RELEVANT NATURAL HISTORY
Opossums are shy, very gentle, non-aggressive creatures, normally seen at dusk and at dawn, but they can be seen anytime. They have the misfortune of scaring people due to their rather odd appearance, but they are not fierce at all.
Having little ability to defend themselves (because they do not run fast or fight well) their best defense is to try to scare off potential attackers. They bluff by swaying, drooling and hissing, and if their bizarre behavior doesn’t scare the potential threat, opossums will fall over and “play dead” (faint).
Opossums are prehistoric creatures, having changed little from when they first originated 50 million years ago. They are also our only native marsupial. Just like kangaroos, the females carry their young in their pouches. This allows them to be nomadic, wandering from place to place.
Opossums are very beneficial animals; they provide free pest control by eating all kinds of bugs, small snakes, mice and even baby rats. In fact, opossums are very beneficial from a disease control perspective. Scientists have found that opossums attract and consume 95% of the Lyme disease-causing ticks that try to feed on them! They literally vacuum up those nasty ticks and help protect people.
They are great climbers and can be found in trees, as well as, on your lawn. This is normal behavior.
