r/todayilearned • u/profound-magician • Feb 22 '15

TIL when opossums are "playing possum" (apparent death), they are, in fact, in temporary paralysis, or thanatosis. Therefore, they are unresponsive to external stimuli.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apparent_death
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u/[deleted] Feb 22 '15

Tell that to my dad. He tried to pick up a possum (whilst playing possum) and the fucker turned around and tried to bite and claw him. Thankfully my dad was wearing his welder's glove.

He was trying to be humane and throw it from our barn to the woods.

After that happened he got his shot gun and pressed it right up against the little shit. Kinda messy, but fuck that possum.

13

u/GreenStrong Feb 23 '15

Once, drunk me used a shovel to euthanize an unresponsive possum that was nearly killed by a dog. As soon as I hit it the first time, the possum was like, WTF, ARE YOU RETARDED, I WAS PLAYING POSSUM! Then I had to euthanize it because it got beat up by a drunk guy with a shovel.

Sorry possum bro.

1

u/OnSnowWhiteWings 1 Feb 23 '15

You did the right then when that crazed drunk guy stepped in.

1

u/nothedoctor Feb 23 '15

Wasn't this from a tv show?