Wildlife Pest Control Around Gardens and Homes. When threatened, an opossum may bare its teeth, growl, hiss, and exude a repulsive, smelly, greenish musk like fluid from its anal glands, which offers some degree of protection from predators. More electric fence details are provided in Pest Notes: Raccoons. Mortality in the young is high; most will perish before they are a year old. Ensure garbage cans have tight-fitting lids and do not place food items or table scraps in your compost bin. While their natural habitats are diverse, ranging from arid to moist and wooded to open fields, opossums prefer environments near streams or wetlands. Opossums are considered a nuisance in gardens and near homes where they feed on berries, grapes, tree fruits and nuts, and defecate on garden paths and patios. If you find opossums threatening growing crops or other property of which you are the owner or tenant, you may control the opossum using any legal means. 2019 A cattle-type electric fence charger activates the wire. Since the top of the fence is not rigid and bends under the weight of the animal, it cannot be climbed over. Contact UC IPM, Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of California, © 2019 Regents of the University of California Res. In rural areas where it is legal and safe to do so, opossums may be spotlighted at night and shot during much of the year. There are over 100 different opossum species, ranging in size from the pocket-sized pygmy opossum to the domestic cat-sized Virginia opossum. 2006. (function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){i['GoogleAnalyticsObject']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){(i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m)})(window,document,'script','//www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js','ga');ga('create', 'UA-46953310-1', 'auto');ga('require', 'displayfeatures');ga('send', 'pageview'); Be very quiet and listen for “sneezing” sounds the young make to call the mother. Disease is also an issue, as NO vets will treat these animals for ANYTHING. The young are weaned at about 14 weeks, at which time they are about 9 inches long, not including the tail. Calif. Agric. No bigger than one-half inch and weighing less than 0.13 gram, they do not let go for about 8 weeks, during which time they continue their development and growth. The opposable toe on the hind foot assists in holding on to small branches or similar structures. with moderately long fur that ranges in color from white to dark gray. The fur is frequently darker on the legs and lighter on the back. Despite being a rather simple-minded animal, opossums are a very successful species. Homes, Gardens, Landscapes, and Turf > With its long hairless prehensile tail, the opossum can carry things such as nesting materials and even hang upside down from a tree branch. Traps should be at least 10 x 12 x 32 inches in size and set along trails or known routes of travel. Opossums have a top running speed of only 7 miles per hour, so they have developed strategies to escape enemies. An occasional visit by an opossum or a family of opossums may not present cause for concern unless you have pets that remain outdoors at night. The John Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, MD. Cut back overgrown shrubbery and trim back trees that overhang rooftops at least 5 feet from the roof edge. Exclusion of opossums from gardens can be accomplished with a fence built of poultry wire. Studies on reproduction in the opossum (Didelphis virginiana virginiana). A similar approach can be used to prevent opossums from climbing trees. For noncommercial purposes only, any Web site may link directly to this page. FOR ALL OTHER USES or more information, read Legal Notices. The aim of habitat modification is to make your premises less appealing to the opossum. It has moderately long fur with color that ranges from white to dark gray and is frequently darker on the legs and lighter on the back. As with skunks and raccoons, the best solution to an opossum’s presence beneath stairs, porches, decks, or buildings is to screen or block access to the area. Gardner, A. L. and M. E. Sunquist. The Regents of the University of California. Opossums are not wary of traps and can easily be caught with a box- or cage-type live-catch trap. Opossums are well adapted for climbing. It’s a violation of California law for any wildlife to be kept as pets. Trapping is a popular method. * Network and share knowledge and experiences with fellow wildlife rehabilitators and others in the wildlife health field. UC IPM Home > Oakland: Univ. Accessibility Opossums carry diseases such as leptospirosis, tuberculosis, relapsing fever, tularemia, spotted fever, toxoplasmosis, coccidiosis, trichomoniasis, and Chagas disease. Pet food placed outdoors should be removed by nightfall. Sometimes strange-looking droppings (scat) may be found on garden paths, walkways, and patios, though typically opossums defecate in protected and leafy areas. Graphics, DRAWINGS, LITERATURE, products, etc, since 1986 wildlife health field work with them train. 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