Possum Information Facts

Opossums, more commonly known as possums in the Southwestern U.S. and Midwest, are the largest order of marsupials in the Western Hemisphere.

Getting rid of possums is extremely tricky and challenging, thanks to possum information facts like their unspecialized biology, an adaptable diet, and their reproductive habits. This makes them wildly efficient colonizers and survivors in Canada’s erratic climate.

Order/Family

Didelphimorphia

Scientific Name

Didelphis virginiana (North American opossum)

Biology

The most fascinating trait opossums share is their robust and hardy immune system. Opossums have partial-to-total immunity from the venoms of rattlesnakes, cottonmouths, and other pit vipers. They’re unlikely to carry any disease for this reason, too. About one in 800 opossums carry the rabies virus, for example.

Opossums are opportunistic omnivores, surviving on a combination of meat and vegetation in their diets. This suits their diverse habitats well. For some, a semi-aquatic setting is the perfect opossum habitat, while others are adept for life on the ground.

Behaviour

Similar to a free-loading friend sleeping on your couch, once an opossum settles in and gets comfortable, they’re stubborn to remove.

Predominantly solitary and nomadic, opossums will happily stay in one area like your home. This is as long as food and shelter are nearby.

What makes a human home so appealing as an opossum habitat is the fact they won’t put much effort into building a shelter, preferring to lazily squat in or under a home.

When opossums feel threatened, they’ll pretend to be a sick or dead animal, smell and all! The physiological defense is involuntary, but highly effective. When they’re playing possum, opossums will seize up, allowing them to be prodded, moved, or carried away, without a peep from the rodent.

So even if you have a possum deterrent in place, don’t be surprised to see them return from the dead in your home!

Getting Rid of Possums

As outlined in our Integrated Pest Management service, methods including sanitation, prevention and exclusion are the most effective ways of getting rid of possums, and preventing possum problems.

Possum deterrents you can try around your home include:

• Investing in tight-fitting lids for your trash cans.
• Adding screens or wire over any entry points in your home or crawl space.
• Applying lattice to the base of your porch or deck, deterring them from nesting underneath.
• Avoiding any food being left unattended outside, especially cat or dog food.