Food Basics
For Short-Tailed Opossums (STO)
By Molly Kalafut
In The Wild
In the wild, short-tailed opossums are very opportunistic and will eat insects, fruit and just about any meat (alive or dead) they can find. Their primary diet is insects, small rodents and fruit. They will also eat bird eggs, carrion, frogs, small lizards, scorpions, small snakes, spiders and worms.
Nutrition
Short-tailed opossums are omnivores that mostly eat insects, rodents and fruit in the wild. Their diet should be high in digestible protein, low in fat, with reasonable fiber and calcium. Most STO are fed soft fruits and vegetables, a high quality dry food, and supplemented with live insects. Most animal experts recommend dry food containing 30%+ protein, 9-13% fat with up to 5% fiber. They usually make the dry food available all the time, and supplement with other foods. Fruits and vegetables can be given fresh, frozen, pureed, or from baby food containers and are usually provided nightly then removed in the morning. Insects are typically given in small quantities of 1-5 per day, or in larger quantities less frequently throughout the week. Feeder rodents or small bits of meat may be fed about once per week as a substitute for live insects. Short tail opossums are very water-dependant and need a source of water at all times.
Dry Food
Most research facilities recommend dry food with 30%+ protein, 9-15% fat and 5% fiber. Dry food is usually made available all the time, since short tail opossums are not prone to over-eating and most get plenty of exercise from running in their wheels. My short-tailed opossum eats about 1 tsp. of dry food per day. Owners have used a variety of dry foods, including cat/kitten, ferret, hedgehog or fox food. An indication that your STO's dry food is healthy is from the consistency of their droppings. Short tail opossums with high-quality and easily digestible dry food usually have droppings that are tightly-formed and less smelly. I personally feed Eukanuba lamb & rice cat food and Eukanuba chicken & rice cat food. I do not recommend the Brisky STO dry food - all of my STO have refused to eat it and I think the protein is from low quality sources (wheat, meat by-product and corn) rather than higher quality meat sources like chicken, turkey or beef.
Live
Short-tailed opossums can be fed most insects, including crickets, mealworms, waxworms, silkworms, grasshoppers, cockroaches, spiders, etc. Many also relish small feeder rodents. It is usually best to get live food from pet stores, because live insects from the outdoors are more likely to have illnesses, pests or chemicals. Owners usually feed 1-3 insects per day, or in larger quantities less frequently throughout the week. I often feed my short tail opossum one feeder rodent per week, or 12-24 crickets or mealworms once per week. Some owners choose to feed pre-killed or freeze-dried insects and animals instead of feeding them live.
Fruit/Veggies
Short-tailed opossums usually enjoy a wide variety of fruit and some vegetables. Most particularly enjoy the sweet and moist varieties. I make fruit or veggies available every night (usually baby food). Fruit that some short tail opossums enjoy include apples, applesauce, apricots, avocados, bananas, berries, cantaloupes, cherries, dates and figs, grapes, guavas, honeydew melons, kiwis, mangos, melons, nectarines, oranges, papayas, peaches, pomegranates, plums, prunes, pumpkins, raisins, star fruits, strawberries and watermelon. Vegetables that STO have enjoyed (particularly in baby food) include beet, bell pepper, broccoli, carrot, corn, cauliflower, cucumber, egg plant, green beans, peas, squash, spinach, sweet potato, tomato, yam and zucchini.
Meat
In addition to the live food, short-tailed opossums often eat leftover meat from people-food, including lean beef, chicken, turkey and ham. I usually provide 2-3 small bite-sized pieces of meat for a meal once per week.
Dairy
Yogurt and cottage cheese can be good sources of protein and calcium, and can be fed in small quantities (less than 1 TBSP) up to 2-3 times per week. Preferably low-fat, no artificial flavors, sweeteners or added sugar. Personally, I very rarely use it as a treat - maybe once or twice per year. The STO should be monitored closely for diarrhea if they are fed dairy products.
Picky 'Possums
Every short-tailed opossum is different and some are very stubborn about food. Some refuse to eat dry food, which is fine - just provide fruit/veggies every night, bits of meat 2-3 times per week for protein, and live insects, egg or tofu at least once per week. Some refuse to eat fruits or veggies, which is fine - just provide dry food (high quality, high protein, low fat) to meet their nutritional needs and offer live insects frequently.
Over-Feeding
Unlike some animals, short-tailed opossums do not tend to over-eat and most stop eating when they're full. The ones who regularly use their exercise wheel usually stay at a healthy weight. A healthy STO feels firm and slightly muscled. If your STO starts to seem pudgy or overweight, cut back on the amount of dry food offered and increase the amount of fruit. If weight problems occur in a young STO, it is usually related to an overzealous owner providing too much of fatty foods.
More Information
For more information about STO food, check out the Food and Water section of this website.
