It puts up a terrific bluff if cornered and can give the appearance of being really good at defending itself. Babies, typically 5 to 8 in a litter are ready to leave mommy's pouch and walk around out on their own by 4 months of age. That's when they are 7 to 9 inches, nose to rump, and weigh about 10 to 16 ounces. Very few survive to become adults. The few that make it are eager to have their own love affairs and repeat Nature's cycle.
Nature is very efficient.
If times are hard, fewer will make it. They can be replaced by opossums from outside the area, by rats, skunks cats, crows, raccoons, coyotes, etc. They seem to have a naturally high level of immunity to most diseases. But they help to maintain a clean and healthy environment. They eat all types of insects, including cockroaches, crickets, beetles, etcetera.