Our Wildlife Factsheet

Common Brushtail Possum

The Common Brushtail Possum is

the most abundant and familiar of
the Australian possums.
Scientific name
Trichosurus vulpecula

Did you know?

A nocturnal animal, it spends the day in a den in a
hollow branch, tree-trunk, fallen log, rock cavity or even
a hollow termite mound.

Brushtail Possums prefer to live by themselves, not with

other possums.

The Brushtail Possum moves rapidly among trees and

will leap from one branch to another.
Figure 1. Common Brushtail Possum © I. McCann DSE 2008
Brushtail Possums use a range of sounds including
screams, hissing and growling which are frequent,
Diet
particularly in mating season.
Brushtail Possums eat plant material, supplemented
Studies of the behaviour of Brushtail Possums have with bird eggs, baby birds and some insects. They
shown that about 16 per cent of their time is spent mainly eat leaves of eucalypts but also some shrubs
feeding, 30 per cent travelling, 44 per cent sleeping or (mainly wattles), herbs, flowers and fruit. They forage in
sheltering, and 10 per cent grooming. the canopy, in lower levels of the forest and on the
ground. In urban areas, the Common Brushtail Possum
In New Zealand, where it was introduced, the Brushtail will eat a variety of food including fruit and bread.
Possum is a pest, however people use its fur for a wide
The Brushtail Possum’s liver cannot cope with an
range of products including socks and jumpers.
abundance of toxins in eucalypt leaves so they need to
have a varied diet.
Description
The Brushtail Possum’s head and body length is 35 -55 Brushtail Possums prefer eucalyptus leaves with a high
cm and its tail is from 25 - 40 cm long. It weighs nutrient content. They can distinguish between high and
between 1.2 - 4.5 kg. low nutrient quality leaves, even when the foliage of
these plants is intermingled.
The Brushtail Possum is a medium-sized marsupial that
lives in trees. It has grey fur on its head, back and Habitat
sides. Black fur is seen around the eyes, nose and Brushtail Possums can be found in a wide range of
sometimes along centre of forehead. Its belly is pale forests and woodlands across the state. They are
grey to yellowish or white. generally absent from the driest areas.

Brushtail Possums have black oval shaped ears with Brushtail Possums are very common in urban parks
white tips. Their tail is black and bushy, but sparsely and gardens. In cities, possums often seek shelter,
furred or even naked underneath and at the tip. warmth and protection in the dark holes in buildings. A

wildlife.vic.gov.au
 Our Wildlife Factsheet

favoured spot is between the ceiling and the roof, and a new environment, and die within a few days of
this can be a problem to some people. release. Removing a possum from your property will
also just make room for another one to move in.
Distribution The only solution to possums in your roof is to get them
Brushtail Possums are found right across Victoria. Its
out and stop them getting back in. First check that your
conservation status is secure in Victoria as it is
roof resident is a possum. Rats make similar noises and
widespread.
often get into roofs.
Possums can gain access to the roof space through
loose tiles, loose roofing iron, broken eaves and holes
in timber or brickwork. Make sure these are covered up
and there are no branches leading to your roof.
Buy or make a nest box and install it in your garden as
an alternative den site. Possums are territorial, if one
adopts the nest box it is likely to keep others away from
your roof and garden.

Figure 2. Recorded occurences in Victoria

Source: Victorian Biodiversity Atlas (records post 1979), version
15/5/2017

Breeding
Females give birth to a single young (mostly March-
May), which is carried in the pouch for up to 5 months.
When it is too big to fit in the pouch, the young Figure 3. Brushtail possum © I. Temby DSE 2008
generally rides on its mother’s back. This usually occurs
up to the age of about 9 months when it can feed itself. Further information
Females usually breed after their first year, and may For further information on how to live in harmony with
raise young each year thereafter. possums, please visit the Managing Wildlife (Possums)
Few young die in the pouch, but between 6 and 18 section of the Department of Environment, Land, Water
months of age, a considerable number die when they and Planning website at: www.wildlife.vic.gov.au
are moving from the area of their birth in an attempt to
establish home ranges. Males particularly suffer due to Further Reading
territorial fighting, and as a result make up only one- Menkhorst, P.W. (ed.), (1995), Mammals of Victoria,
third of the adult population. Oxford University Press, Melbourne.

What you can do to help! Temby, I.D. (2005), Wild Neighbours: the humane
In the past possums were often trapped and released approach to living with wildlife. Citrus Press, Broadway,
into other areas when causing problems in roofs. NSW.
Recent research has shown that possums can't cope in

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