Brushtail Possum Information
The brush tail possum belongs to the family Phalangeridae being the common variety of the possum found in New Zealand.
It is the species known as Trichosurus Vulpecula.
These imported pests from Australia came into the country in the mid 1800's as a food source and as a product for trapping and skinning for the pelt.
The possum is a marsupial animal, called because after birth the young are carried in a pouch found on the mothers belly.
The color variations are wide and range from grey to nearly black.
The belly fur shaded from a grey-white to black-brown color.
It can live anywhere and generally do, the initial possums started in the South Island and in the past 150 years have spread through out New Zealand.
Their preferred food are plants and leaves, particularly the broad leaves of the metrosideros and rata vines but including many native trees and shrubs.
They will eat the flowers, bark, and ferns, ending with the death of the plant or tree.
They will also eat carrion, eggs, insects' cicadas and weta's.
The weight range of the possum 2.
5kgs to 6kgs.
The density of possums in one area is can be as high as 10 to a hectare of land.
The possum is a nocturnal animal and is capable of moving 1 km up to 2.
5 km a night.
Possums seen in the daytime hours are generally in ill health.
They communicate by scents or vocally, the animal has a wide range of sounds or noises.
From this information, they are able to deduce the ages or social status of other possums.
They live in dens found in trees, burrows of rabbits or kiwis.
They also like hay barns, log piles and woolsheds! The individual possums may use five to ten different nests.
They lead solitary lives except for the breeding season that coincides with the shortening days leading into autumn.
Both sexes mature in one to two years.
The females have an oestrus of 26 days.
The young are born after 17-18 days gestation.
They climb into their mothers pouch and lock on to a teat for the next 70 days.
Some may have a second breeding season August to November.
The babies start growing their coats when they are 90 -100 days old.
Their eyes open ten days later.
They finally emerge from their mothers pouch from about 4 months of age most by six months.
They may continue to suckle until aged 8 months.
The survival rate is high up to ninety percent but can vary of course.
They are susceptible to mites, tapeworm, Leptospirosis and Tuberculosis both of which can affect both stock and people.
It is the species known as Trichosurus Vulpecula.
These imported pests from Australia came into the country in the mid 1800's as a food source and as a product for trapping and skinning for the pelt.
The possum is a marsupial animal, called because after birth the young are carried in a pouch found on the mothers belly.
The color variations are wide and range from grey to nearly black.
The belly fur shaded from a grey-white to black-brown color.
It can live anywhere and generally do, the initial possums started in the South Island and in the past 150 years have spread through out New Zealand.
Their preferred food are plants and leaves, particularly the broad leaves of the metrosideros and rata vines but including many native trees and shrubs.
They will eat the flowers, bark, and ferns, ending with the death of the plant or tree.
They will also eat carrion, eggs, insects' cicadas and weta's.
The weight range of the possum 2.
5kgs to 6kgs.
The density of possums in one area is can be as high as 10 to a hectare of land.
The possum is a nocturnal animal and is capable of moving 1 km up to 2.
5 km a night.
Possums seen in the daytime hours are generally in ill health.
They communicate by scents or vocally, the animal has a wide range of sounds or noises.
From this information, they are able to deduce the ages or social status of other possums.
They live in dens found in trees, burrows of rabbits or kiwis.
They also like hay barns, log piles and woolsheds! The individual possums may use five to ten different nests.
They lead solitary lives except for the breeding season that coincides with the shortening days leading into autumn.
Both sexes mature in one to two years.
The females have an oestrus of 26 days.
The young are born after 17-18 days gestation.
They climb into their mothers pouch and lock on to a teat for the next 70 days.
Some may have a second breeding season August to November.
The babies start growing their coats when they are 90 -100 days old.
Their eyes open ten days later.
They finally emerge from their mothers pouch from about 4 months of age most by six months.
They may continue to suckle until aged 8 months.
The survival rate is high up to ninety percent but can vary of course.
They are susceptible to mites, tapeworm, Leptospirosis and Tuberculosis both of which can affect both stock and people.
