Opossum FAQ

In North America, "possum" and "opossum" refer to the same animal — the Virginia opossum (Didelphis virginiana). "Opossum" is the formal scientific name, derived from the Powhatan word "opassum." "Possum" is the common colloquial form used throughout the U.S. and is equally correct in casual speech. In Australia, "possum" refers to entirely different marsupials in the suborder Phalangeriformes, which are not closely related to American opossums despite superficial similarities.

Yes — the Virginia opossum is the only marsupial native to North America. Like kangaroos and koalas, opossums give birth to extremely underdeveloped young (after just 13 days of gestation) that continue development in a pouch. This makes them fundamentally different from placental mammals. The opossum lineage diverged from other mammals roughly 180 million years ago, and they predate the mass extinction of non-avian dinosaurs by over 100 million years.

Wild opossums have one of the shortest lifespans of any similarly sized mammal — typically 1.5 to 2 years, rarely exceeding 3 years. Their high mortality rate from predation, vehicle strikes, cold exposure, and disease keeps population turnover rapid. In captivity with proper care, lifespans of 4–5 years are documented. Scientists believe the opossum's early reproductive investment (breeding early and often) has evolved at the expense of long-term survival, a strategy well-suited to high-predation environments.

Adult Virginia opossums typically weigh between 4 and 14 pounds, with males being significantly larger than females. Body length (nose to base of tail) ranges from about 13 to 20 inches, with the naked, prehensile tail adding another 10–13 inches. In total, they're roughly cat-sized, though stockier and with a lower, waddling gait. Northern-range individuals tend to be larger than southern ones, consistent with Bergmann's rule (the tendency for animals in colder climates to be larger).

Opossums are extreme omnivores — they eat almost anything. Their diet includes insects, earthworms, snails, slugs, small rodents, frogs, bird eggs, carrion, fallen fruit, berries, nuts, mushrooms, green vegetation, and human food waste. In suburban settings, they are particularly effective at consuming ticks (potentially 5,000+ per season), cockroaches, and garden slugs. This dietary flexibility is a major reason for their success in human-modified landscapes.

Opossums are extremely unlikely to carry or transmit rabies. Their naturally low body temperature — around 94–97°F — creates a physiological barrier to rabies virus replication, as the virus requires warmer conditions to establish infection. Cases of rabies in opossums are exceptionally rare and are virtually unheard of in wild populations. By contrast, raccoons, bats, foxes, and skunks are the primary wild reservoirs for rabies in North America. An opossum is statistically one of the least concerning wild animals from a rabies standpoint.

Opossums pose very little danger to people. They are docile animals that will almost always flee or play dead rather than bite. Actual bites to humans are rare and typically only occur when an opossum is physically grabbed or cornered with no escape. To pets, the risk is similarly low — an opossum will hiss and bare teeth if confronted by a dog or cat, but biting is uncommon. The greater risk is typically the reverse: dogs are a significant cause of opossum injury. However, opossums can carry and transmit various parasites including fleas, ticks, and leptospirosis — so pets should be kept current on vaccinations and parasite prevention.

The key measurement is body length (nose to base of tail, not including the tail). If the opossum is under 8 inches long, it is not yet independent and needs wildlife rehabilitation — contact your local wildlife rehabilitator or animal control immediately. If it is over 8 inches, it is independent and capable of surviving on its own. Place it in a bush or shrub near where you found it and leave it alone — it will move on at dusk. Well-meaning intervention with independent opossums often does more harm than good.

Almost certainly. Thanatosis (playing possum) is an involuntary response to stress — the opossum may have been startled by a dog, a loud noise, or simply the stress of being in an exposed location. Leave it completely alone and give it space — ideally keep pets and children away. It will recover on its own in anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours and move on. Do not attempt to move, touch, or pour water on it. If the opossum has not moved at all after 4–6 hours and shows no response to very gentle observation at a distance, contact a wildlife rehabilitator.

This is one of the most persistent opossum myths. Adult opossums cannot hang by their tails for extended periods — they are too heavy for their tails to support their body weight comfortably. Young joeys can and do hang briefly by their tails while learning to climb. The myth likely originated from the real observation of opossums using their prehensile tails to grip branches as an additional anchor while climbing, and from the sight of young opossums dangling momentarily. Opossums do sleep in trees and other elevated locations, but they brace themselves with all four limbs and their tail — they don't hang suspended.

The open-mouthed hiss with all 50 teeth displayed is primarily a bluff — a threat display designed to deter a predator or threat without physical engagement. Opossums are not aggressive animals; they would much rather flee or play dead than fight. The hissing display is typically the middle stage of their threat response: flee first, hiss if cornered, play dead if the threat escalates. An opossum hissing at you is asking you to back off — a request you should honor, both for your own safety and the animal's stress levels.

Opossums are more intelligent than their reputation suggests. Studies testing opossums in maze and memory tasks have found they perform comparably to dogs and significantly better than cats and rabbits when navigating toward food rewards. Their low brain-to-body ratio — often cited as evidence of low intelligence — is not a reliable intelligence indicator, particularly in marsupials whose brain development differs from placental mammals. Opossums demonstrate strong spatial memory for food locations, can learn from experience, and adapt readily to novel environments. They're not going to win any animal intelligence competitions, but they're far from the simple, slow-witted creatures of popular imagination.

In most cases, yes — a visiting opossum is a net benefit to your yard. It will consume ticks, slugs, snails, cockroaches, beetles, and potentially small rodents. It won't dig burrows (opossums don't dig), rarely damages plantings, and will move on within a few weeks without any intervention. The main downsides are that opossums will eat chicken eggs and occasionally birds if given access to a coop, and they will eat pet food left outside and may knock over unsecured garbage. Securing these attractants is generally all that's needed to maintain a comfortable coexistence.

The most effective approach is exclusion. Wait until well after dark — opossums leave at dusk to forage and typically don't return until near dawn. Once you're confident the animal is out, block or seal the entry point. If you're unsure, stuff the opening loosely with newspaper for a few nights: if it's not disturbed, the opossum has moved on. If it is disturbed, wait and try again the following night. Then permanently seal the access point with hardware cloth or wood. Simultaneously reduce attractants: secure garbage, bring in pet food at night, pick up fallen fruit. Without food and den access, the opossum will relocate on its own — typically within 1–2 weeks.

An opossum confronted by a dog or cat will typically hiss, bare its teeth, and try to flee. Actual opossum-initiated attacks on pets are very rare. The greater risk is that a dog — even a non-aggressive one — may injure or kill an opossum during a confrontation. Large dogs are a significant cause of opossum mortality. Keeping pets indoors at night, when opossums are active, is the simplest way to prevent confrontations. If a confrontation does occur, separate the animals calmly — the opossum will retreat as soon as it has an escape route.