Cobb County Cooperative Extension
Animal of the Month
OPOSSUMS (Didelphis virginiana)
Last December, one evening I was sitting quietly on my front porch looking at the Christmas lights strewn through the neighborhood and enjoying a little ‘me’ time when from the corner of my eye, I saw something sneaky travelling on the lawn across the street. At first I thought it may be a well fed cat, but as I watched this creature move, I noticed it as our native marsupial, the Opossum. It was fluffy, with the exception of its tail, and ran with a ‘waddle’. It sniffed around one yard and then the next. It traveled onto carports and porches so boldly that I knew it must be familiar with this evening stroll. Finally, it crossed the street and after thoroughly inspecting the yard next door it made its way into my yard. It headed directly to the porch-and me. I made a sound letting him know this was my territory and it sent the creature on his way.
The Virginia Opossum (Didelphis virginiana) is our native, nocturnal marsupial. It is approximately house cat size and is grizzled white along the top and back area; it has long, white hairs over black-tipped fur underneath. Some may appear grayish or blackish. The tail is long, naked and prehensile. The head and throat are light and the ears are large and without fur. The legs are short and the first toe of the hind foot is thumb-like and lacks a claw. The female has a fur-lined abdominal pouch.
This animal is solitary, nocturnal and arboreal. They make a nest in hollow logs, tree trunks, hollow trees, leaf nests or other sheltered areas. After a gestation of less than two weeks, the ‘living embryos’ each the size of a navy bean climb up the through the hair of the female and enter the opening of her vertical pouch. Each embryo takes one of her 13 nipples in its mouth and remains attached to the mother for two months. The life span of an Opossum is usually ½ year to 2 years. Sadly, many meet their doom at the hand of man and automobiles. Carnivorous mammals and Great Horned Owls are among the chief predators of the Opossum.
Several defensive behaviors have been noted in the Opossum. If severely threatened, the animal may roll over, shut its eyes and allow its tongue to loll, feigning death or ‘playing dead’ for some time. More often, the frightened creature will hiss and salivate while showing its 50 teeth and may bite if you try to handle it.
Opossums are opportunistic omnivores with a very broad diet. I addition to human garbage it is a great lover of pet food and has been spotted eating alongside domestic cats. It is also known to eat insects and fruits, small mammals such as mice or rats and even snakes. The Opossum is considered one of nature’s housekeepers.
It is understandable that having wildlife in your yard can be a little unsettling. The Opossum is actually less likely to bring disease than your domestic animals. It maintains a body temperature of 94 to 97 degrees making it difficult for viruses to survive-even the rabies virus.
Opossums do not dig in your yard. Their hands are soft and delicate with nails that can be ripped out by excessive digging. If you have holes in your yard and have seen an Opossum, he is not likely to be the guilty party.
It is not recommended you attempt to ‘adopt’ a baby Opossum should you happen upon one. Please contact on your local animal control or www.opossumsocietyus.org for further information.
If you have one near your home and you would like it to stay away, remove any outdoor pet food and keep your trash sealed tightly. Opossums routinely move on staying only a few days in one area and without a source of food, yours will move on seeking a new dinner host. However, if an opossum has taken up temporary residence in your home or basement, you can trap it by baiting a large, tall trash can or container (add weight to the bottom) and providing a means for the Opossum to enter the container (such as stacked bricks). Once trapped, the Opossum will be unable to escape. You can let it out at nightfall and the critter should move on to a friendlier spot.
By now, you are beginning to see the importance of this animal in our ecosystem. Natures ‘housekeeper’, the Opossum serves its place in the natural environment and helps eliminate the garbage of urban areas.
SOURCES:
OPOSSUM SOCIETY
UGA
ENATURE