Nassau County | Animal Removal | New York | Wildlife
Not A Wildlife Rescue Service
Please NO Dog or Cat Calls
Opossums Nassau County, Long Island, NY


The opossum, which is also known as a possum originated in South America and entered North America during the Great American Interchange 2.7 million years ago. Opossums are very primitive animals that have been in existence since the time of the dinosaurs and have changed little since then. Opossums have 50 teeth to chew their food with, which is more teeth than any other North American animal has. Opossums are highly intelligent animals and have impressive memories. However, their primitive brains process information slowly, making them slow to react to automobile headlights, other animals and people. Adult opossums are about the size of a cat. Male opossums are larger than female opossums and can weigh as much as fifteen pounds. The opossum has gray fur, dark colored feet, a whitish face, naked ears and a tapered hairless tail. The innermost toe of each hind foot is clawless and opposable. Opossums are excellent tree climbers and use their tail and opposable thumbs on the hind feet to ascend a tree. In addition to being a climbing tool, the opossum's tail also serves to store fat. However, opossums have very little body fat, so they must forage for food year round. Possums are semiarboreal opportunistic omnivores. Opossums are nocturnal scavengers, who feed on mice, birds, eggs, snakes, frogs, insects, fruit, carrion and garbage. While most animals look at a snake and see danger, an opossum sees its next meal. Possums are immune to the venom of nearly every type of snake. Basically solitary nomadic animals, opossums avoid one another except during the breeding season in late winter. The opossum breeding season brings on two major results. First, male opossums will extend their range in search of a mate and are more prone to injury or death by automobiles and predators. Second, females weighed down with young can't run as fast and have to forage for food earlier in the evening and later in the morning. The female opossums expose themselves to an increase in encounters with people, automobiles and predators. The opossum is the only marsupial native to North America. Opossums do possess a placenta, but it is short-lived and not fully functional. Therefore, the young are born underdeveloped and immediately crawl into their mother's pouch where they live and nurse. The opossum gives birth to as many as twenty babies, only twelve to thirteen days after mating, which is the shortest gestation period of any North American mammal. The babies, called joeys will remain in the pouch for approximately ten weeks. As the baby opossums become too large to fit in the pouch, they climb onto their mother's back and are carried as she searches for food. The young are weaned at about three months of age and are on their own at about 4 1/2 to 5 months of age. Most female opossums produce two litters a year and sometimes a third. The opossum lifespan is only one to two years in the wild. Predators of opossums include birds of prey, foxes, bobcats, coyotes and dogs. The animal's most famous talent, playing possum, is an involuntary response to a threat. If hissing, lunging or showing its teeth doesn't ward off a threat, an opossum actually goes into a catatonic state from the stress. While in this comatose like state, they extend their tongue, foam at the mouth and a foul smelling fluid is secreted from their anal glands. This ploy may result in a predator looking for their dinner elsewhere. Opossums live in or near wooded areas, especially those in close proximity to water. Possums may enter water and can swim well both on the surface and below it. These critters don't build their own shelters. Opossums seek refuge in abandoned dens or nests of other animals, sheds, garages, tree hollows, woodpiles, basements, attics, under decks and porches of Nassau County, Long Island homes.
Opossums - Diseases & Parasites

Opossums carry diseases such as leptospirosis, relapsing fever, tularemia, spotted fever, toxoplasmosis, coccidiosis, tuberculosis, trichomoniasis, and American trypanosomiasis. Possums may also be infested with fleas, ticks, mites, and lice. Opossums have a low body temperature and a strong immune system, making them very resistant to the rabies virus.
Animal Removal | Opossum | Nassau County New York | NY | Possum
Opossum Removal Nassau County, NY

Opossum Inspection - Is the initial step in the wildlife control process. Our wildlife control operators will be looking for evidence of opossums on your property which may include:

Opossum Tracks  - Both front and rear feet have five digits. The inner digit of the rear foot is opposable and resembles a human thumb.

Opossum Dens - Are usually lined with leaves.

Opossum Droppings - Are about the same size as cat poop. Opossum droppings are one to three inches in length and taper to a pointed end.
Animal Removal | Opossum | Nassau County New York | NY | Prints
Opossum Repellents

There are numerous opossum repellents on the market to choose from including, predator urine, liquid spray repellents, granular repellents, ultrasonic devices and motion activated water repellent devices. The truth is, none of the opossum repellents gets rid of possums. Even if the spray repellents and granular repellents were effective in getting rid of opossums, what happens when it rains? The quick fix opossum repellent just got washed away. The Federal Trade Commission stated that there is no scientific research showing that ultrasonic devices get rid of nuisance wildlife.


Opossum Trapping

Humane animal trapping has been demonstrated to be the only effective method to get rid of opossums and is the method used by nuisance wildlife control experts at Nassau County Animal Removal. Knowing what type of humane animal trap to use and what bait to use is largely contingent upon what time of the year it is. The humane opossum trapping approach that our Nassau County opossum removal animal trappers use, is also dependent upon the situation and where the opossums are entering your Nassau County home, or business. Our nuisance wildlife control operators know what opossum trap and what opossum bait to use in every situation.


Opossum Exclusion

Upon the cessation of the opossum removal, we will send out a licensed Nassau County contractor to give you a free estimate on any wildlife repairs that need to be done to your Nassau County home, or business to keep possums out. Our nuisance wildlife animal trappers will suggest any modifications that can be made to your home, or business to prevent future encounters with opossums, or unwanted wild animals.
Animal Removal | Opossum | Nassau County New York | NY | Possums
Opossum Control Nassau County, NY
Habitat Modification
The goal is to make your premises less inviting to opossums.

1) Firewood should be stacked tightly, leaving no gaps suitable for an opossum den.
2) Trim back trees and shrubs that overhang rooftops at least 6 feet from the edge of the roof.
3) Garbage cans should have locking lids, so that opossums in search of food do not fall into them.
4) Never leave pet food outside.
5) Do not put food items in a compost bin.
6) Keeping your house, garage and shed in good repair will prevent opossums from finding their way into them.
7) If there are fruit trees on your premises, remove fruit that has fallen to the ground to prevent opossums from feeding on it.
Copyright© Animal Removal | Long Island New York • All Rights Reserved