Have you ever seen a cartoon of a sleeping opossum hanging upside down by its tail?

Well, you may be surprised to learn that 'possums don't actually sleep that way.

Although often depicted in cartoons as hanging from their tails, the muscles in the 'possums' tail are not strong enough to support an adult's weight for more than a moment.

Young 'possums are sometimes spotted dangling temporarily by their tails, which may be where the myth got started, but even juveniles don't hang upside down while sleeping.

Still, the 'possum's prehensile tail is quite handy.

It can curl tightly around branches, grasp and carry objects, and even stabilize the 'possum as it clambers around in trees and bushes.

Another common misconception is that 'possums are related to rats.

While they do look like rats with their pointy snouts and scaly, hairless tails, the resemblance is only superficial.

'Possums are actually more closely related to kangaroos than to rats.

Like kangaroos, 'possums are marsupials, and the females carry and nurse their young in pouches on their abdomens.