Wild Possum Discovered by Texas Woman Hiding in Christmas Tree After Hearing it ‘Sneeze’ [VIDEO]

A wild possum was discovered by a Texas woman hiding in her artificial Christmas tree after hearing the creature sneeze. The woman caught the unexpected furry guest on video and recently posted it on TikTok, which went viral online.

The incident highlights that while the chances of a person seeing a wild animal in a Christmas tree are very low, it is not impossible at all.

It is unclear how the marsupial got into the festive shrub since it has been reported that the animal could not have come along with the tree since the owner said it is not real in the first place. In related incidents before, other animals, including owls, were also found hanging around Christmas trees. Of course, the list excludes household cats and dogs.

Wild Possum in Christmas Tree

(Photo : Photo by Maddy Weiss on Unsplash)

In a TikTok video posted on November 29, user Brett Ingram from Texas shared the shocking discovery of the wild possum in her Christmas tree. According to reports, Ingram was on her couch and alone at home when she heard the possum sneeze, which caught her attention. The Texas woman initially ignored the sound but started to investigate when she heard another loud sneeze.

   @brettbratt359 I don’t understand how this thing is in my house right now.  ♬ original sound - Brett     

Ingram then saw a tail that resembled that of a rat that was sticking out of the Christmas tree and realized that it was connected to the wild marsupial. After her shock subsided and speaking to a wildlife expert, the video uploader wore a hoodie and gloves to remove the possum from her house.

The TikTok clip garnered more than 4.3 million views as of Wednesday, December 6, and received 14.3k comments and 463k likes.

In 2019, a Georgia family also found a wild animal hiding in their Christmas tree, where a little owl was living in its branches. The nocturnal bird was discovered when one of the family's children burst into tears after being scared at one of the tree's decorations, which turned out to be the owl. Earlier this week, a Kentucky family was surprised to find a baby owl hiding in their Christmas tree.

Also Read: Critically Endangered Possum vs Human Livelihood: Barnaby Proposes Logging Protected Forest to Save Jobs

What are Possums?

Possums, also called opossums, as commonly known in Texas, are the only marsupial (mammals with pouch) across North America. They are cousins to kangaroos and are found mostly in the state. With this, it is unsurprising that a possum visited Ingram's household Christmas tree.

According to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD), an opossum or the Virginia opossum (Didelphis virginiana) is a cat-sized mammal species that occurs in Texas. Due to their appearance, possums are sometimes mistaken to be members of the rodent family, but clearly, they are not.

The TPWD describes the marsupials as having a pointed snout and grayish fur, as well as possessing small ears and a long, scaly tail. They are mainly woodland creatures but are frequently found in farmlands, marshes, and prairies.

Related Article: Brushtail Possum Genome Decoded: Implications for Conservation and Pest Management