Tell me about Possums

[Farrier1987]

Grew up in Alberta. No possums there. Been here seven years. Have seen roadkill, but that's about all I know about them.

Last night after dark, dogs were setting up more than their usual din, there was something they were telling me about. They were inside the yard and it was outside, other side of the chicken house. So I let Ranger, the lab/pyrenese out and told him to go get it. Thought maybe a fox or coon. He bounded over to the cedars, and stopped, barked at something til I got there. Possum curled up in a ball. He didnt attack it, but bit at it and flipped it a couple times. I called him off, and we both looked at it, mostly in the dark, no flashlight. And we left it there. Closed up the chickens, milked the goat and more or less left it.

So some native to possum country, can you tell me:
Are they likely to eat my chickens or eggs?
Who is tougher, a possum or my dog?
I think they are a night animal mostly like coons? Nocturnal, that's the word I was looking for.
Where do the make their homes, nests?
Do they generally carry diseases?
Should I be treating them as vermin or just part of the eco system?
Where do they sort of fit in the ecosystem? Scavenger? Hunter? Omnivore? Aquatic at all?
What do they eat generally?
Is this one likely to be back, or are they kind of nomads?
Other stuff you know that I don't.

Thanks.

[gubi]

I don't know much about opossums, one thing I do know for sure they will kill chickens. They cleaned out my silkies a few years, ate them from the inside out. I caught them in the act, insides were gone head, neck, legs and wings only thing left.

[Farrier1987]

They eat a chicken like a skunk does then. Eat the side out and the guts.

What family are the possums? Skunk and weasels doesn't make sense. Neither canine or feline.

[ross]

Possums are related to the marsupial family .
Not native to Ontario but have hitched rides on trains , loads of hay etc . to get here .Came to Ont roughly 20 yrs ago .Extended cold weather is natures way of keeping them in certain habitats & helps to keep population in check .
Kinda look like designed by a committee of polititicians . Play dead when really harassed as you seen . LARGE bitting , riping canine teeth love poultry .

[ross]

Possums can carry ...
One thing they are good for is eating ticks that land on their body .

[kenya]

I've seen them here, haven't had any problems with them going after my chickens but chickens are secure at night. I have seen them in daylight as well, neighbors say it was living under my shed.. Haven't seen it in a while, I have fox here as well so I think they probably ate it.

[G Williams]

In the barn they will tear bags apart and leave behind a bigger mess than Coons.

[Farrier1987]

OK, so I had to research it myself.
They are marsupials, originating in South America, were in Virginia when the white man came.
Opportunistic omnivores, will eat just about anything available, fruits, grains, insects, snails, earthworms, carrion,
snakes, birds, mice, garden corn. Often killed on roads eating other road kill. Will eat eggs.
Opposable thumb like digit on back foot, no claw. helps them climb.
Gestation 12 to 14 days, but then to pouch, and leave the pouch 2 to 3 months. Two or three litters a year.
Up to 13 per litter, average 8. Leave the mother at about 4 months.
Nocturnal. Mostly solitary and nomadic. Wandering to look for food sources.Terrestrial and arboreal.(Ground and tree)
Live in burrows, but don't dig their own, use woodchuck etc burrows. Do not Hibernate.
Lifespan in the wild about two years, max 4.
Mostly resistant to rabies. Interesting too, almost immune to snake venom.
Limit Lyme disease by eating ticks, especially those that bite them.
Likes to live in wet areas, marshes, streams, but is not aquatic as such.
Keen sense of smell.
They have razor sharp teeth that they will slash a chicken with, it bleeds to death then they go in from the side.
Can be a vector for a parasite that attacks the horse's CNS. Carries cat and dog flees.
If killing chickens, probably at night, close up your coop. If you need to, they can be trapped, just about
any odorous bait like wet fish cat food should do it. Susceptible to lead poisoning.
The horse parasite above, make sure they can't get into the feed, cover the oat bin, eggs in feces.
Don't leave pet food out at night. They like garbage too.

My general conclusions: Close the coop at night. Treat them sort of like a coon, deal with them if they make you.