This one played possum with Shunka earlier in the day. Not sure but believe it is living in the woodpile down below the house or at least that is where Shunka is indicating something is going on.
To “play ’possum” is an expression that comes from the opossum’s strange habit of feigning death when frightened. It goes limp and rolls on its side, with eyes shut, mouth agape, tongue out, and tail and body curled. It will even shrivel up its large, round, black and white ears.
“They send off this horrible scent of death from a scent gland in the back,” said Richardson.
Opossums can play dead, unmoving, for hours, waiting for the confused predator to leave them alone. And surprisingly, this tactic is effective. It tends to puzzle dogs, foxes and other animals that don’t eat carrion.
