Opossum
Mother opossums can have anywhere between eight to ten babies at once—and sometimes more. Like kangaroos, they have pouches that are perfect for toting their tiny newborns. Baby opossums are hairless and less than an inch long. After a few months, they're about the same size as a mouse or small rat. When they outgrow their mother's pouch, the babies hitch a ride on her back. Often they're so heavy, mom has a tough time walking!
Did you know? Opossums are the only marsupial native to North America. Marsupials are animals who carry their babies in pouches. Kangaroos, koalas, wombats, and wallabies are a few more examples.
 

Alligator
Alligators build a cozy mound of mud, leaves, and rotting plants. They lay their eggs, then carefully cover them with more plants. As the plants rot, they produce heat, which warms the eggs. When the babies hatch, they start peeping. That's moms' signal to remove the nesting material so that they can crawl out. But it's not "see you later, alligator" yet. Protected by mom, young alligators stay near each other for one to three years.
Did you know? When the plants in an alligator's nest rot, they got hot. How hot the nest gets determines whether the babies will be boys or girls. Eggs that reach 89° F usually produce girls; eggs that don't get warmer than 87° F  usually produce boys.
 

Scorpion
Like spiders and ticks, scorpions are arachnids (pronounced aRAKnids). Instead of laying eggs (like most female arachnids do), a mother scorpion usually gives birth to live babies. Then she lays her pincer claws on the ground, allowing her newborns to march up onto her back. Guarded by mom's stinging tail, the little scorpions are safe from hungry lizards and birds. When the babies are about a week old, they drop off and head out on their own.
Did you know? Scorpions use their stinging tails to paralyze their prey. Most scorpions eat insects—but some larger ones can catch snakes and lizards!