Ruffled Feathers Parrot Sanctuary Inc.
Where Hope Takes Flight
Young Virginia Opossum Showing Its Tough Face
This young Virginia opossum may look fierce, but let’s be honest, this is mostly theater.
Opossums are some of the most misunderstood animals we see in wildlife rescue. When they feel scared or cornered, they often open their mouth wide, show their teeth, hiss, and try very hard to convince everyone nearby that they are not worth messing with.
Most of the time, it is a bluff.
Why Virginia Opossums Open Their Mouths
A Virginia opossum (Didelphis virginiana) will often use dramatic body language before it ever tries anything else. That open-mouth display, tiny teeth and all, is a natural defensive posture.
Young opossums especially like to put on their toughest face when they are unsure of what is happening. In our experience with thousands of rescued wild animals, these little ones can look like they are ready to take on the world, even when they are mostly scared and hoping you back off.
And honestly, fair enough.
Juvenile Opossum Behavior Is Mostly Bluff
Despite the dramatic expression in this photo, opossums are generally not aggressive animals. They would much rather avoid trouble than start it.
They help clean up the environment, eat insects, and play an important role in our native ecosystem. They are one of North America’s most beneficial native mammals, even if they do occasionally look like they are yelling at the manager.
What We See in This Photo
This juvenile Virginia opossum appears alert and responsive, with bright eyes, a healthy pink nose, visible whiskers, and the classic open-mouth defensive display.
Photos like this are a great reminder that wildlife behavior is not always what it looks like at first glance. A scared young opossum may look intimidating, but most of the time it is simply trying to survive.
A Little Respect Goes a Long Way
If you find an opossum that appears injured, orphaned, cold, weak, or in danger, contact a licensed wildlife rehabilitator before handling it. Native wildlife deserves care from people who know what they are doing, and yes, that includes the dramatic little fuzzballs with the big opinions.
At RFPS, we believe education helps people respond with less fear and more compassion. The opossum may be bluffing, but the lesson is real.
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