New England Opossum
The Virginia Opossum
(Didelphis virginiana)
North America's only marsupial.They are known for their distinctive appearance and unique behaviors. Sadly, opossums get a bad rap.
People often think they’re dirty or aggressive, but that’s far from the truth. They’re clean, gentle, and just want to live a peaceful life.
They deserve our respect and protection, not fear and misunderstanding.
Photo Credit: Jennifer Uppendahl, Tacoma, WA
Photo Credit:
The Basics
What is a marsupial?
A marsupial is a special kind of furry animal. What makes them different from other animals with fur is that they give birth to tiny, not fully developed babies. These newborn babies crawl into their mom's pouch, where mom will keep them safe while they keep growing. Some well-known marsupials are kangaroos, koalas, and opossums. The Virginia Opossum is the only kind of marsupial in North America.
After baby opossums, called Joeys, are born and have crawled into mom's pouch, they stay there for 2 months! Inside the pouch, they drink her milk and grow bigger. Once the Joeys are strong enough to leave the pouch, they ride on mom’s back. They hold onto her fur as she goes about her daily activities. She takes care of them until they are ready to explore on their own. Mom can have as many as 13 Joeys in one litter!
Sometimes, like curious and playful toddlers, baby opossums can fall off their mom when she’s moving around. If you find a baby opossum, it needs help because it’s still drinking mom’s milk and can’t survive on its own. Below is a list of wildlife rehabilitators in the New England area. Please find the closest licensed professional so you can get the baby opossum to help as quickly as you can.
What do they eat?
Opossums are omnivores; they'll eat nearly anything. Their diet is one of the things that makes them so valuable to us. They will eat bugs, slugs, snails, and they especially like mice and rats. They are one of the very few creatures in the world that are immune to snake venom. That little gift from nature allows them to enjoy another of their favorite foods - poisonous snakes. Opossums also take delight in snacking on wood ticks and may eat thousands in one season – yummy!
Fruit and vegetables that have fallen off trees, bushes, and plants attract insects, mold and all sorts of unpleasant things. Opossums will happily eat much of that rotted fruit and vegetable matter in your yard. Nothing like a fallen apple for dessert after a hearty meal of poisonous snake!
Keep your trash covered and let an opossum work its magic in your yard. They are truly nature’s recycle machines. This is a win/win for you and the opossum. They will help keep your yard a safer and healthier place for you and your family to enjoy.
Where do they live?
Opossums won’t usually stay in the same place for long. In better weather they’ll stay where they feel secure for a night or two then move on. In severe weather they may stay in one place three or four nights, but only because they’re forced to. There are some exceptions; in the worst of winter they may stay in a cozy attic or garage for some time, but this is rare.
They may spend a few nights in a hollowed out log, a small cavern under rocks, an abandoned burrow, a brush pile, or a suitable place in a tree. A discarded five gallon pail, a crawlspace under a shed or a back porch, are also possibilities. They are nomadic within a territory that can cover a half mile or more. Opossums may drag twigs, or piles of leaves to make a shelter. They’ll gather a small bundle using their mouth and hands then roll it under their belly with their front limbs and push it back to their tail.
They’ll wrap their tail tightly around the bundle and drag it to where they’re making a shelter. To a predator any sign of habitation means a possible meal. Those signs might be a constant smell in the same area or any regular activity. By constantly changing their resting location they lessen the chance of being caught unawares. And that bring us around to poop, yes poop. For that same reason opossums will not poop in the same place twice. They don’t want to advertise their presence. These are some of their survival skills learned over millions of years. Which brings us back to our question, ‘Where do opossums live?’ Anyplace they feel safe . . .
Photo Credit: Steven Cyclist, Randalls Island NYC
Misconceptions
See below for a few of our favorites. If you have another one you want to see answered, send us an email!
They are not dirty and unclean
They are meticulous groomers - like cats
The misconception that opossums are dirty often stems from their appearance and behavior. With their scraggly fur, pointed faces, and habit of rummaging through garbage, they can give off a "grubby" vibe. However, this reputation is totally unfair. Opossums are actually quite clean animals; they groom themselves regularly, much like cats. They also play a crucial role in controlling pests like ticks and insects, making them more of a natural pest control service than a dirty nuisance. Their misunderstood image is mostly due to their survival tactics and their unfortunate habit of hanging around places where humans leave trash.
They are not aggressive
Dramatic responses - for protection not aggression
The misconception that opossums are aggressive usually comes from their defensive behavior when they feel threatened. With their sharp teeth, hissing, and growling, they can seem intimidating. But in reality, opossums are among the most non-aggressive animals around. They’re more likely to play dead or freeze in place than to attack. Their "aggressive" display is mostly just a bluff to scare off predators, including humans. In fact, they’re shy, gentle creatures that would much rather avoid a confrontation altogether. Dispelling this myth means understanding that their dramatic reactions are just a way to protect themselves, not a sign of true aggression.
They do not spread rabies
While they can get rabies - it is unlikely
A common misconception is that opossums carry and transmit rabies and other zoonotic (illnesses passable from animals to humans) diseases. In truth, opossums are unlikely to carry, or transmit, diseases like the rabies virus. While there are cases of opossums who have tested positive for rabies, it is still considered extremely rare. Scientists have a few theories about why opossums are not carriers of diseases - but so far no evidence to confirm these theories.