handling.

Breeders frequently give up on breeding, raising or owning short tailed opossums. Some of their reasons include:

• Low success and difficulty in breeding.
• Distress and shock after one of the breeding pair killing its mate.
• Difficulty selling large litters – in one case the siblings started attacking each other (which is typical) and the breeder didn't have room for 10+ separate cages.

The second most frequent reason owners give away their short-tailed opossum is due to moving. There may not be enough room in the new place or the rules don't allow pets or exotics. Infrequently, an owner or child develops an allergy to their STO. One owner thought the STO was too high maintenance - she considered cleaning out the litter box in the morning, full cage cleaning once per week and providing fresh food/water each night too much work.

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Questions Before Buying a Short-Tailed Opossum

Any pet, especially an exotic, requires responsibility. These are some questions to consider before deciding on STO as a pet. Of course, these issues are all worst case scenario. But it's better to think about them first rather than be surprised later.

1. Will I be happy with a pet that may not want to be held or played with?

While many STO enjoy attention and regular play times, the number one reason people give away their STO is because they want a more affectionate pet.

2. Will my family be happy with a pet that may sleep until late at night?

Short-tailed opossums are nocturnal – while some wake up around 6pm, some will wake up for the day after 10pm.

3. Will I be happy with my pet even if I can't potty-train it?

While many short-tailed opossums can be litter-trained, some refuse to use one.  Others will happily use a litterbox or one particular corner as a bathroom, but will also go to the bathroom on their exercise wheel.  Which can be messy, smelly and need frequent cleanings.

4. If my pet nips me (or my child) occasionally, will I be terrified and give away my pet?

Most short-tailed opossums do not bite regularly, but even seasoned owners sometimes receive a bite here and there.  I've heard of the occasional STO who bites a lot and requires a lot of time and patience to rehabilitate -- but to be fair, that is very rare.

5. Can I handle a pet that might go to the bathroom on me every time I take him out of the cage?

Some short-tailed opossums go to the bathroom – very smelly and messy – whenever removed from their cage. Luckily, many outgrow that stage but some never do.  My first opossum always went to the bathroom as soon as he was taken out, so I kept tissues near his cage to clean up after him. My second opossum hardly ever went to the bathroom outside of his cage, and would actually run back into it when he had to 'go'.  But a preference either way can't be assured before you buy one.

6. Can I afford the supplies necessary to give my pet enough room to climb, explore and run in a wheel?

While a 10 gallon tank may be suitable for a baby short-tailed opossum, it is too small for a full grown adult to have enough room for climbing and exercise.

7. Can I afford medical treatment for my pet from an exotics or small animal vet?

Sick STO need expert (often expensive) care, and most vets won't even know what they are.  Luckily, STO don't need vaccines or shots on a regular basis, but, make sure you can commit to paying for an occasional vet visit if needed.

8. If I intend to buy more than one, do I have enough room for separate tanks?

All 60+ kinds of opossums are solitary and should be housed separately.  Even though they may be kept together in one tank at the pet store, that is because they are young and don't become fully hostile until they reaching maturity.  And the older they get, the more hostile they get towards each other and the more likely it is for tank-mates to attack or kill each other - even if they have been getting along.

9. If I want to breed my short tail opossums, will I be devastated if one injures or even kills its mate?

Injuries or even death can be common in breeding short-tailed opossums.

10. If I breed my STO, have 13 babies and then can't find homes for them, do I have enough room for 13+ tanks?

This is particularly a concern for home and hobby breeders. While sometimes sisters can be kept together for a while, if the siblings become aggressive towards each other they each need their own cage. Aggression has been reported as early as 6 weeks of age.

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I love my STO and hope you will enjoy your STO just as much!

Copyright © 2005, 2006, 2007 Know Your STO by Molly Kalafut - a book about the South American gray short-tailed opossum (Monodelphis domestica)
Send mail to info@knowyoursto.com with questions or comments about STO.
Last modified: 05-Mar-2007