Shortly after birth, the young find their way into their mother's pouch. At two months, young eave the pouch, but cling to their mother's back, depending on her for several more weeks. When they can care for themselves, the mother shakes them off. The best-known opossum is the Virginia opossum. When full-grown, it is larger than a cat.
Opossum are active generally at night.
The animal comes equipped with 50 teeth and sharp claws. Many people in the south consider the baked white flesh of the animal a delicacy. Hunting opossum is a favorite southern sport. Opossum eat anything and are often found in heavily populated areas where food, like garbage, is easy to get at. The relatively shy animal will often take up residence under man-made shelters such as garages, porches and sheds.