Should I Get a Short Tailed Opossum for a Pet?

When your average person thinks of an opossum, the image conjured up is not something typically associated with being a pet. Short tailed opossums, or STOs for short, are not your typical opossum. They are small little creatures with soft fur and big eyes. Short tailed opossums are not as common in the pet trade as other small animals like gerbils and hamsters, but they can make wonderful pets.

Background information

The scientific name for short tailed opossums is Monodelphis domestica. Short tailed opossums are native to South America. Just as some people in the Southern USA welcome wild lizards into their homes to eat pests, wild short tailed opossums are sometimes welcomed into homes in South America to eat insects and rodents.

Although short tailed opossums are marsupials, they do not have a pouch. They do have a prehensile tail which can grow between one and three inches. Short tailed opossums stay small and generally stay under four inches or 5 ounces. Male STOs can be up to 25% larger than females.

Are short tailed opossums friendly?

When baby short tailed opossums are socialized from an early age, they can be very friendly. Just like any other animal, each short tailed opossum will have their own personality and temperament. As a general rule, if a short tail opossum has a chance to grow accustomed to being held from an early age, they will be friendly.

Can you keep multiple short tailed opossums together?

No. Short tailed opossums are solitary animals. They do not get lonely or need other short tailed opossums to live a happy life.

What type of cage do they need?

Short tailed opossums need a secure cage that is at least as large as a 10 gallon fish tank. Within their cage a STO will need a place to hide, a place to exercise such as an exercise wheel, a water bottle, and a food bowl. Many short tailed opossums go potty in the same location in their cage every time, so if you are lucky you can place a potty bin there to make cleaning up easier.

Make sure to feed, water, and clean up after your short tailed opossum every day. They are naturally very clean creatures so it is important to ensure you do your part in keeping their home clean.

What do short tailed opossums eat?

Short tailed opossums eat bugs, fruit, and occasionally rodents. In captivity you can feed them a combination of feeder insects like crickets, mealworms, and roaches along with fresh fruit every couple of days. You can also buy a commercially available short tailed opossum food available at specialty pet stores.

Where can I get a short tailed opossum?

There are quite a few reputable breeders of short tailed opossums in the USA. Always support your local pet stores and animal breeders over large chains.

Where can I see pictures of these cute little creatures?

You can see an image slide show of my short tailed opossum, Princess, here.

References:

Short Tailed Opossum, Opossums, Marsupials, animal-world.com

Adam Jansen, BS Biology