Virginia Opossum Archives

Imagine answering a knock on your door to find a furry, scaly or feathery CMZoo animal ambassador peeking through the peephole. That dream could be your reality thanks to CMZoo’s Animal Grams program!

Animal Grams are paid off-site visits from a CMZoo animal ambassador and EdVenture staff member. Each visit lasts five to ten minutes and includes a one-of-a-kind art piece created by a CMZoo animal.

“I absolutely love this program because the reactions from the people we visit are pure joy,” said Dawn Moon, EdVenture Outreach Supervisor at CMZoo. “Usually, the door opens, and they see an opossum, snake, or bird waiting to meet them, and they let out a huge, ‘oh my goodness!’ It’s so much fun, and the animals seem to enjoy the new smells, sights and sounds, and getting lots of yummy rewards for choosing to participate in the program.”

Animal Grams can be booked in a variety of ways for a variety of celebrations. Staff travel locally (mileage charges may apply for visits more than 30 miles from the Zoo) to people’s homes, offices and more for these quick visits, which can be spent however the recipient prefers. Staff can provide an educational talk, or just let you sit with the animal quietly, or pose for photos together.

With graduations, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day and more around the corner, now is a good time to book the best surprise ever for the person you want to celebrate this summer. Or, for no reason at all.

“Some people schedule an Animal Gram for themselves, which I think is a creative way to show yourself some love,” said Moon. “We sat and talked for a few minutes while she enjoyed the visit. It was totally uplifting for her, and I thought it was a really great way to give herself a little boost.”

Book your very own visit, or a surprise Animal Gram for someone you love, at cmzoo.org/grams.

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My Big Backyard is home to a brand-new button-nosed furry face! Help us welcome Hubble, a 4-month-old Virginia opossum, to CMZoo.

“We named him Hubble because he’s still growing into his big ears, which kind of resemble the space telescope,” said Bryce Oberg, keeper in The Loft and My Big Backyard.

Hubble lives next to Guy Fieri, CMZoo’s rooster, in an upward-built habitat that’s perfect for the very active arboreal baby boy. Guests can see him right away. Hubble’s care team is already hard at work preparing him for his future role as an ambassador for his species.

Hubble came to CMZoo from a wildlife rescue facility in Kansas after being found alone in the wild with a severely broken tail. Once he made it to CMZoo, his care team decided his best option was to amputate his tail, so Hubble has quite a unique look. Because he has learned to navigate without a tail from a young age, keepers haven’t seen Hubble’s unique difference slow him down at all. They report he’s quite the skilled climber, and his curiosity has already motivated keepers to adjust his perching because he has reached parts of his home they didn’t think he could.

“We will probably never know what Hubble encountered before being rescued, but we’re happy he’s starting to settle in here with us,” said Oberg. “He has been through a lot of changes in his short life, but he’s resilient. We’re working with him daily to earn his trust, which is a first step toward training with him. We’re taking him tasty treats and sitting calmly near him, so he can see that he’s safe and has choices when he’s with us.”

Next, he’ll train to voluntarily enter his transport crate, get comfortable with being touched, and then he’ll learn to interact safely with guests as an ambassador. Their goal for Hubble – once he’s ready – is to serve as an outreach ambassador, educating people about his species’ many wonders.

“There are a lot of misconceptions about opossums because when they feel threatened, they can look pretty scary with their big mouths full of 50 teeth – the most teeth of any North American mammal,” said Oberg. “But, they have to look scary because their defenses pretty much end there. If we respect opossums’ warning signs and give them space when they tell us they need it, 99 percent of the time they will move on with their peaceful opossum lives.”

There is one defense that opossums are famous for, which admittedly leaves them more vulnerable than unnerving: playing dead.

“When opossums play dead, it’s a last-ditch effort to make their perceived predators think they’re not going to be a good meal,” said Oberg. “It’s an involuntary response that is triggered when they’re startled or stressed. They release a really bad smell so they smell like they’ve been dead for a long time, their heartrate decreases, they drool excessively, stick their tongue out and fall over.”

Opossums have been known to play dead for hours at a time. So, as a general rule, if you see an opossum that isn’t moving and isn’t obviously injured, leave it alone. It could be playing dead and will wake up and move away on its own. If it’s been lying there for more than a day, it’s good practice to have it removed. If it’s in a road, call wildlife authorities to move it.

Opossums are slow moving, have poor eyesight and are nocturnal, which presents a lot of obstacles for North America’s only native marsupial. But, there’s a lot to love about opossums. The presence of opossums is an indication of a healthy ecosystem. They are opportunistic omnivores, which means they’ll eat just about anything. As scavengers, they are part of nature’s clean-up crew. They feed on carrion and help prevent the spread of diseases in carcasses, just like vultures do. They’re naturally resistant to snake venom, so they can safely eat snakes, which helps control the venomous snake population. Because of their naturally low body temperature, they’re virtually incapable of carrying rabies. They also eat ticks, which prevents the spread of tick-borne illnesses.

“Hubble has a long way to go before he can meet guests up-close, but we’re already seeing how inquisitive, resilient and energetic this little guy is,” said Oberg. “Once he’s ready, we’ll be excited for him to join us on walkabouts in the Zoo and on outreach programs.

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Animals age in many different ways. Some get to their golden years sooner than you might think, while others take a surprisingly long time to achieve that status. The Loft and My Big Backyard, at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, are home to a few furry (and scaly!) friends that have recently entered the golden years of life.

Striped skunk brothers, Fred and George, recently turned seven years old! That might not sound like an old age, but skunks in the wild live three-to-five years, on average. In human care, a 10-year-old skunk would be very old. Fred and George are still as mischievous as ever, but we have noticed that they have started to slow down a bit and prefer to spend more time napping than running around.

Virginia opossum, Hutch, is three years old, but in opossum terms he has reached the geriatric stage. Opossums tend to live three-to-four years in human care, and two-to-three years in the wild. You might see Hutch frequently sleeping while on exhibit, and this is because opossums are nocturnal and are more active at night. For now, Hutch is still participating in lots of training, encounters, and going for walkabouts around the Zoo. Though we know he’s starting to age, and keepers are monitoring him accordingly, he is still showing his care team he’s enriched and comfortable.

American beaver, Ginger, just celebrated her twelfth birthday!! This means she is a little over a year older than the median life expectancy for beavers. Ginger is also nocturnal and spends most of her day napping, but she usually wakes up in the late afternoon for a swim, some snacks and the occasional walkabout. She has some arthritis, which gives her a little wobble in her walk, but we monitor her closely and give her regular medicine and treatments to help her deal with her aches and pains.

Blue-tongued skink, Daryl, is 22 years old. Many blue-tongued skinks live into their twenties in human care, so Daryl has officially entered his golden years. Skinks are easy to recognize with long, wide bodies, and short stubby legs. Due to this body type, they are not particularly fast animals, and Darryl is no exception to that. He often spends his days napping and waking up to grab a couple bites of food, before enjoying another nap. Daryl receives nutritional supplements in his diet, but hasn’t shown keepers he needs additional medications or treatments at this point.

All of these animals are part of CMZoo’s animal ambassador team, which means they go on ZOOMobile programs, do meet-and-greets, and participate in special hands-on encounters for many different education programs, at the Zoo and off-site.

As they get older, they may start to show signs that they are no longer interested in these programs. Their keepers track their behaviors and any physical signs of discomfort, and when that data reveals trends that need to be addressed, their roles may change. They also receive medications, like anti-inflammatory and pain medications, when needed, and treatments like laser therapy, which helps them have a good quality of life, despite aging joints and other age-related ailments. When their care team sees that they’re ready to retire from programming, their schedules focus more on enrichment and care at the Zoo.

You can visit our ‘golden gang’ in The Loft and My Big Backyard at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, where they’ll continue training, receiving care, and getting all the naps, snacks and scratches from keepers they want.

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There’s a new fuzzy face in My Big Backyard: Hutch, the eight-month-old Virginia opossum! Opossums might get a bad rap, but they eat thousands of ticks in the wild, which can help prevent the spread of disease to other mammals, including humans.

Opossums are important members of our ecosystem and can be found right here in Colorado’s wild places. Hutch lives in the window habitat between the turkey and chicken yards in My Big Backyard. He’s a nocturnal mammal who usually looks like a ball of fluff, as he sleeps through most of the day. His keepers often take him out to enjoy some fresh air or to do some training in The Loft. You might see him out and about during these times.

Hutch is quickly learning lots of new ways to interact with guests. He recently debuted as a ZOOMobile animal and brings smiles to guests outside of the Zoo.

If you want a chance to meet, touch, and help train with Hutch, you can schedule a special animal encounter with him. This is a guaranteed way to interact up close with this incredible guy.

Hutch is just one of many animals with which you can schedule special encounters. Maybe you have a love for raptors and meeting Hoosier, the barn owl, is on your bucket list. Are large aquatic mammals your favorite? Then Ginger the beaver would love to meet you! Perhaps reptiles are more your speed. If so, then a snake like Rustle, a bullsnake, or a lizard like Wasabi, a prehensile-tailed skink, can be your new animal best friends. Just visit https://www.cmzoo.org/encounter to find out about all the amazing animals ready to meet you!

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Note: 5-year-old age minimum for this encounter.

Once in a lifetime Opportunities

Select your unique experience from the following options:

Meet & Greets – unique animal interactions year-round, with any one of our smaller animals listed below.
Animal Encounters – connect with amazing animals and their Keepers, plus options to feed many of the animals listed.
V.I.P. Tours – behind-the-scenes exclusive animal experiences that make memories for a lifetime!

Encounters

Opportunities to connect with amazing animals and their Keepers and a chance to feed any one of the animals below.
Note: All Encounters do not have any age restrictions unless otherwise noted, however children under 12 years of age must be accompanied by an adult.

Art Colors Life.

Zoo Keepers work with the animals that enjoy painting as a form of enrichment. Some animals paint year-round, like our orangutans and elephants, while others simply try it out. Special edition artwork is produced on unique occasions by an individual animal or a combination of animals contributing to the final piece. Methods and processes therefore vary by species, and all are a part of enrichment for the animal(s).

Unique Benefits of Special Edition Art:
– Painting enriches the animal’s lives and stimulates their minds.
– Each animal has its own individual style of painting.
– These are one-of-a-kind pieces of artwork.
– Proceeds from sale of Special Edition Art go toward the care of all the animals at the Zoo.