Critter Clues

I am the only marsupial — a mammal who carries and nurses young in pouches — in the United States and Canada!

I “play dead” in front of my predators. I don’t do this on purpose; it’s an automatic response from my body caused by stress.

Even though I can carry ticks on my skin, I eat most of them! I may even help out by eating other ticks in my habitat, or where I live.

Since I am nocturnal, you won’t see me during the day very often.

Because of my low body temperature, I almost never get rabies (a virus that affects the brain).

I use my tail a lot: to build nests and keep myself from falling when I climb.

I groom myself with my tongue, similar to the way cats do.