Common Brushtail Possum - Australian Museum

ANIMAL SPECIES:Common Brushtail Possum

The Common Brushtail Possum is probably the best known of the possums in Sydney because it has adapted to urban living and often comes into contact with people.

Size range

55 cm

Distribution

Common Brushtail Possums are found in Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania, Western Australia and Northern Territory. Also found in New Zealand.

Habitat

Common Brushtail Possums live in urban areas, forests and woodlands and heath.

Behaviour and adaptations

Feeding and Diet

In the wild, the Common Brushtail Possum's diet consists of leaves, blossoms and fruits, but in suburbia it will eat almost anything.

Other behaviours and adaptations

The Common Brushtail Possum is nocturnal and, during the day, retreats to a hollow log, branch, tree trunk or any dark area, even inside house roofs.

Communication

The Common Brushtail Possum is a social animal and remains in contact with its group through sounds and scents. At times, particularly during the breeding season, it makes piercing screeches in the middle of the night to establish territories and warn of danger.

Predators, Parasites and Diseases

The Common Brushtail Possum's main predators include Dingoes, pythons, foxes and cats.

Living with us

Economic/social impacts

The Common Brushtail Possum was introduced to New Zealand in the 1830s where it has now become a pest species.In Australia, it is a protected species.

Classification

Species:: vulpecula
Genus:: Trichosurus
Family:: Phalangeridae
Order:: Diprotodontia
Subclass:: Marsupialia
Class:: Mammalia
Subphylum:: Vertebrata
Phylum:: Mammalia
Kingdom:: Animalia

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Last Updated: 21 January 2011

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6 comments

margogalloway
10.09 PM, 04 September 2011

We recently moved into a new home in Monbulk in the Dandenong Ranges, Victoria and are still discovering the wildlife in this particular garden. This evening while sitting outside we were astonished to see a white brush-tail possum (with a darker grey tail) literally walk up to us and and regard us from about 3 feet away. It didn't seem at all threatened by us being so close and then after a couple of minutes decided that it had checked us out enough and slowly dawdled away down into the back yard. :) We have lived up in the hills for many years and have never seen one of this colour only the common grey ones. We are thrilled to have such an unusual animal in our garden.

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Klarry74
9.12 PM, 17 December 2010

The poor brushy's they cop a fair amount of flack from the public as a wildlife career i find them one of the most wonderful animals to care for, contrary to believe once raised from babies & with the implication of a good soft release program they make it back to the wild & stay happily in the same place they are released there are plenty of benefits to having these great animals around its just that not enough people bother to find out about them :(

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STAFF

Mark Eldridge
8.09 AM, 21 September 2010

Thanks Maryanne, yes please do keep us posted with developments. It is highly likely that coat colour has a strong genetic basis. Female brush-tailed possums usually begin to breed when about 12 months old, and they can live for up to 10-12 years.

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Maryanne
7.09 PM, 16 September 2010

Thanks Mark There seems to be a group of 3 the one young white one and two common grey colour. The other older white one which I'm sure is a male comes and goes. The young white one I'm sure is female so hoping for some white babies in the future. Will let you know. At what age do they breed? Cheers Maryanne

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STAFF

Mark Eldridge
2.08 PM, 24 August 2010

Hi Maryanne, white brush-tail possums are quite uncommon so you are very fortunate to have some living nearby. Although most brush-tail possiums are silvery grey they can be quite variable in coat colour, from black through reddish or coppery brown to yellow or even white. In south-west WA many have distinct white tail tips.

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Maryanne
2.08 PM, 10 August 2010

On seeing the great picture of the White brush tail possum, I would like to share that very near our bush home is currently 2 white possums one has a grey tail and the other smaller and younger one has only a stubby tail, how this was lost I wouldn't know. This is the first time I have encounted white possums, I have lived in the bush for the majority of my life and never before seen any. I'm interested on how rare/ common the white ones are, if any one can help. Thanks