Do Opossums Hang By Their Tails?

The image of an opossum, dangling from a tree branch by its tail, is ubiquitous— but it’s not something you’ll ever actually see in the wild. Although opossums do have prehensile tails that they can use to balance and, sometimes, to carry things, they can only support their own weight by their tails as young joeys. Even in their youth, opossums don’t spend much time upside-down, and never fall asleep dangling by their tails.