Knowing what possums eat will not only help you set up the traps, but you can avoid possums coming into your house in the first place. Though they are not dangerous, but their presence can create a mess and cause a nuisance to the homeowners.
Wandering around in search of food, they can quickly spread the dirt and thus make your house look filthy. While there are more than 60 different species of possums, they eat a variety of food ranging from insects, fruits to flowers.
With a keen sense of smell, possums are also helpful to humans in various ways. The most prominent benefit you get is pest control, as possums do eat insects and help you get rid of unwanted pests.
When it comes to eating habits, possums usually don’t have any specific needs and requirements. Possums can eat almost anything, whether it is in your bins, stuck to your floors, or in your garden. This quality of possums helps you in waste management as most of it is consumed by them.
Moreover, possums are not destructive, and they do not tend to engage in a fight. When they are confronted with danger, they have a technique to appear as dead for a period of time. Besides that, possums do not carry or spread diseases such as rabies. Instead, possums are considered as a valuable ally in fighting against tick-borne diseases.
Such qualities of possums make them feasible to keep in your house as pets. Nevertheless, it is not recommended to do so and is illegal in states without having a license.
What do possums like to eat?
When it comes to classifying the possums into a category, almost all species lie under omnivorous species. They can fulfill their nutrition needs by eating plants and as well as animals.
Primarily, possums like to eat insects, worms, carrion, small rodents, birds, fish, slugs, and snails. Plus, possums do eat birdfeed and pet food, whatever is accessible to them.
Other than that, you will find possums also eat vegetables, grasses, berries, fruits, nuts, and garbage. Generally, you will discover possums wandering around trash bins, compost heaps, and other areas of waste disposal as they can find a variety of food options in there.
Furthermore, possums also like sweet items that include jam, butter, juices, and fresh fruits. When setting up a trap and bait, such things are used to lure possums, and they do fall into it easily.
As there are a number of species of possums, food choice, likes and dislikes may vary a bit, but by nature, possums are scavengers, and they aren’t selective when it comes to food. They are attracted to overflowing garbage bins and eat whatever they like.
For possums that are found in homes, they can also eat cooked food items, eggs, and vegetables. In contrast, mountain pygmy possums rely on seeds, beard-heath, buds, and other particular items found on the site.
When we talk about the Tasmanian pygmy possum, they mostly eat flowers, fruits, and seeds and are considered valuable for pollination as they eat nectar and pollen during the night. They also consume insects if there are no flowers found in the field.
Brushtail possum, on the other hand, is mainly found in urban areas, and they mostly consume leaves, herbs, flowers, and fruits.
What foods are toxic to possums?
Though it is believed that possums can eat almost anything, it is not always true as there are some food items possums do not eat, and some of them may cause them illness if consumed. Additionally, dairy products and junk food may also cause damage to the health.
Such foods mainly include raw meat, lactose, milk, bread, and biscuits. Brushtail possums do not even eat human foods as it can cause them severe illness.
Other than that, possums hate garlic, onions, black tea, hot peppers, and hot sauce. If you are looking for a way to deter possums from your place, this information might be helpful for you as you can use these items to make homemade possum repellents.
Should you feed possums?
When we talk about baby possums, they live in their mothers’ pouch for as much as 80 days after they are born, and you don’t necessarily need to feed them separately.
For a grown-up possum, it is also suggested that you do not feed them as it may lead to unbalanced diets. Possums as scavengers search for their food on their own. In case you find an injured possum, it is recommended that you call in a rehabber and don’t feed them yourself, as providing the wrong food may result in severe health risks or even death.
Conclusion
When it comes to food choices, possums are diverse species. If you are planning to keep them as a pet or if you want to deter them away from your place, knowing what they eat will prove to be a valuable piece of information, and this article covers all you need to know about it.