Submitted 2 months ago by fossilesque@mander.xyz to science_memes@mander.xyz
https://mander.xyz/pictrs/image/d4e9b853-29c6-456f-bb14-30f64ef0ad6f.png
They do eat to ticks, but they’re resistant to Lyme disease, not rabies. It’s not that opossum hunt ticks or anything, they’re just real good at grooming, and as ticks are real good at sticking to furry critters, opossum naturally end up fighting both ticks numbers and Lyme disease incidents.
So, yeah, same same but different.
Why does the picture say they don’t eat ticks :( it’s misinformation.
I don’t care if they eat ticks or have 3 vaginas, I just think possums are cool because they are just so goofy animals. Especially tiny possums clinging to mama possum as she carries them around. Or how they feign death when under attack. Or how they’ll drop the sickest hiss at you whenever you see them.
What exactly do people have against possums? I’ve never seen one.
I just saw one two nights ago. They’re just what many people would call “ugly,” look dirty, and they get into trash and whatnot. I’m my experience, they’re less aggressive than racoons, so I don’t mind them. Really, people should properly secure their trash anyhow.
They’re too fucking adorable and won’t attack humans. How DARE they?!
Some people think they are so ugly they are cute. However, when you suddenly surprise one on a dark path in the middle of the night, they are less cute and more nightmare fuel. The “recently revived road kill” look they usually sport, along with the teeth and the hissing, and the raised claws (very much all a defensive posture, but try telling that to the shit in my pants) don’t do much to endear them to people that live around them.
They get rabies just like anything else. However, their body temp is so low that rabies cannot survive.
“you can get rabies” makes this meme pretty confusing.
I love possums but they, like rats (also such amazing creatures) like to move into your walls, waves, and attics and poop and have babies. I hate and love them. Always cool to see one in the yard. America’s only marsupial, right?
When I was a kid, I had a series of rodents, including rats. I always thought it was really cool how my rats, when walking along a tenuous surface, would wrap (or attempt to wrap) their tails around the object (usually my arm) to provide themselves security from falling.
I don’t know if possums do the same, I’ve never encountered one, but your “amazing creatures” interjection reminded me of that.
I may have inadvertently spread these two specific lies about opossums before.
Hmm. TIL
They eat the outdoor cat’s food, or something
rumschlumpel@feddit.org 2 months ago
Three vaginas instead of immunity to rabies seems like a bad trade.
Tar_alcaran@sh.itjust.works 2 months ago
I dunno, as a human, I enjoy my vagina a fair bit, and rabies has never been a problem. Id go for this choice too.
Unless it comes with 3 uterusses too, in which case I’d rather eat ticks.
JasonDJ@lemmy.zip 2 months ago
3 periods. Asynchronous.
chonglibloodsport@lemmy.world 2 months ago
But hey on the upside you give birth to extremely tiny babies and then raise them in a pouch!
Bishma@discuss.tchncs.de 2 months ago
Sure, if you just focus on the rabies. But if you invest based off the vagina to rabies ratio, you’ll see good returns.
Viking_Hippie@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 months ago
Words to live by.
Kolanaki@pawb.social 2 months ago
I have dreamt of having three vaginas before; I’ve never dreamt about being immune to rabies. 🤷🏻♂️