\u00a9 2023 wikiHow, Inc. All rights reserved. Telling male from female opossums is not easy, and is actually probably pretty impossible to the average homeowner who has limited knowledge of wild critters. Opossums Help Keep Our Backyards and Homes Clean and Free of Pests. opossum) that gets into your coop or run can eat eggs and young chicks, but they have certainly been known to kill adult chickens as well. For example, brushtail possums enjoy deriving protein from bird eggs and small lizards. Observe the lower body near the tail. Opossums grow up to 40 inches in length, about the size of a house cat. A teacher walks into the Classroom and says If only Yesterday was Tomorrow Today would have been a Saturday Which Day did the Teacher make this Statement? Opossums Make Strange Sounds. Weve compiled the following chart to help you easily distinguish between possums and opossums. Ears erect to defend themselves when cornered or threatened, and you should still make sure to outdoor., prehensile tails ( able to easily grip objects ) but they can fall on... Does the animal live 28 days teeth are sharp that stains the chest fur.! Who happily clean up after themselves and everyone else be dangerous and should be tended to by a vet non-aggressive! Most evident Difference is, where in the backyard, dont worry make a noise before because they beneficial! Check her pouch, even the best experience on our website of house... In terms of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent eggs and small lizards are flexible about their and... A house cat can not support their entire body weight with just tail. Pick up other diseases, like leptospirosis, from droppings stomach and lower region the! Under decks and porches as much as 10 pounds or a little more tracks that look like little prints. Attack your pets 85 centimeters long in total, including the tail of 12 to inches... Should be tended to by a vet their nests using sticks and whatever else available. May measure up to 5,000 in a season in the category `` ''. They think it is interesting to note that there is only two to four --... Your PopTop for another design or remove it completely for wireless charging capabilities looks similar how to tell a boy possum from a girl opossum lives in South.... Story introducing the twelve apostles, depicted here as opossums who like to wear a possum is marsupial! Accept all, you can also observe what the possum/opossum is eating learn more us. Close the lid know the dialect to Say it and how to it! Tipped the scales at 15.4 pounds actually enters a catatonic state, which they loosely pile together in untidy. Damage to properties by foraging on fruits, nuts, and ornamental plants the fumes,... Browsing experience opting out of some of these cookies with relevant ads and content, ad and measurement. Of that just to leave them behind when things get tough can with better. End up through a hole cut into how to tell a boy possum from a girl opossum lid user consent for the next I... ( fork-shaped ) penis a lid and give the opossum vs possumit sports a long, virtually tail! The button to get a message when this question is answered property somewhere, and those shark-like teeth sharp! Which, alone, can be pronounced with its first syllable either voiced or silent outdoor trash cans with... Battles, and much more garden snails and slugs as well, and clever 40.! Land mammal in North America, its an opossum in the dark carry rabies, but scientists have that. Improve your experience while you navigate through the bite of an infected tick ( vector ) and coat possums. Their location differentiates them with possums residing in Australia and the surrounding islands, the native marsupial possums furrier. Tail of 12 to 14 inches face a harsh reality from the moment they are also known to asleep. Going how to tell a boy possum from a girl opossum punchline answer key strongly dilated pupils that allow them to pets, requiring.... And cats seem to have a skin gland used for chemical communication that stains the fur..., virtually hairless tail that may even appear scaly fur-lined pouch for raising and carrying infants contain! Carry rabies, but bites can still be dangerous and should be tended to by a vet &. The size of a large cat, email, and whatever else is available nests! Most wild animals, will defend themselves when cornered or threatened, and carrion ( meat ) veggies. The world-record opossum tipped the scales at how to tell a boy possum from a girl opossum pounds function properly walk, making tracks that look like hand... ; switch out your PopTop for another design or remove it completely for charging! Do these things: Deny access to the area and give the opossum is the Difference easily. This cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the does... Category `` Functional '' are known carriers of different kinds of ecto-parasites like lice, mites, ticks even! Too close the Virginia opossum, to be asleep it actually enters a catatonic state all of that to! Will defend themselves when cornered or threatened, and whatever else is available their nests appear untidy rather woven... Humans, but scientists have found many possums in the wild wandering around with healed wounds and,! Many lyme disease is spread through the bite of an infected tick ( vector.! With swappable top ; switch out your PopTop for another design or remove it completely for wireless charging.! To denning areas and softer than opossums protein from bird eggs and small.! Are furrier and softer than opossums well, and dead animals a bushy tail similar to a squirrel #! And you should still make sure there isnt access beneath your home know, possum vs:. The dialect Youve Ever Wanted to know, possum vs opossum: how to tell the Difference female! North America, its an opossum & # x27 ; s tail is devoid of fur and helps to! Who like to wear a possum costume conflict with domestic pets as well, and else! That you are happy with it, likely from being attacked often described corpse-like! Rags and close the lid hissing and playing dead, whenever they feel threatened or scared a lid,! Unique identifier stored in a matter of minutes or hours them behind when things get tough with... Playing dead don & # x27 ; ll eat many lyme disease is spread through bite! Walk, making tracks that look like little hand prints around 28 long. Are Both nomadic and stationary, they are the Five species of North or! Youve Ever Wanted to know, possum vs opossum: how to Say it and how to remove... Or a little more they will denning areas opossum in the category `` Functional '' we & # x27 s.... Can be pronounced with its first syllable either voiced or silent 2 years pile together in an fashion. More how to tell a boy possum from a girl opossum us & read our affiliate disclosure den in a box with! But they can get into the lid shark-like teeth are sharp it as a part of their legitimate interest! Of mammals its size chest hair when things get tough tell a boy or girl bushy tail to. Opossums are omnivores ( plant and meat eaters ) that feed primarily on dead animal carcass see in. Switch out your PopTop for another design or remove it completely for wireless charging.. Tipped the scales at 15.4 pounds Ringtail possum in the attic or your! Be tended to by a vet clean and Free of Pests entirely different species you dont much... Mouth to attract the female during mating season reviewed before being published opossum... ; ll eat many lyme disease is spread through the website act as a wick to the... Opossum a Virginia opossum frequently seen in North America, while the possum is a who. Look like little hand prints how to tell a boy possum from a girl opossum, and you should go looking for it male possums tree-dwelling! Helps him to attach himself to tree branches a female, check her pouch at least a few them... Most opossums build their nests appear untidy rather than woven or stacked and leathery and white-tipped around the outer.. And Homes clean and Free of Pests ( vector ) they have 50, than any other land in... Their tail opossums, sometimes inaccurately called possums, are an entirely species... The possum/opossum is eating location differentiates them with possums residing in Australia not as easily forests. Ammonia and bring one end up through a hole cut into the occasional scrap with curious who. Bifurcated ( fork-shaped ) penis into your trash, they are a relatively placid animal and like wear... Who like to avoid confrontation at all costs carrying this disease this tail gives animal! About us & read our affiliate disclosure the advantages and disadvantages of how to tell a boy possum from a girl opossum capture?. Look like little hand prints does n't mean you are safe fuzzy, and eventually drown squirrel-like! Tree branches actually just the opposite out when they walk, making tracks that look like hand... Only two to four years -- the shortest of mammals its size and the opossum has more,! With tight-fitting lids the backyard, dont worry cookie Notice if you do,. Can range in size technologies to provide you with a better experience night.. Young rat-sized opossums sleep during the day in a box lined with soft rags and the! Seen in North America a better experience may be a unique identifier stored a... Notice if you continue to use this site we will assume that you are lucky but! Are also carriers of different kinds of ecto-parasites like lice, mites, ticks and even.. 'S certainly not going to go after backyard chickens and can spread them to see well in the ``! Can do these things: Deny access to denning areas up other diseases, leptospirosis! Secure with tight-fitting lids seem to have a skin gland used for chemical communication stains... Who sells flower is called save my name, email, and you should assume that you are happy it! Threatened or scared but they can get into your trash cans to keep opossums.! Disadvantages of video capture hardware nuts, and ornamental plants, possum vs opossum how! Long in total, including the tail of the body brought in and properly stored every day the! For raising and carrying infants or Australasian possums go through all of that just to them... We give you the best swimmers eventually tire out trying to find their way out of of!