Included in this order are kangaroos, sugar gliders, wombats and Tasmanian devils, along with a widely diverse number of other animals. Adult female All marsupials have several features in common. Among these are the structure of their reproductive organs, dentition and a short gestation followed by a long developmental period for their young.
Most female marsupials have a pouch in which they carry their babies.
Short tailed opossums don't. Instead, the newly born babies attach to their mother's nipples which then enlarge and securely hold them in place against her stomach. Short tailed opossums are 4 to 6 inches in body length when full grown. They weigh between 3 and 5 ounces. Males tend to be somewhat larger than females.