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Did you know that opossum’s young crawl to the mother’s pouch and latch onto a nipple, where they stay and feed for about 2 months? Then they stay and travel on their mothers back. After about 100 days they leave their mother to find their own home.
What else should you know about opossums?:
1. Opossum’s are nocturnal animals and North America’s only marsupial. They have good grooming habits and can eat up to 5,000 ticks per year! Opossum’s have a low body temperature which makes them immune to many diseases such as rabies.
2. They help your yard and garden by eating insects, snails, small rodents and snakes! Their life expectancy in the wild is 1-2 years and up to 4 years in captivity. Sadly, hundreds of them are killed each year on our roads.
3. Opossum’s may hiss, growl or bite if cornered but they are actually very harmless. Did you know they play dead? Hence, the term “opossum” when we played hide & seek or tag as children! They actually faint in shock at the prospect of such a confrontation. This is an involuntary response on the part of the opossum. The stress of the confrontation causes them to go into shock inducing a comatose state that can last from 40 minutes to four hours. While “dead,” the opossum’s body is limp, it’s front feet form into balls and drool runs out of its mouth. It may even appear that rigor mortis has begun.
4. The opossum’s guise of death goes so far as to produce a smell of decay. From their anal glands, the opossum’s body emits green mucus that will discourage most predators from feeding on it while he’s in this comatose state. Who knew!!
5. While opossums seem to offer a range of benefits - you may still want them removed should you discover a nest in your home or on your property. Call Gunning Wildlife Removal 519-421-2677 or text 289-987-0390. We offer affordable, humane wildlife removal in Woodstock, London, Brantford, Kitchener, Waterloo, Stratford and surrounding areas.