Gargamel

Nope, Gargamel isn't a mouse. He's a little opossum - a tiny marsupial from South America, just like his sister Azriel. Gargamel has a naked tail which is very important because it acts as a fifth limb that he uses to climb through trees (prehensile). He not only uses it to hold onto branches for support, but he also carries nesting material in it. We have seen Gargamel pick up shavings in his enclosure with his hands and pass the material to his tail. He curls his tail around the shavings to hold onto them, then carries it to his favorite spot to sleep--the bottom of an upright toilet paper tube. We acquired Gargamel from a breeder in May 2006 when he was about 9.5 weeks old. Since then he has helped to promote new programs such as Mammal Mania. During programs Gargamel is very relaxed and is quite content to sit in the Naturalist's hand and munch on mealworms while being walked around for everyone to see. His very calm nature makes him a favorite among staff, interns and volunteers. Your adoption fee will help feed, house and care for Gargamel in the coming year.

 

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Short-Tailed Opossum

Monodelphis domestica

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Description	small; thick velvety gray-brown fur with lighter tones underneath; hairless prehensile tail used to grasp and balance while climbing, also used for carrying nesting materials, not weight bearing; ratlike muzzle; sharp teeth; ears large and thin-skinned; eyes bulge out for good night vision; front legs shorter than the hind legs
Sex	males and females similar in appearance
Age	premature, pink and hairless at birth; latch onto a nipple on motherâ??s stomach and stay attached until further developed; lifespan 3-5 years
Length	body: 4-6" tail: 1.5-3"
Wingspan
Weight	2-5 oz
Habitat	native to Brazil, Paraguay and Chile; in their native countries live close to humans and frequently inhabit houses where they are welcomed as destroyers of unwanted insects, rodents and scorpions
Status	common in their native habitat; popular for the pet trade, where they are referred to as STO's because of their odor-free, tidy habits and ease of maintenance
Range
Behavior	naturally solitary; should be housed individually as cage mates become aggressive, possibly killing each other; sexually mature at 4-5 months; breed in any season; up to 4 litters a year; gestation period 2 weeks; litter size usually 13 babies; babies fully weaned at about 8 weeks; STO's are nocturnal, therefore very active at night and need things to climb on if kept in captivity
Diet	in the wild: insects, fruits, vegetable matter; in captivity: mealworms, crickets, pinkie mice, fruits, vegetables, bread, high quality cat food or ferret food; they should be offered a variety of these foods;
Vocalization
Other Information	- the Short-Tailed Opposum was the first marsupial to have its genome sequenced - the white flap of skin inside the ear (the tragus) helps it detect ultrasonic frequencies too high for humans to hear - Virginia Opossum and the Sugar Glider are distant cousins - opossums and possums are not the same. Opossums are native to the Americas, while possums are found in Australia. They are only distantly related.