When we went outside for our evening rounds, The little fox-terrier Eddie caught this thief in the dogfood bowl:


Fight lasted about 10 seconds, and was in the dark--I figured it was a possum and not a coon or a fox, cause that would have been louder and longer and mobile. The possum and Eddie were about the same size, and both with pretty good teeth, but no blood was drawn on either side.
After calling off the dogs (the fat Lab and the old Heeler were there after he sulled up), I lifted him by the tail and placed him over in the nearby treeline. He's probably back stealing dogfood as I type.

Back again tonite


Maybe he thinks he can take up residence in the old dog-house

We have one that comes in the garage every night and steals the cat's food.

I know that you wouldn't think they're very tough due to the "playin' possum", but if you put a possum in a burlap bag with a cat, the cat WILL lose and quickly. Country boys get bored sometimes.

Cool pics, and nice set of chompers on that one. A buddy of mine a few years back went to collect and clean ducks he'd shot earlier that day, only to find a possum in the boat having a big old time with his birds. Buddy said that the possum SNARLED at him as he approached. Buddy went back inside to get a .22, but by the time he made it back out the possum had grabbed one duck and had ambled down the driveway. As the possum was obviously hungrier than Jim, he let him have it.

Too bad they are so hideously homely, as they certainly are interesting critters. Have them here, too, but the coons usually beat them to the dog food.

Well...seems playing-possum worked that time!?

My yellow-curr/chow cross cornered one in the back yard about 2am one night. They fought and the possum then tried to play-dead. She took the opportunity to "crunch" and shake it in half. LOL - was about the stupidest thing it could have done.

Years ago I woke to the sound of our little dog defending her pups. She had a possum cornered against the garage. I went outside, broomstick in hand, and gave the possum a good blow. It started to twitch and gag and got spasmodic. Then it went through the last of its death throws and passed. I left it for the next morning and went back to bed.

Ten minutes later I heard the dog again. I looked outside and it was like deja vue. I grabbed the broomstick again and went outside for the second time. I gave the possum another good whop and it gave a perfect repeat performance. This time, however, as the possum lay playing dead, I went to the wood pile and took up a 4" diameter log. I hit it soundly with the log and the possum gave his final, albeit less flashy, performance.

That's why they call it playing possum.

Went out to feed Bullet my rottweiler one evening last winter,
there lay a headless possum, very surprised I started to look for the possums head, after closer inspection I saw a few possum hairs on Bullet's nose,
Now granted the dog weighs 132lbs. w/ a head like a crocodile and I wouldn't have thought he could be so precise. I cant make a cut that clean w/ a sharp knife.
That possum was sheared off @ the shoulders clean no blood, no nothing. There was no play acting in this possum's final performance.
JM