Their natural reaction to most threats is to stand still with their mouth open, teeth beared. job blog. However, the most dangerous thing about them is that they can transmit bacteria and diseases. She has a bachelors degree in Agriculture and masters degree work in large animal reproduction. At Critter Guard, we are aware of the havoc opossums can potentially cause in your home. Like in other marsupials, babies are born underdeveloped, almost fetal stage. However, their extreme adaptability has helped them thrive in various habitats including urban and suburban areas alongside humans. It is caused by a virus and can be spread through bites or scratches from an . Perhaps the most famous characteristic of the opossum is its tendency to play dead in front of predators. More commonly, opossums play dead or emit a horrible stench if frightened. Maybe you find them lovable, or maybe their pointy ears and toothy smirks churn your stomach. The next big thing is the difference in the way they look. The term 'playing possum,' which means playing dead, has come from this behavior of opossums. The symptoms are sometimes non-specific as they resemble the symptoms of other diseases. In fact, most times, tularemia is self-limiting in dogs. The aerosol or dust raised in such a situation may contain the bacteria. Even their urine or feces may cause harmful diseases if ingested. Well, this is not the case. They are marsupials with a rats-like appearance, but there is a stark dissimilarity. So, while you take precautions for yourself, ensure you protect your pets too. From lino cutting to surfing to childrens mental health, their hobbies and interests range far and wide. The opossum has earned the title of "Nature's Little Sanitation Engineer." Lexie came from HomeAdvisor and Angi (formerly Angies list) and is responsible for writing and editing articles over a wide variety of home-related topics. Being hit by vehicles, especially at night, is the most common threat: with all their adaptations, opossums are not road-smart. In short, be watchful in every way possible. Their teeth structure is different from rats or mice as a response to a highly flexible diet. At this point the opossum is completely unaware of their surroundings, their bodies are completely limp, and they will be entirely unresponsive to any stimuli. An easy way to recognize them is through the tail; possums have a thick furry tail like a squirrel, while opossums have a thin, non-hairy tail like rats. The exaggerated pupil dilation is thought to help the nocturnal animals see after the sun goes down. Rabies is a viral disease . They also like roadkill, and are known to eat ticks that they find in their own fur while grooming their bodies. There are plenty of different precautions you should take if you have to deal with a problem animal, and by knowing about the different diseases you can prepare appropriately to deal with the problem. Well, it depends. However, they do not sleep that way: it is just a myth. The pupil dilation is helping nocturnal animals to see in poor light. They have impressive memories when it comes to food: better than rats or dogs. Remember, though, that opossums are afraid of you. If you check out the rest of this article, you will learn about various diseases possums carry. Do Opossums Carry Diseases? Their opened mouth and hissing can feel intimidating but is only used as a defense mechanism to make themselves appear dangerous. Knowing the difference between possum and opossum helps kids and their parents to know these species better. It is just heading to its den. Toxoplasmosis occurs when infected with the Toxoplasma gondii parasite. Sometimes, this disease may even cause permanent damages like deafness, amputation, mental instability, and paralysis. Some people would inadvertently kill the animal that "plays dead" by throwing them into a pit, garbage bin, or enclosed trash bag where they suffocate. "@context": "https://schema.org", Relapsing fever is a bacterial infection that can cause headache, nausea, muscle and joint aches, and persistent episodes of fever. Possums weigh anything between a few oz to 20 lb; opossums can grow into a weight of 8.8 to 13.2 lb. ABC has you covered! Bunnies, hares, and rodents are particularly susceptible to it. Its an impressive defensive mechanism, but its effectiveness cant be chalked up to the possums acting skills. That means the more possums that are in your area, the fewer ticks youll encounter. These may then become grave resulting in cranial nerve dysfunction, aggression, respiratory issues, seizures, abnormal salivation, etc. Possums are the animals of the Australian origin. Even if possums arent the cutest creatures in the forest, they should be a welcome addition to your backyard. In the chronic phase, infected persons may suffer heart, neurological, or digestive issues. There are slim chances of such events as possums are not aggressive, but they may resort to anger if anyone threatens their babies or young ones. If you purchase using the buy now button we may earn a small commission. Moreover, they are immune to toxins and venoms of many kinds. Marsupials like possums have a lower body temperature than the placental mammals that dominate North Americain other words, their bodies dont provide a suitable environment for the virus. When looking for food, possums will wander into your garbage area or your garden if you have fruit-bearing plants. Major skin ulcers are the ultimate fate of the invasion. ), https://blog.nwf.org/2017/06/opossums-unsung-heroes-in-the-fight-against-ticks-and-lyme-disease, https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/beneficial/benefits-of-opossums.htm, https://crittercontroloftampa.com/blog/how-can-i-tell-if-an-opossum-is-sick, http://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn74123.html, https://www.terminix.com/blog/home-garden/opossums-facts-rabies/, https://urbanjunglewildliferemoval.com/blog/are-opossums-dangerous/#diseases, https://www.cdc.gov/leptospirosis/index.html, https://www.cdc.gov/leptospirosis/symptoms/index.html, https://news.okstate.edu/articles/veterinary-medicine/2018/leptospirosis-in-cats.html, https://www.petmd.com/dog/conditions/infectious-parasitic/c_multi_leptospirosis, https://www.cdc.gov/tularemia/transmission/index.html, https://www.cdc.gov/tularemia/signssymptoms/index.html, https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/tularemia-in-cats, https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/tularemia-in-dogs, https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/chagas-disease-(american-trypanosomiasis), https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/chagas-disease-in-dogs, https://www.wedgewoodpharmacy.com/blog/posts/chagas-disease-in-pets.html, https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/tuberculosis/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20351256, https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/tuberculosis/symptoms-causes/syc-20351250, https://www.cdc.gov/otherspottedfever/index.html, https://adobevets.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Newsletter-Tick-Borne-Diseases-and-Your-Pet.pdf, https://www.cdc.gov/relapsing-fever/index.html, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6236141, https://www.cdc.gov/parasites/toxoplasmosis/disease.html, https://www.msdvetmanual.com/dog-owners/disorders-affecting-multiple-body-systems-of-dogs/toxoplasmosis-in-dogs, https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/rabies/symptoms-causes/syc-20351821, https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/rabies. The information and savings numbers depicted above are for demonstration purposes only, and your results may vary. But they would be glad to clean up the dog or cat food left outside, or the leftovers from your picnic. When pets come into contact with infected feces or ingest contaminated tissue, they are at risk of contracting coccidiosis. As long as you exercise common sense then the chance of getting a disease from an opossum is slim. Call Urban Jungle for help! other animals too. The Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever is particularly life-threatening without early treatment. In North America, opossum and possum describe the same thing, but in Australia the word possum refers to a completely different animal. Diarrhea is the primary symptom. You may also notice excessive drooling. Yes, they can carry and spread many diseases, including leptospirosis, tuberculosis, tularemia, relapsing fever, spotted fever, Chagas diseases, etc. The transmission of these pathogens and germs to humans happens when humans touch infected urine or body fluid. By allowing an opossum to stake a claim underneath your home or in your crawlspace, you could be exposing your living environment to contaminants that can harm you or your family. Possums may also carry parasites like ticks and fleas, leaving your pets at risk of infestation. These omnivores will dine on plant matter just as readily as insects or small animals. Possums have prehensile tails, meaning they are made for grasping and wrapping around things like tree branches. Researchers at the Federal University of Pernambuco in Recife, Brazil observed some possums in captivity sharing dens even if they werent mates. If you catch an opossum off guard, youll probably hear it hiss, growl or click as a warning to stay back. While opossums are generally nocturnal, it is not uncommon to see them out and near your home during the day throughout the winter season. These pests are nocturnal and omnivorous. Anyone using the information provided by Kidadl does so at their own risk and we can not accept liability if things go wrong. While possums are primarily found in Australia, New Guinea, China, New Zealand, and Sulawesi, the opossums are native species to North America and Southern Canada. Yes, they can carry and spread many diseases, including leptospirosis, tuberculosis, tularemia, relapsing fever, spotted fever, Chagas diseases, etc. The Predator Free 2050 project aimed to rid New Zealand of possums, rats and stoats by 2050 when it was set up in 2016. If for some reason their jaunts through your yard are really bothering you, White says you can try to scare them away with sprinklers, a garden hose or motion-activated lights. Ticks spread Lyme disease, which is a severe infection. They may also be infested with fleas, ticks, mites, and lice. Commissions do not affect our editors' opinions or evaluations. As previously stated, rabies is uncommon in possums, thanks to their low body temperature. So the real question is, has your uninvited guest been bitten by more than just the ugly bug? Contact us todayto learn more about our removal solutions. A few years ago, a team of scientists made progress on this front when they recreated a peptide found in possums and and found that mice given the peptide and rattlesnake venom were successfully protected from the venoms harmful effects. Bring in your pets food bowls before nightfall, since possums have a good sense of smell and will eat your pets food if thats its only option. Many of these diseases are treatable, but you should avoid getting them in the first place. Toxoplasmosis during pregnancy might lead to stillbirth, miscarriage, or congenital diseases. At this point, symptoms like confusion, partial paralysis, and excess salivation may appear. Opossums are also carriers of equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM . "embedUrl": "https://www.youtube.com/embed/62A5d5uzzVQ" Hunting Boots | Which Is Better for Cold Weather? We will always aim to give you accurate information at the date of publication - however, information does change, so its important you do your own research, double-check and make the decision that is right for your family. She has almost four years experience in the home improvement space. You may get Chagas disease if you touch the urine or feces of infected possums. Operating 24/7/365. Possums clean up your garbage cans effortlessly. Take control of animal intruders in with the help of a wildlife control specialist. For more clarity, possums do not carry diseases per se. Possums carry various diseases that can affect humans and pets. Sadly, it can be life-threatening for them too. We recommend that these ideas are used as inspiration, that ideas are undertaken with appropriate adult supervision, and that each adult uses their own discretion and knowledge of their children to consider the safety and suitability. You have subscribed to: Remember that you can always manage your preferences or unsubscribe through the link at the foot of each newsletter. Opossums are often accused, but rarely responsible for getting into garbage cans or gardens. So, if you somehow get bitten by a rabid possum, you may get rabies. Rashes are quite common amongst people infected with spotted fevers, especially those who have Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. Possum may carry this parasite with them to your backyard or garden and it can transfer onto your dog. Most importantly, wear gloves to avoid contracting any germs while touching the wound. Of the three types of relapsing fever, tick-borne relapsing fever is the only one common in the United States. Apart from rabies, these marsupials possess many other diseases. Possums take advantage of this adaptation by chowing down on snakes on a regular basis. Since you never know how a particular animal may react when threatened, its best to exercise caution around possums. Yes, they could be. Good news opossums are generally harmless. All maps, graphics, flags, photos and original descriptions 2023 worldatlas.com, 5 Things You Should Know About: Central America, 5 Things You Should Know About: South America, Meet 12 Incredible Conservation Heroes Saving Our Wildlife From Extinction, India's Leopard God, Waghoba, Aids Wildlife Conservation In The Country, India's Bishnoi Community Has Fearlessly Protected Nature For Over 500 Years, Wildfires And Habitat Loss Are Killing Jaguars In The Amazon Rainforest, In India's Sundarbans: Where People Live Face-To-Face With Wild Tigers, Africa's "Thunderbird" Is At Risk Of Extinction. 2023 Forbes Media LLC. They generally don't contract or transmit rabies as they have a very low body temperature to sustain the virus. Opossums can, however, carry other diseases like tularemia, tuberculosis, spotted fever and toxoplasmosis. Because these animals are so slow, running at a maximum speed of just seven miles per hour, theyre more likely to try one of these methods to scare you off rather than attack. They tend to have lower incidents of rabies than wild dogs and other pests, but they might carry: Leptospinosis Tuberculosis Relapsing fever Tularemia Spotted fever Toxoplasmosis Higher level of human exposure cause permanent disability. If you have gotten the vaccine against tuberculosis, you are unlikely to get sick from tuberculosis. Both are different animals found in diverse continents and their natural habitats. If your mammalian pets like cats and dogs get rabies, they can infect you with a bite or a scratch. As mentioned in the question and answer above, rabies . Diseases that possums can give to cats include: Rabies: One disease that will be fatal to cats if untreated is rabies, this illness can be transferred from possum to cat. Exploration Squared is compensated for referring traffic and business to these companies. What Do Opossums Like to Eat? Opossums can be tricky critters, and it is right to stay away from regardless whether or not they contain rabies. All mammals can get rabies, so your pets are not safe from infection, except they get the rabies vaccine. We strive to recommend the very best things that are suggested by our community and are things we would do ourselves - our aim is to be the trusted friend to parents. The specific symptoms of tularemia vary, depending on the mode of entry of the bacteria into the body. This site does not include all companies or products available within the market. If infected, you may experience 3 days of fever and 7 days without fever. 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