Facts
- Only living marsupial native to North America
- Has a hairless prehensile tail that can grasp branches like a monkey
- Too heavy to hang by its prehensile tail
- Natural habitats are deciduous forests and wetlands
- Nocturnal (night-active)
- Adults about the size of a domestic cat
- Predators are owls, foxes, and domestic dogs
- Solitary Opportunistic Omnivore (eats both animals and plants)
- Females can be very aggressive when protecting their babies
- When attacked, they play "possum" (act dead)
- Babies are born the size of a bee
- Females have fur-lined pouch where babies crawl, grow and drink milk
People and Virginia Opossums
- People fear opossums due to rabies, but they aren't common carriers of rabies
- Opossums are generally shy and avoid people
- Raid garbage cans at night for food (opportunistic)
- Many opossums are killed on roads each year because they are extremely slow and often blinded by headlights
- Opossums are helpful by cleaning up dead animals (carrion) on the road
- They also help to control rodent and insect populations
How to Coexist
- Opossums will feed on human refuse; close garbage with tight lids and pick up bird seed off the ground.
- Do not leave pet food or water outside.
- Secure dog doors and cat doors at night; this is often the way wildlife gets into homes.
- Place ammonia-soaked rags or mothballs in the area where opossums frequent in/near your home.
