Guest Columnist
Three weeks ago, the article discussed ticks and problems they cause. This article discusses a welcome friend in the battle against ticks: the lowly opossum. First off, possums (nobody knows for sure why the “o” got dropped!) like ticks, and they eat an enormous amount of them, although the literature is shaky on the exact amount, with values ranging from 4,000 a week to 5,000 a season!!! Either way, that’s a lot of ticks!
They are low to the ground where they can attract ticks in various stages, but they’re also great groomers, and find the ticks for a quick snack! Even though around 5% of the ticks dig in long enough to transfer Lyme disease, it seems possums are immune to the disease.
Ticks provide nourishment, but they’re just one of many items in a possum’s diet. They also feast on small dead animals, various rodents, snails/slugs, eggs, birds, frogs, as well as fruits & grains and even cockroaches. They not only like human food, they dine on dog and cat food.
Knowing this, it’s no surprise that we often find them around our urban homes looking for food. Unfortunately, they will stay in an area (and reproduce!) as long as sufficient food and drink are available, making it imperative that you drive them away (not kill them) from your home.
One of the earliest animals, possums date back to the dinosaurs, so they’re definitely survivors. In a remarkable display of survivorship, possums are largely immune to rabies and, depending on the literature, are largely or totally immune to our pit viper poisonous snakes. For defense, they have 50 sharp teeth.
Though often hunted and considered a dirty, dangerous, dumb, and rabid-carrying varmint, possums are our friends, albeit short-lived (1-2 years), and by their actions, provide us considerable protection.
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