|
|
OPOSSUMS are the only Marsupials in North America meaning that as soon as the babies are born, they scramble for their mother's pouch to attach themselves to 1 of 13 nipples. Once they are old enough, they detach and climb onto their mother's back where they ride until they fall off and go out on their own.
Opossums are nocturnal, have prehensile tails which are quite strong and they have opposable thumbs. Their body temperature is also so low that they rarely carry rabies because the virus needs warmth to thrive.
Opossums have more teeth, 50, than any other mammal in America. They defend themselves by hissing and baring those teeth and if that doesn't work, they play dead.
Deterrents for opossums range from tossing moth balls around where they may be nesting to utilizing ammonia in a coffee can with holes in it and a rag to help disperse the smell. Results for this vary widely.
Opossums are omnivores which means they may eat almost anything. If they are already nesting under a structure, they may need to be trapped and released with exclusion work to keep them out of their entry, planned and done immediately to prevent reentry.
Some ways to prevent opossums from becoming nuisances include:
*Removing food sources- pick up cat food before dark, keep fruit off the ground
*Eliminate shelter- close up spaces under buildings with hardware cloth, burying it at least 6 inches deep, keep shed and garage doors closed and pick up debris piles
*Close up the den- use bright lights to watch an existing den, wait for the opossums to leave and seal up the entry. Opossums mate as many as 3 times a year and give birth in 11-13 days after mating. Tiny babies go into their mother's pouch and stay there for 50-60 days. Later they ride on their mother's back, so babies should not need to be considered if the mother has left the den.
Please call us if you would like help with your unique situation. Call 209-283-3245.
Opossums are nocturnal, have prehensile tails which are quite strong and they have opposable thumbs. Their body temperature is also so low that they rarely carry rabies because the virus needs warmth to thrive.
Opossums have more teeth, 50, than any other mammal in America. They defend themselves by hissing and baring those teeth and if that doesn't work, they play dead.
Deterrents for opossums range from tossing moth balls around where they may be nesting to utilizing ammonia in a coffee can with holes in it and a rag to help disperse the smell. Results for this vary widely.
Opossums are omnivores which means they may eat almost anything. If they are already nesting under a structure, they may need to be trapped and released with exclusion work to keep them out of their entry, planned and done immediately to prevent reentry.
Some ways to prevent opossums from becoming nuisances include:
*Removing food sources- pick up cat food before dark, keep fruit off the ground
*Eliminate shelter- close up spaces under buildings with hardware cloth, burying it at least 6 inches deep, keep shed and garage doors closed and pick up debris piles
*Close up the den- use bright lights to watch an existing den, wait for the opossums to leave and seal up the entry. Opossums mate as many as 3 times a year and give birth in 11-13 days after mating. Tiny babies go into their mother's pouch and stay there for 50-60 days. Later they ride on their mother's back, so babies should not need to be considered if the mother has left the den.
Please call us if you would like help with your unique situation. Call 209-283-3245.
