Possums have a low metabolic rate and can easily become overweight. Possums eat the leaves, flowers and fruits of a wide variety of native and exotic trees and shrubs. Offering backyard brushtail possums food is not recommended. Brushtail Possum - Diet What Do Brushtails Eat? Let's see what do possums eat in the wild. They live in tree hollows, nest boxes or roofs. Which is the bad news because they're also protected by the law. Possums do occasionally take on small mammals including rats. Brushtail possums will eat any fruit that is available, but they have a preference for sweeter, easily accessed fruits, such as stone fruits, bananas and mangoes. Possums are one of the quintessential Australian animals. Brushtail possums have successfully adapted to the urban environment and it is often tempting to provide food for our backyard residents. If you choose to do this you should offer food in ways that minimises the risk of harm: Brushtail possums are generally folivores. The Common Brushtail Possum is nocturnal and, during the day, retreats to a hollow log, branch, tree trunk or any dark area, even inside house roofs. Other behaviours and adaptations. It's not as iconic as the koala in the eyes of the world but it's far more accustomed to live among humans. What Do Possums Eat. Brushtail possums are a pest species in New Zealand, where they were introduced in the 1800's but are protected in Australia. Perhaps you might want to study in … In the wild, the Common Brushtail Possum's diet consists of leaves, blossoms and fruits, but in suburbia it will eat almost anything. Brushtail possums are mainly recognized by their bushy tail whereas ringtails have lightly furred tail. • The possum is a mammal about the same size as a cat and males are larger and heavier than females. Possums like to eat fruits, plants, seeds, buds, and small vertebrates. The Common Brushtail Possum may also eat grass, fungi, bird's eggs and baby birds. Their diet should be mostly native plants. Nearly all possums including opossums are omnivores but most of them are vegetarians. It can be found in forests and woodlands all along the east coast, and also lives in inland areas along tree-lined rivers and creeks. Brushtail possums vary in size and colour – in Queensland they have a reddish hue and are quite small, while in Tasmania they are a dark grey and tend to be larger and furrier. Where do they live? Brushtails get their name from their thick, bushy tail. Brushtail Possums do not build dreys. The Brushtail possum is sexually mature within a year. The possum found in New Zealand is the Australian brushtailed possum, while Possums are found in North America where they are called opossums. In the wild, they eat young shoots, leaves, flowers, nectar and fruit of a variety of trees and shrubs. Brushtail possums are omnivores. Human food can be dangerous to possums and cause serious dietary imbalance. Possums likely supplement their primary diet with rodents, snails, frogs, rats, birds, eucalyptus, and pollen. Opossums benefit humans in many ways, helping control a number of unwanted pests. Feeding possum joeys. What do they eat? They are nocturnal animals and are active at night; they usually spend the day sleeping. Communication However, by feeding native animals we may be doing more harm than good. • Possums have a long bushy tail, which is around a third of the total length. They also feed on insects. BrushtailPossum - Reproduction Brushtail Babies. Do not feed possums. Like most other possums, they are nocturnal too. Between 1-4 young are produced in each litter. In the wild, common brushtail possums are generalist feeders. Offering backyard brushtail possums food is not recommended. What do they look like? The brush-tailed possum is the most widely distributed possum in Australia.