Recently Jim and I became aware of a mystery animal in our backyard in Tracy. At first, we were concerned that the animal might be a skunk. We are entirely comfortable with skunks in Arnold, but Tracy? We live next to a large active Almond Orchard and have had a skunk in the backyard. So the red flags were going up again in my mind, and I didn’t want Teddy to be sprayed. Not wanting to jump to conclusions, I reached for my secret weapon — one of my field cameras. I strapped the camera to a tree, and finally, the versatile field camera revealed our visitor was not a skunk but a possum.
Research time again, as I know very little about possums. Could a possum be a danger for Teddy? Do possums carry diseases like rats? A little research revealed some very positive facts about Possums, which I’d like to share.
There is a lot of misinformation out there about the possum. These small creature can do a lot of good for the environment, but many people fear them because of their appearance, which makes it difficult for them to gain the positive reputation they deserve.
Possums are pest control experts. They eat trash, roadkill, and pesky rodents. Possums are also known to eat ticks, which can help prevent the spread of diseases. Possums play a vital role in the ecosystem. They are little superheroes.
Possums are nocturnal animals that are about the size of a domestic cat. They have a pointed snout and long, Prehensile tail. Possums are very adaptable creatures and can live in many habitats, from forests to urban areas. One of the most notable things about possums is their disease resistance. For example, they are immune to most snake venom and are resistant to rabies. Possums also have a high reproductive rate, which helps them quickly bounce back from periods of hunting or habitat loss. As a result, possums play an essential role in controlling pests and managing trash.
Possums are gentle creatures that usually avoid contact with humans. However, they may hiss, growl, and even bite if they feel threatened. While possums may not be the prettiest animals, they play an essential role in our ecosystem!
I hope by sharing my experience, I have helped change the negative perception of these animals, and we can see them in a new light. Thank you for reading!
If you have any comments or questions, please post them in the comments section below.
© 2019 I Don’t Know All The Answers, Nikki Mastro
All of my photographs are Copyrighted.
Thanks for the information. We had a possum in our yard recently. We thought it was another cat as our cat is only out during the day. We leave the garage door open about 4 – 5 inches so he can get in if threatened. If it’s raining or when the weather gets a little cooler, he won’t go out – indoor cat from about October to April or May and when he’s in, garage doors completely closed. Glad to hear they are resistant to rabies though. We do have Scooter up to date on all shots as a precaution and use flea prevention.
Hope you and Jim and getting by with the heat and forest fires. Certainly pray the fires are not in your areas. Have a Happy Labor Day and again, thanks for the info. Love, Karen
Thank you so much for the message, Karen.
Love, Nikki