Possums on verandah

by Walter
(Linz, Austria)

This photo was not taken in Tasmania. But while planning my trip to Tasmania I found this site, so I am sharing my photo of two possums. The photo was taken in NSW, Australia.

I was on my honeymoon. We were just settling down for the evening when we heard a scratching at the verandah door. My wife was kind of freaked out!

We didn't know where the noise was coming from at first. I opened a window and saw a possum!

Next I drew the curtain and slid open the verandah door a little bit. I noticed the possum had a little baby possum on its back. (I don't know what the term for a baby possum is - joey?)

Anyway I called my wife over and we started feeding the possums some kangaroo pellets we had. We didn't know what diseases the possums might have or how tame they were, so we didn't feed them by hand. Instead we just chucked a few pellets out there. The possums happily ate the pellets just past the semi-open door.

There were a couple of great photo ops so I took them. Just for memories, you know...

Karen's response:

Thank you for this photo. People have told me about possums on their roofs, in their gardens, in the trees, but so far I have not had any of this sort of experience myself. So it's great to see a photo of a possum on the verandah!

I think I'd be freaked out too if I heard a scratching at the door in the evening! I wonder if that possum has gotten used to meeting friendly occupants behind that verandah door!

Yes a baby possum is referred to as a joey.

Some people consider possums to be pests. However the possum is actually a protected species in Australia.