About this publication
Brush-tailed possum
September 2002
What do brush-tailed possums look like?
Brush-tailed possums are about as big as domestic cats, and have a pointed snout, pink nose, long whiskers and large ears. They also have sharp claws, which they use to climb trees and comb their fur.
Brush-tailed possums vary considerably in size and colour throughout their range. In Tasmania, they tend to be black or grey, and have adapted to the cold climate by becoming much larger and furrier than brush-tailed possums on the mainland. In Queensland, however, the animals are more copper-coloured and tend to be smaller than elsewhere.
Where do they live?
The brush-tailed possum is the most widely distributed possum in Australia. It can be found in forests and woodlands all along the east coast, and also lives in inland areas along tree-lined rivers and creeks. A nocturnal animal, it is active at night and usually spends the day sleeping.
What do they eat?
In the bush, brush-tailed possums feed on leaves, buds, flowers and fruits. They have strong teeth and often use their front paws to hold their food while eating.
Setting out territory
Except when breeding, brush-tailed possums tend to lead a solitary life. They stick to their 'home range', which they mark out by coating tree branches with a scent released from glands on their chests. If two possums meet at night they try to avoid each other - fights between adult possums are rare, although they may make threatening noises towards each other. Young possums may be attacked if they try to take over an adult's range.
Growing up
Brush-tailed possums are marsupials, and their young are usually born in May and June after a gestation period of 17 days (humans have a gestation period of nine months). The newborn possum finds its way to the mother's pouch and attaches itself to a teat.
After feeding and growing for about five months in the pouch, the young possum spends another two months clinging to its mother's back as she moves about. Usually only one young is born at a time, and males do not take part in looking after the young.
By the time they are seven months old, the young possums are independent of their mothers. They are fully grown by about 10 months, and the females will usually start to breed for the first time when they reach 12 months of age.
How you can make friends with possums
Possums have adapted well to contact with people. However, at times this contact can be noisy and messy - particularly if the possum takes up residence in the roof of your house! If this happens, the possum can be trapped and removed from the ceiling cavity, provided you first obtain a special licence from the NPWS. You must release your resident possum back onto your property, as it will not survive if removed from the area. In some areas, wildlife rehabilitation groups will help you with this.
The best solution is to actually make friends with local possums! If you encourage a possum to stay around and claim your yard as its territory, other possums will be discouraged from taking up residence.
Although you should not feed your resident possum, you could try building it a special shelter, somewhere safe (and away from your roof cavity) where it won't be disturbed by dogs or people. Check out the links below for more details - and good luck making friends!
More information
Guide to making a possum house
All you need is some plywood, strong wire, nails, screws, a strip of sheet metal and a bit of old hosepipe. Find out more.
Removing a possum from your roof
If a possum has made its home in your roof, follow these steps to remove the possum and makes sure it does not return.