What Do Short-Tailed Oppossum Eat (STO)?
Megan (professional pet expert and nutrition consultant) from Happy Trails YouTube channel has given a well-researched account of what you should and shouldn’t feed your short-tailed opossum | rain forest opossum | Brazil short-tailed opossum.
Watch her clip and see a summary of what she has talked about below
Nutrition and feeding short-tailed opossum Brazilian short-tailed opossum rainforest opossum
Minute 5:48 Foods in bowl
- Chicken, banana, grapes, apples and cucumber
- Chicken liver, grapes, apple, peas and carrots
- Fish, papaya, blueberries and veggie baby food
- Chicken liver, fruit baby food, veggie baby food and apple
- Chicken, veggie baby food, apple and grape
- Egg, peas, cranberry, carrot and fruit baby food
4 Categories That Constitute Short-tailed Opossum Diet (What Do Short-tailed Opossums Eat?)
- Fresh Food- meat (fish, chicken breast, ground turkey), hard-boiled egg, scrambled egg, small amounts of fresh fruit (e.g. cantaloupe berries, grapes) and small amounts of fresh vegetables (if your short-tailed opossum fails to eat vegetables, blend it with some fruit-e.g. zucchini with kiwi and banana), yoghurt drops. Remember that fresh food goes bad after time and should not be left in the cage – give in the evening and remove in the morning.
- Rodents (They like Baby mice pinkies)
- Treats such as insects, meal worms and cooked eggs (You can get Freeze dried cricket/grasshoppers, super worms and dubia roaches. 1-5 bugs a day is okay.)
- Water- The importance of water to your short-tailed opossum cannot be emphasized enough!!! She or he can become dehydrated quickly. Always ensure there is enough clean water in his or her cage. Use a water bottle, you will see recommendations below.
DO NOTS
- Avoid out of the bag foods. According to Megan, dry food (kibble) is more likely to give short-tailed opossum | rain forest opossum | Brazil short-tailed opossum health problems over the course of time.
- Kibble is also one of the reasons your STO might experience hair loss.
- Do not give your STO grains, for example, rice, oats and corn. In fact, the reason why most out of the bag food (kibble), which might include dog food, cat food, ferret food and hedgehog food is bad is that it might be of low quality, meaning it has grains. This will hurt your short-tailed opossum.
- Do not give dairy products, for example, milk and cheese
- Do not give tomatoes, onions, garlic, avocados and mushrooms
Suitable Water Bottles For Your Short-tailed Opossum Cage
You need to make sure your short-tailed opossum has access to clean fresh drinking water in a clean water bottle. Some people have had some problems with various water bottles but these have been found to have the least or no problems at all.
Living World Eco + Water Bottle
Where Do You Get This?
US #1. Living World Eco + Water Bottle, 6-Ounce
UK: Living World Eco Plus Water Bottle, 177 ml
CANADA Living World Eco Plus Water Bottle, 12-Ounce
There is an important read about pet water bottles here that can be very beneficial, especially if you are encountering some problems.
Choco Nose H128 Patented No Drip Small Animal Water Bottle
Where Do You Get This?
In the US, you can get it at Choco Nose H128 Patented No Drip Small Animal Water Bottle. Best Water Bottle for Small Pet/Bunny/ Ferret/Hamster/ Critter. BPA Free. 11.2 Oz. Nozzle Diameter: 10mm (Blue)
How Frequent Should I Feed My Short-Tailed Opossum?
- Late evening 5pm to 12pm when they are about to wake up: 1-1 ½ tablespoon of High quality dry cat food for adults or High quality dry Kitten food for young ones. You can also give treats like insects, meal worms, eggs to supplement the cat food.
- Fresh water at all times.
Examples of Good Food Bowls
1. Marshall Snap ‘N Fit Small Animal Food Bowl 2 cups
2. Living World Ergonomic Dish
Where Do You Get This?
US #1. Living World Ergonomic Dish, Terracotta, Small
UK #3. RC Hagen 61685 Living World Ergonomic Dish, Pink Large
UK #4. Living World Ergonomic Dish, Blue, Small
UK #5. Living World Ergonomic Dish, Pink, Small by Living World
UK #6. RC Hagen 61685 Living World Ergonomic Dish, Pink Large
3. Petzilla Cat Ceramic Bowl for Food, Heavy Base Feeding Dish, Prevent Tipping or Spill Over
4. Kaytee Paw-Print PetWare Bowl, Colors Vary
Can STOs eat cooked shrimp?
Yes, but DON’T give him seasoned shrimp (avoid adding any spice or salt)
Can they have raw chicken and other raw meats?