This unique creature is our only native marsupial in North America. It is primarily nocturnal and lives just about everywhere in America. Unlike the raccoon, they are not carriers of the rabies virus unless bitten by an animal that has rabies. Their only form of defense is to growl and show their teeth or to just lay there and play dead, thus the term “playing possum”.
Here in South Florida, we get a large number of calls with concerns about them rummaging through garbage or in most cases, eating pet food left out on the back porch overnight. If you have fruit trees such as mangos and avocados, they are their favorites without question. In most cases, they are completely harmless to humans. Unless your small dog wants to tangle with them, they are harmless to your pets as well. That being said, they do carry fleas and they have a very distinct foul odor about them. They also defecate right on the lawn surface and on your porch and pool deck areas. They can carry up to 6 babies in a pouch located on their bellies. If you saw a baby away from its mother, you’d simply think it was a rat.
We will trap and relocate them far away from your property. We do not kill them as they are a native species and actually eat ticks (along with just about anything else they can get into their mouth, just like any other scavenger). If one somehow gets into your house or garage, don’t try and grab it, even with heavy gloves because it will try and defend itself and they have very sharp teeth.
Let us, the professionals, do the job for you.
