Welcome to the Home of the Atlantic Hedgehogs
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Short Tailed Opossums
History
Gray short-tailed opossums often referred to as STOs, Brazilian short-tailed opossum or South American Short Tail Opossum, were first imported into North America to be used as laboratory animals. During the mid 1990’s these small, exotic marsupials gained popularity as a "rare and unusual pocket pet".
Diet
In the wild they can be found in the wet forested areas of Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay an
d northern Argentina. They are omnivores meaning that they eat just about anything. To stay healthy they need a diet that is high in protein and low in fat. It is best to feed a pet STO a dry food that is about 30% protein and where the protein is animal based rather than plant based. Fresh greens, fruit, eggs and dairy products are a good way to supplement their diets and these foods should be offered daily. Many breeders offer insects or pinky mice every other day which helps boost their protein intake. Fresh Clean water is a must! Being that STOs are from wet areas, they can not tolerate that lack of water for more than a day before they start to dehydrate and can die.
Housing
Ideally a Short tailed Opossum should be housed in a 20 gallon tank with a tight fitting lid or a large multilevel cage with small spaces between the wires. The home should be equipped with lots of climbing branches, a couple hideaway dens, lots of soft natural bedding and extra nesting material.
Lifestyle When full grown they reach about the size of a large hamster and when well cared for have a lifespan of about 5-8 years in captivity. They use their tail like an extra hand and they can be seen gathering up nesting materials, using their tails to carry it back to build their nest. They have an odd but charming personality… Much like their North American cousins and when they feel threatened they will normally display by posturing themselves, with mouths wide open and their back arched high, hoping to look tougher than they really are. Most often this all bluff, as soon as they recognize their keeper or realize there is no threat, they immediately continue about their business as if nothing happened. Most STOs enjoy spending time with their keeper and will run up you arm in hopes of being petted or offered a few treats.
Sexual maturity is reached at around 4.5 months and litter size can vary from 1 -16 babies however it is more common for them to have between 7-9 babies. Estrus is induced by the male being present and can last as long as lasts about 28 - 32 days but normally conception usually occurs by the 13 day. Between thirteen to fifteen days after conception the babies are born pink, blind and helpless. Immediately after they are born they make their way up the mothers’ belly and attach themselves to a teat, where they remain attached for their next 3 weeks of life. Once short-tailed babies are no longer attached you can see them hitching a ride on their mothers back. It is best to start weaning at about six weeks as by then the mother is getting more and more irritated by them.
