Opossums are small to medium-sized marsupials, with the largest about the size of a large house cat, and the smallest the size of a mouse.
Opossums have more teeth than any other land mammal; only aquatic mammals have more. Like some New World monkeys, opossums have prehensile tails. Opossums have a remarkably robust immune system, and show partial or total immunity to the venom of rattlesnakes, cottonmouths, and other pit vipers. Opossums are about eight times less likely to carry rabies than wild dogs, and about one in eight hundred opossums are infected with this virus. When threatened or harmed, they will “play possum”, mimicking the appearance and smell of a sick or dead animal. The lips are drawn back, teeth are bared, saliva foams around the mouth, and a foul-smelling fluid is secreted from the anal glands. This physiological response is completely involuntary, rather than a conscious act.
A well-positioned live animal cage trap along with a tempting opossum treat will make the trapping task simple. Unique safety features make this the ideal trapping solution. |
