Opossums! yes an ugly critter to some people, but not to us at Vance Wildlife Removal! Hey, if I was gonna have a wild animal in my yard, this would be my choice! Opossums are the only marsupial in north America. Opossums seem to have a bad rap, often seen as a dirty, giant, scavenging rat, but they are really doing us a favor. Their diet consists of rodents, insects, slugs, snakes, vegetation, carrion (dead animals), and yes, your trash cans! They are omnivores, so they aren't picky eaters at all. This is why they are considered to be natures garbage men. Did you know that they are immune to snake venom? Such as rattlesnakes, copperheads, and cottonmouths. Did you know that they are a great defense against deer ticks and ticks in general? They can consume up to 4,000 ticks a week, which helps to reduce the spread of lyme disease! When opossums feel threatened they will involuntarily faint, (playing possum), and at the same time they release the smell of a dead animal. Their lips roll back, baring their teeth and saliva foams from their mouths, its quite a deterrent for something trying to make a meal out of them! They may remain like this from a couple minutes to a few hours. Opossums having rabies is extremely rare being as their core body temperature is too low for the virus to survive, but its not unheard of. They could possibly carry other zoonotic diseases, one still has to be very careful especially with small children and pets. So the next time you see one waddling across your yard, remember he means no harm! If you still need assistance with your opossum issues, give us a call at Vance Wildlife Removal in Delaware or Maryland, we’d be more then happy to help!