[9] These areas have disparate environmental characteristics such as rainfall, humidity, water balance and temperature.

Usually populations are higher in the wetter seasons when the young are weaned and begin venturing out for food.

[citation needed] South American opossums mainly consume invertebrates such as beetles, diplopods, and opiliones, together with fruit and vertebrates like small birds, mammals, fossorial snakes, and fish.

[12] These relatively small differences in diet can favour the survival of younger opossums during the wet season because they avoid competition with older animals.

[12] Seeds that have commonly been associated in the diet amongst white-eared opossums are from the fruits of Morus nigra, Vassobia breviflora, Rubus rosifolius, Solanum sanctaecatharinae, and Passiflora actinia.