Opossum “Playing Possum” You may have heard of the term “playing possum” which basically means to “play dead”. In this post, I will walk you through these spellings (opossum or possum) and outline when it is correct to use them. – Source. For this reason, any dead possums found in the inhabited area should be safely removed. dead? How do you tell if a opossum is really dead? 1. You helped to save his life by bringing the dogs in, and Mr. Possum did the rest by playing dead instead of trying to flee. This is because of the opossum’s ability to play dead. – … Tracking opossum can be one adventure that you can pout and when you know what the tracks looks like, you will be in a much better position to know whether the tracks left are actually made by an opossum or not. English colonists living in Jamestown derived the word from its equivalent in Powhatan, a language spoken by the Virginia Algonquian tribe. If it is playing dead, it will actually be in a mock paralysis state, leaving it mostly safe to move. Personality. Being able to identify Opossum tracks and tacking animals is one of the most interesting things that a person can learn. Not only do you want to avoid the animal, but stay away from the waste as well. The common opossum lives in trees, can hang by its prehensile tail, and is the only non-primate to have opposable big toes, but it is not a monkey. The best way to keep opossums from denning under a deck or patio is to make sure they cannot get there in the first place by keeping any holes filled. ;) Seriously, you can tell a dead animal by the way their eyes look; they get cloudy and dull really fast, and the pupils don't react to light. Brought to you by Cuteness. As the term suggest, it came from the odd characteristic of Opossums: They literally feign death when faced with larger animals like foxes, wolves, and even humans. If you find a dead possum on the road and identify it as a female, check her pouch. Scientists estimate that a single opossum can kill about 5,000 ticks in a single season. An opossum playing dead may drool, let its tongue loll from its open mouths, and excrete waste to support the illusion of sudden death. Call the competent authority (local veterinarian, wildlife rehabilitator, animal control etc.) A dead possum will just lie there, and death is obvious. Opossums don’t actually “play dead”, but under intense fear, they will pass out involuntarily and will start reeking of death. 8 Answers. It is just oozing out of it and you may even see a trail following behind. It faints and takes all the characteristics of a dead body, and this includes the really foul smell.