Fat-Tailed Mouse Opossums
New Pets In The United States
Warning: So Hard To Breed They Are Almost Impossible To Find
In 2003, fat-tailed mouse opossums from South America (probably "Thylamys pusilla") were introduced to the exotic pet market in the USA. They are very tiny, reaching about 4" inches long at adulthood and less than 1.5 ounces. They are also adorable! Their tiny faces have big dark eyes and their fur is fluffy and soft (like a chinchilla).
Unfortunately, these sweet little pets are hard to find. While there were several litters of mouse opossums in 2004, there was only 1 reported litter in 2005 and 1 reported litter in 2006. Both breeders who had been carrying mouse opossums in 2003-2004 are no longer raising them. So if you are trying to find young MO, please realize it will be very difficult.
They are called "fat-tailed" opossums because they can store fat deposits in their tail, giving it a slightly bulgy look. Since they are from southern countries of South America (Bolivia and Argentina), the extra fat can help them survive periods of scarce food and cold temperatures. They may even be able to enter a state of torpor during winter.
Breeders
Fat-Tailed Mouse Opossums
Fat-tailed opossums were originally imported by Animals Exotique in Texas in 2003. Their animals were sold to Millermeade Farms and Ratkateer's Rodentry, who bred them between 2003-2005 but no longer breed or sell them. As of 2006-7 there is one colony in Texas that has not produced any litters yet.
Current Breeders
If you breed or sell mouse opossums, please let me know!
Previous Breeders
Millermeade Farms (No longer breeds)
No longer breeds mouse opossums (2005), though she still has a care sheet about them.
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Ratkateer's Rodentry (No longer breeds)
No longer breeds mouse opossums (2005)
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In late 2003, when there was still confusion about which of the 40+ mouse opossums they are, she published an initial care sheet. When it was later determined she had accidentally researched and described the wrong species of opossum she removed it from her website. However, people had already copied it online in several places so it is still available online. So if you come across it online, please be careful when reading it and realize the details are not accurate. The care sheet lists and describes the opossum "Marmosa murina", but the opossums she sells are "Thylamys pusilla" that are only distant cousins, very different sizes, live in different areas and have different diets and nesting behaviors. She has removed it from her own website but it still circulates on the internet.