NO, possums aren’t blind at all. They can see things pretty well during the day as well as at night. However, their night vision is extremely limited which is why they rely on their keen sense of smell and sharp hearing to find food. Nonetheless, baby possums are born blind. They are just about the size of an aspirin tablet at birth. Baby possums are completely helpless. Let us study how possums can see in the daytime as well as at night.
Are Possums Blind? – Can Possums See at Night or only in Daylight?
Possums are almost entirely nocturnal that is to say that they come out only at night. They become active minutes after the dusk all through the night till dawn. Therefore, like all nocturnal animals possums must also rely on their sharp hearing sense and strong sense of smell. At night they just can’t see things as clearly as they do at daytime.
READ MORE: [What Do Possums Sound Like?]
However bad their vision may be, possums are not blind except when they are born. A baby possum is absolutely blind at birth. They are highly vulnerable to predators. Sometimes buzzards may attack baby possums—damaging their eyes so making them blind forever. This is too rare. Except for the predators’ attack, possums are not blind.
My niece feeds some stray cats and two possums have started waiting for her to feed them. Seems harmless and the cats just treat him or her like its another cat. One of them runs away when she comes out but the other one just sits there and waits for the food.
That’s Nice, but what food are you giving them because o much of something could kill them!
We have one that comes in our yard about twice a week. We always toss out a banana for her. She “Polly” seems happy to get it. It seems if we put the banana right in front of her, she can’t see it. So I was wondering if they are blind, she seems to only find it by sniffing around. Sometimes she totally misses it, leaves, then comes back later and finds it. I find it curious that an animal that appears so limited manages to survive.