The Hollow Journal

Wood-engraved comparison of a Virginia opossum with a pale pointed face and hairless tail beside an Australian brushtail possum with rounded ears and a furred tail.
Possum vs. Opossum: One Missing O, Two Different Animals
In North America, possum often means the Virginia opossum. In Australia, possums are different marsupials. One missing O is carrying an unreasonable amount of taxonomy. Read more...
Black-and-ivory linocut illustration of an opossum baring its teeth beneath weathered wooden steps in tall grass.
Can Opossums Get Rabies? What the Low Risk Actually Means
Opossums can contract rabies, but confirmed cases are rare. Learn what behavior does and does not mean, what counts as exposure, and what to do after a bite. Read more...
Black-and-ivory linocut illustration of an opossum foraging among fallen fruit, insects, a snail, and woodland debris.
What Do Opossums Eat? The Truth About the Tick Myth
What opossums eat in the wild, in winter, and around houses; what baby opossums need; and why the viral 5,000 ticks a season claim does not hold up. Read more...
A Virginia opossum lying motionless in woodland leaf litter while canine tracks recede toward the trees.
Opossum Playing Dead: What Happens, How Long It Lasts, and What to Do
An opossum playing dead is not acting. Its body shuts down for minutes to hours while it stays aware. What sets it off, how long it lasts, and what to... Read more...
Black-and-ivory linocut illustration of an opossum leaving a boarded wooden shelter and walking across patchy snow.
Do Opossums Hibernate? What the Winter Record Shows
Virginia opossums do not hibernate. They shelter during severe weather, reduce their activity, and emerge when conditions allow. The arrangement is less a winter sleep than a series of strongly... Read more...