What do possums like to eat

They prefer not to fight, they may growl, hit, or even in some rare cases, bite, but they are peaceful animals. Opossums can choose to play dead or faint if you confront them, thus, they might not harm you.

Therefore possums are beneficial animals that provide much value. As already mentioned, opossums will feed on almost everything they can find on your property, they forage through garbage, eat the waste, dead carcasses, and even pests. Due to this, they help clean the yard and keep it free from dangerous pests and subsequent problems. However, some people believe that these creatures are unclean and cause disease, which is somehow contrary.

Opossums are scavengers who help balance the ecosystem by cleaning up the area as they feed on a variety of pests that are found in yards, such as small rodents, beetles, snakes, cockroaches, snails, or slugs. Thus, they are a natural pest control method.

Opossums help fight against Lyme disease in your household. Even though they can also get bitten by ticks and get infected with Lyme disease, these animals are exceptional at finding and eliminating ticks. Scientists claim that opossums are natural vacuum cleaners for ticks as they are able to consume 5, ticks in a season and even more if ticks are plentiful. Besides killing ticks, opossums can help cure snake bites.

These animals feed on snakes, including the poisonous species, and have become immune to the snake poison. Scientists use the peptide found in possums, thus providing cheap snake antivenom treatments.

By using our website, you agree to our use of cookies to analyze website traffic and improve your experience on our website. Learn more about the types of cookies we use by reviewing our updated Privacy Policy. Terminix Pest Control Opossums Diet. Back to previous page. What do Possums Eat? The possum diet The possum menu consists of dead animals, insects, rodents and birds. There are plenty of things you can do to assist brushtail possums living in your garden, to encourage their presence without the risk of causing them harm.

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News articles Newsletter News articles Events. Feeding brushtail possums. Should I offer backyard brushtail possums food? This chart is best viewed in Chrome or Safari. Offering backyard brushtail possums food is not recommended.

If you choose to do this you should offer food in ways that minimises the risk of harm: Completely avoid unhealthy and potentially life-threatening food such as bread, cakes and biscuits, raw meat and cooked bones. If you suspect an opossum infestation in your home, contact a licensed pest control professional to conduct an inspection and work with you to develop an opossum treatment plan. Opossum r emoval techniques such as traps and fencing may be used.

A professional can also provide more helpful opossum facts that can help prevent future infestations. Opossums are nocturnal creatures, meaning that they are mainly active after dark.

Known as solitary animals, they usually live alone when they are not actively breeding. Though preferring to travel by land, opossums are also skilled swimmers and can use their opposable rear thumbs and long tails to effectively climb trees and other structures.

Opossums generally eat fruit, grains and insects, but will also eat out of compost piles, garbage cans and pet food dishes if they can get access. They have been known to eat fish, birds and mammals as well. Opossums usually have two to three litters per year, with an average of seven young in each litter.

After this time period, young opossums will leave their mothers in search of their own home. Opossums will seek out existing structures such as garages, hollow logs , tree cavities, brush piles or burrows of other animals when looking for a home.

They prefer envi ronments near streams or swamps but can also live in diverse areas, ranging from arid to moist, wooded to open fields. O possums prefer a home with close proximity to food and water. Opossums sometimes den in attics and garages where they may construct a messy nest. They can also tear ductwork or insulation if they gain access to the interior of a household.

When digging for food , they can also damage lawns. In fact, opossums have the ability to destroy poultry, game birds and their nests. When startled, opossums can b are their sharp teeth and hiss. In rare cases , opossums may bite if they feel threatened.