They are harmless, solitary and nocturnal creatures, and are found in dense forest areas.
Opossums are nocturnal and solitary creatures. They will usually only attack if they are threatened or injured which is very similar to many animals.
If an animal feels as though they need to protect themselves when they are vulnerable, this is when they are most likely to bite.
Find out more about the Opossum and their reactions down below!
What Do They Look Like?
Opossums are about the size of a domestic cat, and look like miniature bears. They are nocturnal, meaning that they are active at night.
They are solitary animals, and are known to be very shy and territorial.
They have a very distinctive pink nose which will be visible at night. They can be very disruptive for homeowners in part of America and can cause them issues.
Even though they might look cute, they definitely are not if you make them feel defensive and protective of themselves.
Do They Bite?
It can take quite a bit to actually get them to bite you because they use their defense mechanisms first. They are much more likely to hiss and growl at you as a sign to move away and leave them alone.
All fifty of their teeth will most likely be showing which is a signal to not come any closer because they could end up biting you.
If you are ever in the position where you make an Opossum feel cornered, they are much more likely to take action and bite you to get you to leave them alone.
However, this will not be their first response depending on if they are injured or not.
Are They A Danger In Society?
Yes, they can definitely be a danger in society because of the diseases they carry more so than the bite they have.
They are not likely to bite people often unless the person is really asking for it. However, the diseases they carry can be deadly. However, this is quite rare!
Infestation Problems
Opossums are immediately drawn back to places where they are able to find both food and water to keep their energy up.
If they find someone’s home where they are able to get this, they will keep coming back or just stay. This can turn into an infestation.
You are most likely to find this kind of issue in your shed or outer-houses where no one tends to visit as much – especially during the evening. This is the time where you might find them to be an issue and to be dangerous.
You shouldn’t try and get them out yourself because they could potentially feel as though they are in danger and act out of fear.
Therefore, you should call a professional to remove them and don’t leave any type of food or water anywhere they can come back and get it.
How To Prevent The Opossum Problem?
There are certain things you can do to try and prevent them from entering your property and becoming a danger to your family. You will need to carry out a few tasks which won’t allow them in at all.
You can first do smaller things like make sure your trash lids are properly put on properly because they will love to rummage through all of that and it will attract them immediately.
If you have compost areas in your garden, this will also be something they are attracted to. Therefore, you can put fences up around it to protect that area.
You shouldnt be leaving uneaten food and drinks outside in your garden because this will be one of the most common things they are attracted to as it is the easiest for them to collect. They are more likely to keep coming back and expecting more and more food to be left which can turn into a big problem for you.
You could also be thinking about blocking off any areas which are open for them to get under and get into. For example, your shed. If there are species underneath for them to crawl under, they will. Therefore, you need to be making sure this is all barricaded off and has no access for the little animals.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Happens When A Possum Bites You?
Opossums are notorious for their fangs, but they don’t use them to attack. What they do use them for is keeping a constant supply of blood in their mouths.
However, if they were to attack you out of defence or vulnerability, protecting themselves, you will need to go and seek medical help. This is the same with any type of animal bite because it can lead to infection.
This tends to happen mostly when humans tend to corner any animals because their response is going to be to protect themselves.
They do have quite a bite on them and it should be avoided at all costs.
Like with any animal, you need to be getting checked immediately if one was to bite you because they could be carrying any type of disease which can be very harmful for a human.
Hopefully this guide has given you a clear understanding of exactly what an Opossum (Also check out Do Opossums Hibernate?) is and how dangerous it can be in certain situations.
If you find that you have an infestation problem, you need to call for professional help to help remove them as you do not want to be cornering them alone.
This guide also offers ways to prevent them from entering your property and home!
Hi, I’m Olivia Kepner and I am a zookeeper here in San Diego. Since I was a young girl I have always been fascinated by animals and species across the globe.
I used to beg my parents to take me to our local zoo every single weekend. Well, I say local – it was more like a two hour drive away. But they took me as much as they could, allowing me to fall in love with the animals again and again.
We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.OkPrivacy policy
