Possums are not dangerous to humans and are beneficial to the environment.
Possums are immune to snake venom
Possums are immune to snake venom from rattlesnakes, cottonmouths, and pit vipers. This is due to a protein in their blood called LTNF (Lethal Toxin Neutralizing Factor).
Possums can hold and hang onto things with their tails
Possums have prehensile tails, which means they can grasp and hold objects. Their tails are also used to help with climbing and balancing. Young possums will sometimes hang from branches by their tails.
Possums also have opposable thumbs and whiskers which helps in their dexterity and sensory perception.
Possums like to be clean and will spend all day grooming themselves
Despite being scavengers, possums are excellent groomers.
Possums are North America’s only marsupial
Despite looking similar to a rat, possums are more related to the the kangaroo. The Virginia opossum is the only marsupial found in North America. Female possums carry and nurse their young in a pouch, similar to kangaroos.
Possums can have up to 20 babies at birth—only 14 days after mating
Possums have one of the shortest gestation periods at around two weeks. Once the babies are born, they go their mother’s pouch like a kangaroo.
Possums play dead involuntarily
When scared, possums involuntarily enter a state called thanatosis aka “playing dead.” They lie motionless and emit a foul-smelling fluid from their anal glands to deter predators. They don’t do this consciously—they literally can’t help it.
Possums Eat Ticks
Possums eat pests like ticks, cockroaches, rats, and mice. They can consume thousands of ticks in a season. This helps reduce the spread of tick bourne diseases like Lyme disease. Possums cannot catch or carry Lyme disease.
Possums Are Immune to Rabies
Possums are resistant to diseases like rabies due to their low body temperature. This makes it difficult for the virus to survive.
Possums Help Keep Nature Clean
As scavengers, possums help clean the environment by eating dead animals, decaying fruit, insects, and small rodents. This reduces the risk of disease outbreaks and keeps things tidy.
Possums have around 50 teeth
Possums may look aggressive when they show their teeth but they are not aggressive—they just have a lot of teeth.
What is the difference between Possum and Opossum?
According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, “both possum and opossum correctly refer to the Virginia opossum frequently seen in North America.”
Both possum and opossum are correct. Possum is the accepted term for casual use. Opposum, pronounced with or without the ‘O,’ is the accepted term for technical and scientific use.