General Discussion

hunter

(40,852 posts)

43. The big old males can be pretty scary looking.

Sat Oct 18, 2014, 03:51 PM

Oct 2014

They brawl with other males and get quite scarred and torn up.

Other than that, opossums don't seem to fight. Other animals are something to avoid or coexist with, or something easy to eat.

The aggressive birds in our neighborhood, the jays, the crows, the ravens, the humming birds, harass opossums mercilessly, probably because opossums eat eggs and baby birds.

Opossums love to dig through our compost heap and it makes our dogs crazy. Our idiot dogs probably wouldn't wake up if someone was stealing our television, but an opossum intruding upon their territory and digging in the compost for dinner somehow offends them.

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10 Reasons to Love Opossums [View all] Omaha Steve Oct 2014 OP

And they can eat cane toads. Downwinder Oct 2014 #1

Oh, jeez. Just. What. Hawaii. Needs. Possums. Hekate Oct 2014 #28

Their normal lifespan is only about 3 years Ino Oct 2014 #2

Good job, Ino Feral Child Oct 2014 #3

Fascinating creatures! Feral Child Oct 2014 #4

I love possums--used to have some visit my backyard in Nebraska. TwilightGardener Oct 2014 #5

I have one loyal 840high Oct 2014 #67

They're cutie pies! n/t Prophet 451 Oct 2014 #6

I find them terrifying. JaneyVee Oct 2014 #7

They're not aggressive (unless you try to handle them) and don't carry disease thanks valerief Oct 2014 #13

Not so fast with that silly and dangerous myth. kestrel91316 Oct 2014 #18

they can also carry leptospirosis... we have lost four dogs here in St. John's County so far. We secondwind Oct 2014 #31

Leptospirosis, carried by possums, killed 40% of the sea otters in Morro Bay Bette Noir Oct 2014 #34

Huh? I thought that was all due to toxoplasmosis from feral cat feces in the watershed. kestrel91316 Oct 2014 #51

My experience is that they're pretty chill about being handled, too Scootaloo Oct 2014 #45

They're pretty inoffensive, overall. MineralMan Oct 2014 #8

"Do not do what that man is doing" lumberjack_jeff Oct 2014 #12

My wife said exactly that one time at the Minnesota Zoo. MineralMan Oct 2014 #15

When I was a kid Jenoch Oct 2014 #60

Nice memory for you. MineralMan Oct 2014 #62

I was only seven years old at the time. Jenoch Oct 2014 #64

I have a feral cat I take care of. Built a little shelter for it and feed it. Fla Dem Oct 2014 #20

I have read that cats and possums live together hfojvt Oct 2014 #33

And if they DO try to bite... Scootaloo Oct 2014 #46

I didn't know that. None ever offered to bite in the first place. MineralMan Oct 2014 #49

Have you seen many opossums this year in MN? NickB79 Oct 2014 #48

I saw one the other morning when I went out to get the paper this week. MineralMan Oct 2014 #50

The raccoons and turkeys are rock-solid in our winters NickB79 Oct 2014 #53

A skunk has taken to wandering through our backyard. I would SO much rather have a possum! Hekate Oct 2014 #54

We nose what you mean pinboy3niner Oct 2014 #55

You can try contacting your local wildlife commission justiceischeap Oct 2014 #73

I love the Crazy Opossum Lady on YouTube. valerief Oct 2014 #9

I know her! LOL nt Mojorabbit Oct 2014 #14

Personally? She's hilarious with those opossum clips. And I learned so much! valerief Oct 2014 #16

That was damn funny! AndreaCG Oct 2014 #27

Love it. 840high Oct 2014 #68

Growing up TlalocW Oct 2014 #10

Aww. Haven't seen any in years. And they just *love* cat kibble. So don't leave it on the porch. freshwest Oct 2014 #11

One gave my dog a nasty scratch on her nose once pinboy3niner Oct 2014 #17

I don't think they live up here... Blue_In_AK Oct 2014 #19

I'm pretty sure I've got one living under my porch. Vinca Oct 2014 #21

11 !! ThoughtCriminal Oct 2014 #22

Before my husband got sick & we had to downsize our living space, we had a big old 2 story, 3 BR catbyte Oct 2014 #23

Used to see them all the time in N CA. CaptainTruth Oct 2014 #24

Q: "Why did the chicken cross the road?" lastlib Oct 2014 #25

LOL! pinboy3niner Oct 2014 #26

lol. poor dears. always lying dead in LA roads Liberal_in_LA Oct 2014 #66

Back in my wildlife rehab days we'd get rescued babies when moms were killed. nolabear Oct 2014 #29

baby mice ride on their mom's back too hfojvt Oct 2014 #30

squeeee... dionysus Oct 2014 #32

I used to see one every night in Boston when I walked home from the subway Warpy Oct 2014 #35

That's why I love them around the house. Solly Mack Oct 2014 #36

I adore opossums! MoonRiver Oct 2014 #37

Possums are cool..... lastlib Oct 2014 #61

All animals, except humans, are cool! MoonRiver Oct 2014 #72

Since its cooled off Go Vols Oct 2014 #38

Sorry....but no love for oppossums here. northoftheborder Oct 2014 #39

I had this post about faeries... Omaha Steve Oct 2014 #40

I looked out the window one day last March to see this guy checking out the birdfeeder. mnhtnbb Oct 2014 #41

Maybe true..but possums are a bit of a pest around here... Sancho Oct 2014 #42

I agree with you! I live trap them and take them for a little truck ride. B Calm Oct 2014 #44

The big old males can be pretty scary looking. hunter Oct 2014 #43

We have one that has endeared our hearts Oilwellian Oct 2014 #47

# 11. d_r Oct 2014 #52

Until I saw that, I thought all marsupials were cute... Violet_Crumble Oct 2014 #56

Not all fairytales are fantasy Omaha Steve Oct 2014 #59

Kudos to you for contributing to the Wilderness Society! Violet_Crumble Oct 2014 #69

Almost hit one last night with my car, edhopper Oct 2014 #57

11. Barbecue. JEB Oct 2014 #58

The first time I saw an opossum Jenoch Oct 2014 #63

As long as they don't try to get in my attic LeftInTX Oct 2014 #65

Already a member of their fan club. beam me up scottie Oct 2014 #70

I had a neighbor got nuts over an opossum gollygee Oct 2014 #71