Tired of Opossums? Here’s how to get rid of them

Possums are one hell of a creature. Plus, Opossums can get inside your house and wreak havoc. Confused why there two different names used, well you are not alone. Possums and Opossums, are they two different animals? Are they the same? This is the question most people don’t know the answer to. Some people might call it a different name for the same creature. While another might say they are two different animals. So, which one should you believe? Before you ask how to get rid of opossums you have to be sure, you are saying the right name.

That’s why this blog shall take you through the real difference between possum vs opossum. You will be shocked when you learn how big of a difference there is, between these two creatures, or it there? You will find out in this blog. Therefore, you will be looking at “Possums vs opossums”. After this, each of the differences will be bloated to you. Thus, lets get into it:

Possums Vs Opossums

If you don’t know the difference between possums and Opossums, don’t be ashamed. Many people don’t even know that these are two different creatures. Even Merriam-Webster doesn’t get it right. But these are two different creatures and not the different names for the same animal.

Before we get into the differences let us look at how these creatures are similar, hence the cause for confusion. Possums and Opossums both have a very flexible diet. As such, they are omnivores. Thus, they feed on various plants as well as small insects, animals, or remains of other dead animals.  Plus, both of these are marsupials falling on the smaller side of the spectrum.

Despite all these similarities, they are two very different animals. The term “opossums” refers to a white, gray marsupial. It belongs to the order of Didelphimorphia. This term was derived from the Powhatan language, the tongue of the Virginia Algonquian tribe. As such it translates to “white dog or beast”.

On the other hand, the name “Possum” derives from the word “Opossum” itself. The reason being that the first person to coin the term found striking similarities between the two creatures. Hence wanted to give it a similar name. However, Possums don’t belong to the order of Didelphimorphia, they fall in Diprotodontia.

Thus, this is the difference between their names. The real difference between these animals is hard to describe in just a few lines. That’s why it will be provided to you in five different points for the sake of simplicity and clarity. The same shall be discussed in the next section of the blog.

Difference between possums and opossums

There are several major differences between these two creatures called “Possums” and “Opossums”. For you to understand them, these differences are put into five different points and elaborated properly. With this, you will know what you are referring to when you ask someone how to get rid of opossums. Thus, these are, as mentioned below:

Native Place of Possums & Opossums

When you learn about the native place of these creatures, you will be shocked to learn the massive difference. Plus, it also the factor that will help you distinguish between these two. The one called Opossums is a creature that is native to North America. The United States of America and Southern Canada to be more specific. Due to the extreme cold condition of Canada, they are limited to the southern part. In contrast to this, Possums resides in the opposite part of the world. Because its not Possums vs Opossums, its Australian possum vs American opossums.

Possums are found in Australia, New Zealand, New Guinea, and China, as they are native to the land. As such, these animals have a liking for forests and wooded areas. Thus, they prefer to live in dens or build small dens-like structures in the same area. Regardless of this fact, possums are opportunistic and make the most out of available resources.

Furry tail and bare tail

Since both of them are marsupials, their tails are quite an important part of their body. Plus, both of these animals have quite different tails. Consequently, by look at their tails, you can differentiate between them. 

The tail of a possum is quite thick and furry, much like a squirrel’s tail. This is the reason one of the species of possum is called Brushtail Possum. In contrast to this, opossums have a bare tail. It looks like a larger version of a rat tail.

The difference in their size

The size of the possum varies with its species. Some larger species are weighing as much as 20 pounds, while others are on the smaller side weighing less than an ounce. The Brushtail Possums mentioned previously weigh around five pounds.

Unlike possums, opossums don’t have varying sizes. The reason being that, they don’t have different species. They weigh anywhere between 8.8 to 13.2 pounds while growing as long as 2.5 feet. As far as size is concerned, opossums are larger than brushtail possums in general.

Fur and face

There is a major difference in the body, fur, and face of these two creatures. The one from North America (opossums) has a pointed white face. Their eyes are black and they have jagged teeth. Plus, their fur is coarse and dark gray. However, color can different and there has been noticed cinnamon and white color fur.

On the other hand, their Australian counterpart, are round-bodied with softer features. Thick golden or sometimes brown fur is their trademark. However, some species of possums are seen with gray, black, or even white fur. They have large brown eyes with an amber hue when exposed to light.

Reaction to predators

There is a large difference in how these two creatures react to potential predators or predators’ attacks. This one can be the key factor in identifying these animals should you get confused between America and Australia.

Have you ever heard someone saying “Playing Possum (referring to Opossum)”? This is a colloquial phrase. It refers to the evolutionary behavior as seen in these marsupials of North America. When exposed to danger, Opossums enters a comatose-like state and thus play dead to discourage predators. This state can last from two minutes to even two hours. As such, it is quite successful in protecting them from danger.

However, unlike the phrase suggests, the real “possums” do not “Play possum”. What this means is that the Australian counterpart of opossums does not play dead when exposed to danger. As such, they have little to no fear of predators and are quite friendly actually. This is due to the lack of natural predators in their native land. Thus, if you walk to a possum, they will welcome you with open arms and really “play” with you.

Tired of Opossums? Here’s how to get rid of them

With this blog, you know the difference between these two animals. However, this doesn’t make Opossums in your house any less annoying. If you live in America there are chances that you have encountered these home invaders. While they are not dangerous to humans directly, they can create a lot of nuisances. This makes one wonder how to scare possums away from your house, get rid of possums in the garden.

Well, getting rid of opossums is not that easy. You require expert help for that. But don’t worry, there is a solution right for you. “Control My Pest”. This is the best pest control service in the US.  These pest exterminators provide all of the services at quite an affordable rate.

In addition to this, Control My Pest follows IPM principles. Thus, they will not hard nature or your pet and family will be treating your house. This is an easy way to get rid of opossums. All you have to do is reach out to them on their website and book an appointment. After this, a team of experts shall visit your house to examine the problem and examine the severity of the same. From here onwards, you can sit back and relax while they take care of all your problems. And this is how to get rid of Opossums from your house without lifting a finger.