These little opossums originated in Brazil where they are often kept as welcomed house pets since they eat insects and small rodents.  They are one of the exotics that are referred to as pocket pets.  They are friendly by nature and grow to between 5 and 10 inches and will live about 4 years.  They can be taught tricks and will learn to hang from the owners fingers by their tails, normally they would be using their tail to carry food and nesting materials. They are also very clean little creatures who groom regularly and can even be litter box trained. When frightened they will hunch down and open their mouths to show a full set of sharp little teeth  and make a hissing and clicking noise to let you know just how upset he is.  The short-tailed is a marsupial but it does not have a pouch.  The lack of the pouch allows  the observation of  the growing fetus.  With careful handling  momma and babies will be fine.  Being solitary by nature the opossum does not need a companion.  The female will only come into season after extended exposure to the male.  Sexual differences are very obvious because the males have a very obvious testicles.
     The caging should consist of a 20 gallon tank with a locking screen top.  The cage must be well locked or they will escape and they are very curious and will get into things  Although  they are mainly ground animals they will climb branches if provided.  The bedding for the bottom of the cage should be pine, aspen or recycled paper (NEVER cedar).  A water bottle (which must be well maintained and the balls in the nozzle kept very clean otherwise the opossum tongue will not be strong enough to move them), exercise wheel, climbing branches, food dishes, hiding bed boxes, a dust bowl and a litter box. The litter box should be placed in one corner of the cage where the opossum can relieve  itself.  This box needs to be cleaned out every other day but do place some soiled bedding back in the box to remind it where to go.  There should be a bowl (a small flat plastic sandwich container)  with approximately a tablespoon of chinchilla dust  to help clean itself.
      The opossums diet should  be well varied and can consist of Iams Kitten Dry food, Science Diet Feline Dry formula or any hedgehog diet, monkey chow soaked in apple or white grape juice, crickets, mealworms, a small amount of hard-boiled egg , breads (nine grain or similar types) and a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables.  They should have approximately 10 mealworms and 8 to 10 crickets on different days once a week. When ever you give a new food it will need to be offered several times before they will accept it. The most important thing is to give different foods daily.
     Babies are extremely quick but with regular handling they become very docile.  When
you first put your hand up to one of them, the mouth comes open and you will hear a hissing sound.  They are showing their natural fear of you.  If you get in the habit of talking softly, moving slowly and scratching behind the ears, they will quickly tame down.  Start picking him/her up and holding him/her over the cage so if he/she jumps off it will be into the cage.  In a very short time he/she will start enjoying your attention.