Opossum Control & Removal In Madison, MS

Opossum or possum? It would appear that in some of the local dialects in the Unites States both refer to the same animal. You can actually buy a can of creamed possum with sweet potatoes on Amazon. While it is a gag gift, it highlights the misuse of the word possum. Opossum and possum are marsupials, but there are some stark differences after that. The easiest way to distinguish them is opossums live in North America, and possums live in Australia and other nearby countries. Here in North America, the furry marsupials are white and gray, and they belong to the Didelphimorphia order, whereas the Australian marsupial belongs to the Diprotodontia order. With such similar-sounding names, it is easy to see why people tend to confuse the two.

Importance Of Opossum Removal

Let’s focus on the North American opossum and what there is to know about this furry gray and white critter. Most people probably think of them the same way they think about raccoons. We know that opossums play dead to trick their enemies, but did you know that they have some other unique biological mechanisms that keep them safe in the wild? One of these traits is their excellent ability to climb trees due to their opposable thumbs on their hind feet, a prehensile tail, and sharp claws. Another useful attribute is their natural immunities. These creatures are largely immune to rabies, though they can still get it in rare cases. Even more impressive is their immunity to venom from snakes like cottonmouths and rattlesnakes. 

While these facts are interesting, one can’t ignore that opossums are wild animals and need to be treated as such. They pose a threat to livestock and crops on farms eating corn and poultry. Another threat is their ability to pass diseases to other animals. Evidence shows opossums can pass the disease equine protozoal myeloencephalitis to horses, and this parasitic organism attacks a horse’s nervous system. While cats and dogs usually avoid opossums, there is still a possibility that they can pick up fleas from them. Though they are not known to carry diseases that can be passed along to humans, one needs to treat them with extreme caution because a bite from their 50 teeth still poses a serious threat. Add to that the potential of the disease carrying fleas, and they should be avoided.