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You’ve likely seen a possum before. Maybe it was scurrying across your yard late at night or rifling through your garbage cans. While they can look like giant rats, possums are actually marsupials that originate from Australia.
Even though possums are native to Australia, they can be found all across the United States. They migrated to America about 3 million years ago, where they began reproducing and spreading all across the land. Possums are the only marsupial found in North America and they have pointed ears, sharp claws, and long tails.
Possums are considered omnivores and scavengers, which means they will eat anything they can get their paws on. This is why you’ll often find them digging through dumpsters or overturning your garbage cans in the middle of the night.
While it can be cool to see a possum in the wild, they can carry diseases. It can be dangerous to allow them to roam around your property. While rare, possums can carry rabies.
In this article, you will learn:
It is relatively rare for possums to contract rabies.
According to the U.S. National Park Service, possums have such a low body temperature that their bodies do not provide an ideal environment for rabies to flourish.[1] That said, there is a small possibility that they can carry the disease.
Possums might carry rabies from one animal and pass it to the next. While it is rare for a possum to be affected by this condition, you should be aware of the signs.
If a possum has rabies, they might show unusual behavior or aggression towards humans and other animals. They might appear confused, disoriented, or have uncoordinated movements. If you notice any of these symptoms, you should contact animal control and remain a safe distance from the possum.
While possums do not frequently contract rabies, they can have other diseases. Possums are known to experience diseases like Salmonellosis, Leptospirosis, Toxoplasmosis, and Pseudotuberculosis. They can also be affected by fleas and ticks, which make them susceptible to spreading Lyme disease.
The diseases that possums carry include:[2]
Since possums are wild animals that carry so many diseases that can be transmissible if you are bitten, you should never attempt to pick them up or get too close to them. Additionally, never remove their droppings without taking extreme precautions to prevent contracting bacterial diseases. Instead of trying to deal with a possum problem on your own, you should contact a professional wildlife removal service.
Possums might visit your property to consume food from your garbage cans, pet food that is left outside, or other food items. If you are dealing with a possum problem, there are several things you can do to get rid of them.
First, you should always remove their access to food sources. If you leave pet food bowls outside, bring them in before it gets dark. Possums are nocturnal, so they will only search for food at night.
Additionally, you should secure your trash cans with locks or leave them inside of a garage. If any possible entry points allow possums to gain access to garages, inside of your home, or crawl spaces, seal them off.
Lastly, if you are dealing with an ongoing possum infestation, you should contact a professional wildlife removal service. At Nuisance Wildlife Rangers, we are trained and experienced in handling wild or rabid animals. We have the expertise needed to remove the possums without anyone getting hurt or becoming infected with a disease.
If you or a loved one is dealing with a possum problem, you’ve come to the right place. While possums do not usually carry rabies, they can have a host of other diseases, including Lyme disease and leptospirosis. These infections can be passed to you or your household pets, making it important that you remain a safe distance from these animals.
Thankfully, Nuisance Wildlife Rangers are here to help. If possums are continuing to frequent your yard, we can help you remove them for good. Instead of harming animals, we use a humane and ethical approach that involves trapping and releasing them back into the wild.
Nuisance Wildlife Rangers is a full-time wildlife and animal removal company that extends its services to both commercial and residential clients. We have a great team of animal trappers who will work tirelessly to ensure that your home is free of any nuisance critters. We do not use any harmful products and we will focus on humane methods to exterminate the animals.
Contact us today for more information on how we can help you resolve a possum problem.
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