Opossums

What Do They Look Like?

• Adult opossums can grow as large as an adult cat.
• They have long, light gray hair.
• Their tails are hairless and scaly. Opossums are often depicted hanging from their tails, but the tail cannot support the weight of an adult opossum. The young would have an easier time hanging from their tails.
• They have black eyes and pink noses, feet, and tails.

What Do Opossums Eat?

Opossums are omnivores and eat fruits, grass, insects, mammals, birds, fish and carrion (rotting flesh of dead animals). They can remember where they’ve found food in the past and can get back to it.How do I know if I have an infestation?

If you notice your trash has been torn into or you hear footsteps in your attic, you may have an opossum problem. Opossums don’t do damage to the yard unless they are looking for grubs. They tend to just be a creepy-looking, trash-digging nuisance.

Opossum Fun Facts

• They are the only marsupial in the United States and are kin to the kangaroo.
• They are nocturnal creatures.
• Opossums typically live only 2-4 years.
• Some folks think of opossums as rabid creatures, but they actually have a near immunity to the virus.

What Type Of Colony Do Opossums Create?

Opossums are solitary creatures and do not create colonies. They reproduce once a year, which can result in 7-13 young. The babies are the size of bumblebees when they’re born and live in the mother’s pouch for three months where they continue to develop. They often live in trees or previously established homes like squirrel holes or abandoned burrows. They don’t build the same kind of intricate tunnels that moles would.