Opossums: Understanding and Managing North America’s Only Marsupial

Identification and Biology of Opossums

Opossums (Didelphis virginiana) are distinctive animals with several unique characteristics that set them apart from other North American mammals:

• Physical Appearance: Opossums have a pointed snout, rounded ears, and a long, scaly tail. Their fur is typically grayish-white, giving them a somewhat grizzled appearance.
• Size: Adult opossums can reach lengths of 2-3 feet, including their tail, and weigh between 4-15 pounds.
• Marsupial Features: As marsupials, female opossums have a pouch on their belly where they carry and nurse their young.
• Teeth: Opossums have 50 teeth, more than any other North American land mammal, which they often display when threatened.

Life Cycle and Reproduction

Understanding the opossum life cycle is crucial for effective management:

• Breeding Season: Opossums can breed year-round in warmer climates, but typically have two breeding seasons in cooler regions.
• Gestation: The pregnancy lasts only about 13 days, one of the shortest among mammals.
• Litter Size: A female can give birth to up to 20 babies, but typically only about half survive.
• Development: Newborns are extremely underdeveloped and immediately crawl into the mother's pouch to continue growing.
• Lifespan: In the wild, opossums typically live 2-4 years.

Habitat and Behavior

Opossums are highly adaptable and can thrive in various environments:

• Preferred Habitats: While they naturally inhabit woodlands and forests, opossums have adapted well to urban and suburban areas.
• Den Sites: They don't build their own dens but use abandoned burrows, hollow trees, brush piles, and man-made structures like sheds or crawl spaces.
• Nocturnal Activity: Opossums are primarily active at night, foraging for food and exploring their territory.
• Diet: They are omnivores with a varied diet including insects, small animals, fruits, and even carrion. In urban areas, they often scavenge from garbage cans and pet food left outdoors.

Opossum Behavior and Unique Adaptations

Opossums have several intriguing behaviors and adaptations that have helped them survive for millions of years:

"Playing Possum"

Perhaps the most famous opossum behavior is "playing possum." When threatened, an opossum may enter a catatonic state, appearing dead to potential predators. This involuntary response can last from a few minutes to several hours and includes:

• Lying still with eyes closed
• Slowed heart rate and breathing
• Secretion of a foul-smelling substance from anal glands

Prehensile Tail

Opossums have a prehensile tail, which they can use for grasping and balance. While they don't hang by their tails as commonly depicted, they do use them for support when climbing.

Excellent Immune System

Opossums have a remarkably robust immune system. They are resistant to the venom of many snakes and are less likely to carry rabies compared to other mammals.

Grooming and Tick Consumption

Opossums are fastidious groomers and consume most of the ticks they find on their bodies. A single opossum can eat up to 5,000 ticks in a season, making them valuable in controlling tick populations.

Potential Risks and Concerns

While opossums generally pose minimal threats to humans, there are some concerns to be aware of:

• Disease Transmission: Although opossums are less likely to carry rabies than many other mammals, they can potentially transmit other diseases such as leptospirosis, tularemia, and spotted fever.
• Property Damage: Opossums may cause damage when seeking shelter or food by tearing into garbage bags or compost bins, damaging gardens while foraging, and creating den sites in attics, crawl spaces, or under decks.
• Pet Conflicts: While opossums are generally not aggressive, they may defend themselves if cornered by pets, potentially leading to injury.

Prevention Tips: Keeping Opossums at Bay

Preventing opossum intrusions is often easier and more effective than dealing with an established problem. Here are some strategies to discourage opossums from making your property their home:

Secure Food Sources

• Store garbage in sealed, sturdy containers with tight-fitting lids.
• Avoid leaving pet food outdoors, especially overnight.
• Clean up fallen fruit from trees and bird seed from feeders.
• If composting, use a closed bin system rather than open piles.

Eliminate Potential Den Sites

• Seal off potential entry points to crawl spaces, attics, and under decks or porches.
• Remove brush piles and keep woodpiles neatly stacked and elevated.
• Trim tree branches that provide easy access to roofs.

Use Deterrents

• Install motion-activated lights or sprinklers in problem areas.
• Apply ammonia-soaked rags or commercial repellents around potential den sites (use with caution and follow manufacturer instructions).
• Consider installing fencing around gardens or chicken coops. Ensure the fence is at least 4 feet high and buried 6 inches deep, as opossums are good climbers and diggers.

Maintain Your Yard

• Keep grass cut short and remove dense vegetation near your home.
• Regularly clean up fallen leaves and debris that might attract insects (a food source for opossums).
• Consider removing water sources like birdbaths or fixing leaky outdoor faucets.

Educate Your Neighbors

Coordinate with your neighbors to implement these prevention strategies. Opossums can roam over large areas, so community-wide efforts are often more effective.

When to Call a Professional

While opossums can often be deterred with the prevention methods mentioned above, there are situations where professional help may be necessary. At Arrest-A-Pest, we recommend calling us or another licensed wildlife control professional in the following scenarios:

• Persistent Intrusions: If you've implemented prevention strategies but continue to have opossum problems, it may be time for expert intervention. We can identify overlooked entry points or food sources and provide more advanced solutions.
• Opossums in Living Spaces: If an opossum has found its way into your attic, crawl space, or other part of your home, do not attempt to remove it yourself. Our trained professionals can safely and humanely remove the animal and seal entry points to prevent future intrusions.
• Signs of Illness or Injury: While rare, if you notice an opossum that appears sick, injured, or behaving unusually (such as being active during the day), it's best to contact professionals. We can assess the situation and, if necessary, coordinate with wildlife rehabilitation experts.
• Property Damage: If opossums are causing significant damage to your property, professional intervention may be necessary. We can not only remove the animals but also provide solutions to repair and prevent future damage.
• Large Populations: In some cases, particularly in urban or suburban areas with abundant food sources, opossum populations can grow larger than the environment can sustainably support. In these situations, professional wildlife management may be necessary to restore balance.

How Arrest-A-Pest Can Help

At Arrest-A-Pest, we understand that while opossums play an important role in our ecosystems, they can become a nuisance when they intrude on human spaces. Our approach to opossum control is humane, effective, and tailored to your specific situation:

• Thorough Inspection: We conduct a comprehensive assessment of your property to identify entry points, food sources, and potential den sites.
• Customized Plan: Based on our inspection, we develop a personalized plan to address your specific opossum issue.
• Humane Removal: If removal is necessary, we use safe, humane methods that comply with all local and state regulations.
• Exclusion Techniques: We implement strategies to prevent future opossum intrusions, such as sealing entry points and recommending habitat modifications.
• Education: We provide you with information and advice to help prevent future wildlife conflicts.
• Follow-up: We offer follow-up services to ensure the effectiveness of our interventions and address any ongoing concerns.

Conclusion: Living in Harmony with Opossums

Opossums, despite their sometimes unsavory reputation, play a vital role in our ecosystems. They help control pest populations, clean up carrion, and even help limit the spread of Lyme disease by consuming ticks. By understanding these unique animals and implementing appropriate prevention strategies, we can often coexist peacefully with opossums.

However, when opossum activities conflict with human interests, it's important to address the issue promptly and humanely. At Arrest-A-Pest, we're committed to providing effective, ethical wildlife control solutions that respect both human needs and wildlife welfare.

Remember, if you're facing persistent opossum problems or are unsure how to handle a wildlife situation, don't hesitate to reach out to us. Our team of experienced professionals is always ready to help you resolve wildlife conflicts and create a safer, more comfortable environment for you and your family.

Call Arrest-A-Pest today at 954-491-7378 for a free estimate and let us help you address your opossum concerns with our expert, personalized service.