Opossums are very energetic creatures. They scurry quickly when startled and become aggressive when cornered. They are alert and very observant of their surroundings. When fully grown, the American Opossum can be 15 to 20 inches long and 10 to 13 pounds heavy. For all these reasons, they have a very large variety of foods in their diets.
Main courses for the opossum vary based on the region and the season. Fruit is a mainstay for most. Fruit is seasonal and requires warm conditions to thrive. Opossums have also been known to eat certain grasses and some types of grain. These foods are high in fiber and carbohydrates. Quick energy is produced as a result of this regime.
Opossums are omnivorous and therefore large consumers of meat. Snakes are included in their diets. They are immune to every venomous snake bite except that of the coral snake. In certain areas they will eat large insects, snails and slugs. They are a great natural form of pest control.
Keep close watch on the henhouse. Opossums are also voracious egg eaters. Oppossums are good at keeping mice and rats away from the food and grain, but they are known for eating eggs. Beware: the chickens are not safe either. If an opossum gets into your coop or run, it will go after eggs and young chicks. However, they have been known to kill adult chickens as well. Small bantams are especially at risk. The way they leave the bodies of adult chickens is similar to how raccoons do it: the body or bodies are usually left where they were killed instead of being taken away. The birds will usually die from bites to the neck, and the opossums will mostly just eat the birds’ crops and sometimes some of their chest. Sometimes they will just drink the blood–ugh!–little vampires. In any case, they dont normally consume the whole bird.
Seafood is definitely on the menu. The opossum is known to eat fish, frogs, and crayfish. The smart opossum will wait until a raccoon or other animal is done eating a fish and then eat what’s left. Because of this, it is never a good idea to leave cat food outside when opossums are nearby.
Opossums are naturally lazy and will eat from the nearest food source. Being omnivorous allows for the diet to be mixed from fruit and grain to all types of flesh. The bottom line is that “opossums ain’t picky. ”.
A lot of people ask me what possums eat, what the best possum trap is, and what the best bait is to catch a possum. My simple answer is: whatever you have around your house. Possums have learned how to live in cities, which means they don’t have to search through the trees or dig up your lawn for grub. What it means is that possums have learned what to eat around urban areas like cities and suburbs.
possums can eat just about anything. Their digestive systems have learned how to adapt given their changes in diet and changes in environment. If the possum is used to eating trash from your trash can, set your possum trap with the trash. Put trash in the back of the truck and set the trap near the trash. When you wake up the next morning, there will probably be a possum in the trap. If the trash in the truck didn’t work, try cat food instead. It’s the best possum bait. Cat food is a great possum bait to use when trapping possums in your general home and property. Every now and then you might capture a cat with cat food.
In that case, just open the trap and let the cat out. Then, set the trap again with a different possum bait. As for me, oatmeal cream cookies are one of the best possum baits because they’re made with sugar and marshmallows. Possums have a sweet tooth; possums like sweet baked oatmeal cream pies. Another great lure that works very well is marshmallows. Lightly sprinkle a handful of marshmallows around the trap, inside the trap, and in the back of the trap. The marshmallows will be a great possum lure.
Ultimately if you want to get rid of possums you need to start doing possum trapping. That is the first and best way to do so. In order to do trapping you need to know what possums eat. Possums will not be able to get into your attic if you know what they like to eat and put that food in the back of the trap.
Possums’ natural environments have changed a lot in the last 25 years because of new buildings and more people. The woods, wildlife, and wildland are no longer possums’ natural habitats. New Age possum removal tips will help you make sure you use the right possum bait when you set your traps to catch that pesky animal. If you have any questions my name is Brendan Mangnitz at CenturianWildlife. com. Give me a call or shoot me an email at Brendan@CenturianWildlife. com if you would like me to help you trap that pesky possum!.
Possums are ubiquitous creatures that can be found in many backyards across North America. With their omnivorous appetite, possums will eat just about anything they can get their paws on, from garden fruits and vegetables to pet food. This raises an important question for pond owners – do possums eat fish?
As a fellow pond owner and possum spotter, I was curious to find out the answer After doing some research and talking to other pond owners who have experience with possums, here is what I learned about these clever critters and their appetite for our finned friends
Possums Are Opportunistic Foragers
Possums are omnivorous scavengers with very diverse diets. They have been known to eat over 500 different types of plants and animals. Possums will eat just about anything they can find, including fruits, grains, nuts, bugs, snails, eggs, birds, rodents and even carrion.
Their diet changes based on the seasons and their location. When animal matter is scarce, they rely more heavily on edible plants. But possums are definitely not picky eaters – they’ll consume just about any organic matter they stumble across.
Possums Will Eat Both Live and Dead Fish
Since possums are not very discerning with their diets, and will readily eat meat, they have been known to eat both live and dead fish if given the opportunity.
Several members of online pond forums report witnessing possums eating goldfish and koi straight from their backyard ponds, One member even caught a possum red-handed eating their goldfish on a night video camera
And if a fish dies and floats to the surface or ends up on the shore, a possum will happily scavenge the remains. Carrion makes up a decent part of the possum diet.
But They Seem to Prefer Other Food Sources
However, fish do not appear to be a preferred food item for possums. Since these animals move slowly on land, and are not optimized for catching quick, slippery fish, they likely go after easier food sources first.
Possums gravitate to readily available, high calorie food waste – things like pet food, table scraps, garden veggies, and fruit fallen from trees. Trash bins and compost piles are possum magnets.
According to wildlife experts, fish and pond life seems to be more of an incidental possum food source than a primary target. But possums are resourceful foragers and will sample fish if the opportunity presents itself.
Possums Pose the Biggest Threat to Small Ornamental Fish
While possums don’t often specifically hunt for fish, if you have a backyard pond, you do need to be aware of them as a potential predator – especially if you have smaller ornamental fish varieties like goldfish and koi.
Larger predatory species that are faster and well-equipped to catch fish like herons and raccoons will be more likely to successfully prey on your pond inhabitants.
But possums can still do damage, especially if you have smaller slow-moving fish that happen to swim near the edges and shallows of the pond where possums can reach in and grab them. And young fish and fry are easy possum prey.
Tips for Protecting Your Fish from Possums:
Though not the most nimble fisherman, possums are crafty when it comes to accessing food. Here are some measures you can take to help protect your fish:
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Install pond netting or fencing to deter possums and other unwanted predators. Bury the bottom portion to prevent diggers from burrowing underneath.
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Use motion activated lights and sounds to startle and scare off nocturnal pond visitors.
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Eliminate easy food sources nearby like fallen fruit, compost and garbage that will attract possums to the area.
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Make sure you have proper pond cover and places for fish to hide.
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Use a natural pond deicer to keep a portion of the surface open in winter to discourage possums from walking over frozen areas.
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Train your dog to patrol the pond area and scare off possums.
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Trap and relocate any problem possum individuals who don’t seem deterred by other measures (check local regulations first).
The Bottom Line
Possums are tenacious hunters when it comes to finding food. While fish may not be their preferred snack, they will take advantage of an easy meal. Ornamental fish in backyard ponds seem to be most at risk.
It’s a good idea to be aware of the possum threat, and take some precautions to safeguard your fish, especially smaller vulnerable varieties. But in most cases, possums and fish can coexist in your backyard pond habitat with only minor conflicts. With some smart management, you can have both types of wildlife visitors.
As a pond owner myself, I definitely keep an eye out for possums lurking around the water’s edge at night. But so far my fish seem to be quicker than the possums, and they haven’t become regular items on the possum menu. I’ll be sure to keep these crafty critters in check, though, since they never miss an opportunity for an easy fish dinner!
Frequency of Entities:
possums: 21
fish: 15
pond: 13
eat: 7
food: 6
goldfish: 3
koi: 2
ornamental: 2
prey: 2
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