Possum threat. Kill it or leave it

[EmbraceCalamity]

Originally Posted by Pareeeee

Too bad everyone there is wrong.

A common name isn't really wrong. People in one place might call something different than people somewhere else. Also:

pos·sum
noun
1. opossum.
2. Australian. any of various phalangers, especially of the genus Trichosurus.

~Maggot

[Pareeeee]

Originally Posted by EmbraceCalamity

A common name isn't really wrong. People in one place might call something different than people somewhere else. Also:

pos·sum
noun
1. opossum.
2. Australian. any of various phalangers, especially of the genus Trichosurus.

~Maggot

Some people here in Canada wrongfully call them "possums" too, not just Americans.

1. Possum is not the common name.

2.The common name is Virginia Opossum.

3. The scientific name is Didelphis virginiana.

4. The Virginia Opossum is from the order Didelphimoria, while Australian Possums belong to an entirely different order, Diprotodontia.

5. Buy a field guide. You will not find one that says an Opossum is a Possum, since it is scientifically inaccurate.

I suppose you are one of those people who also calls salamanders 'lizards', boas 'pythons' and tortoises 'turtles'.

[DragonsEye]

Originally Posted by Pareeeee

Some people here in Canada wrongfully call them "possums" too, not just Americans.

1. Possum is not the common name.

2.The common name is Virginia Opossum.

3. The scientific name is Didelphis virginiana.

"Possum" IS a common name. You are incorrect to assume there is only ONE "common" name. That would be as inaccurate as to say that "cougar" is THE common name for Puma concolor, when in fact "common" names for Puma concolor includes: Mexican lion, mountain lion, deer tiger, mountain screamer, puma, Florida panther, painter, catamount, slver lion, devil cat, Indian devil, sneak cat, king cat, mountain devil, red tiger, deercat, fire cat, plain lion , grey lion, caracajou, klandagi, catawampus, quinquajou, long tail, and swamp lion (I may have missed a couple). A "common" name is ANY nonscientific name used for an organism in a region/amongst a large group of people that is treated as an acceptable name/identifier. It is because of the potential for confusion and inaccuracy that it is better to utilize the correct (ie. scientific name) for organisms -- whether plant or animal.

Personally, I don't believe in letting a pet out unattended. This would solve the OPs problem without resorting to shooting something. The wild animals were here long before we were. Complaining about wild animals that might harm you unsupervised pet is as idiotic as the morons who level a wild area, build a subdivision, and then bitch that a cougar (Puma concolor) or coyote (Canis latrans) has run off with the family pet, Fluffy. Letting a pet out unsupervised is as irresponsible as doing the same with a toddler. In addition, besides threats from wild animals, unsupervised pets may get stolen, hit by a car, or shot for trespassing on someone else's property. (And yes this last DOES happen.)

[EmbraceCalamity]

Originally Posted by DragonsEye

"Possum" IS a common name. You are incorrect to assume there is only ONE "common" name. That would be as inaccurate as to say that "cougar" is THE common name for Puma concolor, when in fact "common" names for Puma concolor includes: Mexican lion, mountain lion, deer tiger, mountain screamer, puma, Florida panther, painter, catamount, slver lion, devil cat, Indian devil, sneak cat, king cat, mountain devil, red tiger, deercat, fire cat, plain lion , grey lion, caracajou, klandagi, catawampus, quinquajou, long tail, and swamp lion (I may have missed a couple). A "common" name is ANY nonscientific name used for an organism in a region/amongst a large group of people that is treated as an acceptable name/identifier. It is because of the potential for confusion and inaccuracy that it is better to utilize the correct (ie. scientific name) for organisms -- whether plant or animal.

Personally, I don't believe in letting a pet out unattended. This would solve the OPs problem without resorting to shooting something. The wild animals were here long before we were. Complaining about wild animals that might harm you unsupervised pet is as idiotic as the morons who level a wild area, build a subdivision, and then bitch that a cougar (Puma concolor) or coyote (Canis latrans) has run off with the family pet, Fluffy. Letting a pet out unsupervised is as irresponsible as doing the same with a toddler. In addition, besides threats from wild animals, unsupervised pets may get stolen, hit by a car, or shot for trespassing on someone else's property. (And yes this last DOES happen.)

Agreed. Our cats are let to come in and out unsupervised, and I recognise there's a threat with that. When we have signs of wild animals coming around the house that could kill them (interestingly, they seem to not mind the possums hanging out with them), we try to keep them in more. But they go nuts if we try to keep them in.

Our neighbors called animal control because a bear got into their trash that they left sitting out over night, and I was just like, "Wtf? You moved out to the edge of a huge forest out of town and left your garbage just sitting out all night, and then you bitch because a bear ate it?" I wanted to go slap them across the faces. The officer said we had to stop putting out seed for the birds because the bears would eat it. I saw the bear again a month or so later, and she'd lost a good bit of weight. It was so dry and hot this summer, there wasn't much for them to eat. I felt really bad.

Originally Posted by Pareeeee

Some people here in Canada wrongfully call them "possums" too, not just Americans.

1. Possum is not the common name.

2.The common name is Virginia Opossum.

3. The scientific name is Didelphis virginiana.

4. The Virginia Opossum is from the order Didelphimoria, while Australian Possums belong to an entirely different order, Diprotodontia.

5. Buy a field guide. You will not find one that says an Opossum is a Possum, since it is scientifically inaccurate.

I suppose you are one of those people who also calls salamanders 'lizards', boas 'pythons' and tortoises 'turtles'.

You had really better not use the terms "starfish," "koala bear," "horny toad," or "maned wolf."

~Maggot