The Virginia Opossum (Didelphis virginiana) is North America’s only native marsupial, frequently encountered across the continent. This solitary mammal has successfully adapted to diverse environments, a survival trait closely linked to its flexible eating patterns. Understanding how often the opossum feeds requires examining their biology, metabolism, and behavioral routines.
Understanding Possum Feeding Frequency
Opossums are continuous, opportunistic feeders, typically consuming food daily due to a constant requirement for energy. While they do not hibernate, they exhibit a basal metabolic rate (BMR) that is comparatively lower—roughly two-thirds that of similar-sized placental mammals. This lower BMR reduces their daily caloric maintenance requirement, but regular intake remains necessary.
The opossum’s active lifestyle, especially during cooler months when they reduce activity but do not fully cease it, necessitates a consistent supply of energy. Because they are not storing fat for a long winter sleep, they must forage nearly every night to replenish their reserves and maintain body mass. In controlled environments, adults are often fed once or twice daily, which reflects their metabolic need for regular caloric input.
The frequency of their feeding is dictated by the availability of food in their immediate environment. They consume food whenever it is encountered during their active period, rather than waiting for specific meal times. Failure to find food for even a few days can significantly impact their limited fat reserves.
The Opportunistic Opossum Diet
The Virginia opossum is a true omnivore, possessing a highly adaptable diet that allows it to thrive across many different ecological niches. Their meals consist of an expansive range of plant and animal matter, which shifts depending on the season and location. This flexibility is a major factor in their broad geographic success.
Common food sources include small invertebrates like snails, slugs, earthworms, and various insects such as beetles, grasshoppers, and crickets. They also consume small vertebrates, including mice, young rabbits, frogs, and snakes, showing a remarkable resistance to the venom of pit vipers. Plant matter is a significant component of their diet, encompassing fruits, berries, grains, and seeds.
Opossums are proficient scavengers, readily consuming carrion, or dead animals, which helps clean the environment. In human-populated areas, they extend their diet to include pet food left outdoors, fallen birdseed, and discarded food scraps from unsecured garbage containers. This adaptability means their diet is less about preference and more about what is immediately accessible and can provide the necessary daily energy.
Nocturnal Foraging Behavior
Opossums are primarily nocturnal, meaning their active search for food takes place between dusk and dawn. As solitary animals, they forage alone, covering a significant distance each night in their quest for sustenance. Their activity is reduced during the coldest parts of the winter, but they remain active enough to require nightly foraging.
To locate their widely varied meals, opossums rely heavily on their acute sense of smell and hearing, compensating for their relatively poor eyesight. They move constantly, using their sensitive noses to detect food sources both above and below the ground. Once a meal is located, their physical adaptations assist in acquisition.
The opossum’s dexterous, hand-like front paws are used to manipulate food, dig for grubs and worms, and climb trees for fruits or bird eggs. Their prehensile tail provides stability and support while climbing, allowing them to access food in elevated locations. This combination of sensory and physical tools makes them highly efficient at finding a daily meal during the dark hours.