These nocturnal creatures also consume plant matter. at increased risk. Notify me via e-mail if anyone answers my comment. Keep compost containers secure, and use tightly-fitting lids on garbage cans. ticks which hitch a ride on their mammalian bodies.
Usually the opossum’s eyes remain open as well. Opossums are immune to the toxins in bee and scorpion stings. These harmless creatures pose absolutely no threat to people, and they are far more beneficial as scavengers than harmful for any damage they might do. As omnivores, opossums consume a variety of foods. Your email address will not be published. Regularly spraying trash cans with a mixture of half ammonia, half water will keep scavengers away. Your email address will not be published. The only way to eat a possum is to get a white oak board the same size of the possum .lay possum on board ,salt & pepper .and a little corn mash on it cook in oven for tho hours ,at 325* . When these tactics fail, the opossum has one last trick up its sleeve—”playing ‘possum.” In an involuntary response similar to fainting, the opossum rolls on its side, with lips drawn back, teeth bared, and tongue hanging to the side, mimicking a dead animal. Ticks that carry the Lyme Disease bacteria are found on mice, shrews, squirrels, and chipmunks, but not so with the opossum. Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Opossums not only play an essential role in This includes the beetles, slugs, and snails which damage garden plants. Opossums are omnivores and survive by eating a variety of foods. Thank you for the information on the opossums. ridding it of small insects and pests. I embrace this fact, actually. “We found that the average opossum kills thousands of ticks every week as they wander through the forest,” says Felicia Keesing, ecologist and Professor of Biology at Bard College, and Adjunct Scientist at the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies. Opossums love a good cat-food snack, so be sure not to leave pet food outdoors, especially overnight. The oft-maligned opossum is actually a fascinating creature that suffers from an image problem. They usually take shelter in the abandoned nests of other animals. Your email address will not be published. These reclusive animals seldom stay in one place long. (Privacy Policy) *. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Incidentally, young opossums are called “joeys” – yet another kangaroo reference. Sign up for our newsletter. Harvest fruit and garden crops when they’re ripe, and pick up any fruit that drops from trees or bushes. In many areas of the United States, tick populations have We’re not Playing, ‘Possum: Why Opossums are Actually Good on the Homestead. I’m sure the description immediately above didn’t help my argument that opossums are good to have around, so I’ll get right to the many benefits they bring.
spotted fever. I like opossums.
As meticulous groomers, opossums consume about 95 percent of the As scavengers, opossums will gladly consume pet food left outdoors. My first up-close encounter with an opossum was one evening many years ago when I went to get feed for our horses. Having no defenses, opossums are often the target of inhumane acts to get rid of them, especially in urban areas where they are cruelly trapped or poisoned. Essentially, these practices are best done to deter any type of wildlife (mice, rats, coyotes, bobcats, etc.) which damage garden plants. tick-borne diseases. About the size of a large house cat, the Virginia opossum (Didelphis virginiana) is North America’s only marsupial, a mammal that carries and nurses its young in a pouch. A friend posted it to my FB after I posted about a baby opossum in my yard. As for their tails, they are prehensile; used as a fifth limb to assist the opossum with climbing, balancing and anchoring. of foods.
This includes the beetles, slugs, Surprisingly, the answer is yes. Not particular where they take up residence, and highly adaptable, they can thrive in almost any habitat where there is food, water, and a denning site to meet their needs. Very best wishes to you and thank you for visiting my blog. I don’t mind the baby’s so much as I do the adults, especially with my dogs. I am rural at heart, but alas, I was born, raised and continue to live in the concrete jungle. The primary sources of sustenance are small rodents, insects, worms, slugs and snails, frogs and birds. As the young opossums grow, they will periodically go in and out of the mother’s pouch.
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Also clean up spilled. The best thing to do is watch from a distance and enjoy one of nature’s most beneficial wildlife species. Because the living environs of wild creatures often overlap that of humans, a better knowledge and understanding of all wild animals and the role they play in the greater ecological scheme are essential to a peaceful coexistence with humans. Opossums, sometimes referred to as North American or Virginia Opossums, eat countless types of undesirable insects such as cockroaches, water bugs, ticks and garden-destructive beetles and slugs. Besides consuming gargantuan amounts of ticks, the opossum’s diet includes snails, slugs, and beetles, making them a welcome addition to the garden.
When outside the pouch, they wrap their tails around their mom and hang on tightly to her back as she scavenges for food. If gutters or other vertical surfaces are being climbed, cover them with an 18-inch piece of sheet metal, or apply vegetable shortening up to a height of 18 inches. Think of how its cousin, the kangaroo, uses its tail for balance. Compared to other types of These nocturnal creatures also consume plant matter. Opossums will not dig in your yard for food, but will take advantage of “meals” that cross their paths. Scorpion Control In Gardens: Learn What To Do About Garden Scorpions, Urban Garden Rat Problem – Tips For Rat Control In City Gardens, Regional To-Do List: November Gardening Chores For The Southwest, Homemade Bird Feeder Ideas – Making Bird Feeders With Kids, DIY Mushroom Art – Creating Garden Mushrooms, Gardening Truths: Surprising Gardening Facts About Your Garden, Indoor Plants For Reptiles – Growing Reptile Safe Plants Indoors, Raising Pigs At Home: Is Keeping Backyard Pigs Possible, Domestic Pigs In The Garden: How To Prevent Pig Rooting Damage, Pressing Flowers: Bringing The Outdoors In Year Round, Halloween In The Garden: When Plants Become Dormant For Winter, Haunted Houseplants – Top Houseplants For Halloween, Giant Pumpkin Growing: Life Lessons Through Gardening. Opossums have a natural resistance to rabies and botulism, so they aren’t likely to spread these diseases. Turns out opossums are the unsung heroes in the fight against Lyme Disease. To avoid indoor episodes such as mine you should feed pets only what they will eat in one day, the same practice with food items at bird/squirrel feeders, and keep your garage and shed doors closed at night. An educational and philosophical look at nature – sometimes with humor! While the opossum’s appearance is somewhat rodent-like and the animal has developed some rather interesting behaviors for survival, it lives in harmony with mankind and has certainly gained my respect. Consider these opossum facts before enticing them to stay: Read more articles about Beneficial Garden Friends. dropped fruits and vegetables, which can harbor disease, is another benefit to I’m sure the description immediately above didn’t help my argument that opossums are good to have around, so I’ll get right to the many benefits they bring. If, despite all the good that opossums do to rid your property of pests, you would prefer that they move on, there are simple, non-lethal ways to discourage them.
They are not aggressive, however when they are startled they will hiss and bare their rather numerous, sharp teeth to attempt to ward off predators. Required fields are marked *. Unfortunately, they often fall victim to misinformation, and the results can be disastrous for them. They will help themselves to the kitchen scraps in your compost pile or bags of garbage set out for trash collection. Pop quiz. Keep your yard well lit at night.
The good news is, if you can keep them out of the places where you don’t want them, opossums are actually pretty amazing creatures to have on the homestead. With little need to evolve for survival, the modern-day version of this marsupial is somewhat of a living fossil, retaining many of the features of its ancient ancestors. Replies to my comments Opossums are non-aggressive, reclusive animals that only want to be left alone. Learn how your comment data is processed. Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window). You can also subscribe without commenting.
wildlife, they are very helpful. You are very welcome and I am glad to provide some peace of mind! then give the possum to the dogs and eat the white oak board . Fun facts to know. I expect your little visitor will venture off when the cherries are gone. I consent to Homestead.org collecting and storing the data I submit in this form. They also enjoy cleaning up overripe fruit and veggies that have fallen to the ground from orchards and gardens. Glad to know they are worth it to have around, and that they actually are related to the kangaroo. As omnivores, opossums consume a variety Research by scientists at the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies in Millbrook, New York found that opossums eat over 95 percent of the ticks that land on them during their meanderings. All It’s estimated that a single They can have fleas and drop flea larvae and eggs in your yard and garden. Notify me by email when the comment gets approved. As ticks have become more numerous, so have the incidents of Horticultural activities, such as weeding, put gardeners Motion-activated sprinkler systems are an effective deterrent. Learn how your comment data is processed. Up to 10 newborn opossums may migrate to the mother’s stomach pouch instinctively. In this unconscious state, they also secrete a foul-smelling liquid like that of a rotting carcass. Cleaning up After all, spotting a large rat-like creature with Last year a neighbor had a possum hanging around. Turned out she was feeding two outside cats., and they were not eating all the food., which can attract possums, raccoons, and other nocturnal critters..
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