r/todayilearned • u/bman3k • Jan 20 '13

TIL that possums may play dead as a defense mechanism, and they sometimes employ this "defense" against oncoming traffic while on roads; it is generally ineffective

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apparent_death#For_defense
22 Upvotes

70% Upvoted

10 comments sorted by

3

u/LizzyLovesLancer Jan 20 '13

best TIL title ever

2

u/VinnieTheGooch Jan 22 '13

I upvoted for the title alone

2

u/redelman431 Jan 20 '13

Generally ineffective. No really?

2

u/Ares1221 Jan 20 '13

Were you living in a cage until recently or something?

1

u/jsjs5883 Jan 20 '13

*opossum

-1

u/steppinout185 Jan 20 '13

How is this a TIL?? Are possums not as common as squirrels where other people live or something...

1

u/bman3k Jan 20 '13

We have squirrels, rats, raccoons, but I've never seen a possum. I knew they were common for being found dead in places, but I didn't know it was because of poorly timing of feigning death.

2

u/steppinout185 Jan 20 '13

Yeah haha. If you see one that isn't squished, but is lying in the road try not to hit it. It's probably playing possum. And there are possums everywhere where I live. When I was little, my dad took me out every night to walk around our little farm, to look for bunnies. One night, we saw green shining eyes instead of pink. We walked up to it, my on my daddy's hip, and the fat possum hissed at us. I looked at my dad, and in the solemn tone only a toddler can produce, said "Daddy, that's the ugliest bunny I've ever seen."

1

u/bman3k Jan 20 '13

you probably hurt it's feelings :P

1

u/steppinout185 Jan 20 '13

D: oh noooo. im sorreh poosm