We have all heard the expression “playing possum.” Essentially it means that you stay immobile for a long period of time. If an opossum is frightened enough, it will faint. This is an involuntary action that is meant to protect them from larger predators. They will also, on occasion, do it when faced with humans. Unfortunately, this has led to many opossums being run over by cars. The shock of finding themselves in busy traffic often triggers the response.



How do they do it?
It is not a voluntary action. If the Los Angeles opossum receives a big enough shock their survival instinct will take over. They will then become comatose for an extended period of time.

What does it look like?
The California opossum will appear dead. It will lay still, not moving at all. The mouth will be open with the tongue sticking out. It might also drool. The eyes can either be open or closed. If they are open, they will not move. Their body becomes limp, while the front feet are contracted into a ball. This is usually enough to scare off prey. If not, the smell of decay that is released by the anal glands should offer further proof that the animal is dead. This is done in the form of a green, pungent mucus that is released by the glands.

How long does it last?
It can last anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours. This has led to Los Angeles opossums being buried alive by people who presumed they were dead.

Are they the only creatures that do it?
Opossums are not the only California animals that play dead. Some others can also mimic a deceased animal.
• The eastern hognose snake will play dead when other deterrents haven’t worked. They will lay with their bellies facing up. Their tongues will hang out and they will drool. They can also emit the same foul-smelling liquid as the opossum.
• It has even been observed in some bird species. The quail and blue jay being two of the species which will pretend to be dead until predators lose interest.
• Some species of fire ant will play dead when they are still too young to flee or fight back.
• Some spiders, including huntsman spider, daddy long legs, and black widow spiders will play dead when threatened.
• Even some species of cows, goats, and pigs have been known to go into a trancelike state when threatened. It does not last as long as the opossum.

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