Opossum Trapping & Control
Their family history stretches back roughly 90 million years. With poor eyesight, slow movement, and a tendency to wander into trouble, it is remarkable they have survived this long — but opossums have been around for nearly a million years in North America, and they are not going anywhere.
The Algonquin word for them was "apasum," meaning "white animal," and Captain John Smith first documented them in Virginia in 1610. He also noted they tasted like pig. They are the only marsupial native to the United States, carrying their young in a pouch and giving birth to litters of up to 20 babies, which stay in the pouch for 2 to 3 months. They have only 13 mammary glands, ensuring only the strongest survive.
Opossums and Disease
One predator opossums do not have to fear is the snake. They have a natural immunity to the venom of many poisonous snakes — including the Russell's Viper, one of the deadliest snakes worldwide — by isolating the proteins in venom and synthesizing a natural antitoxin. Scientists have used this ability to develop a synthetic antivenom. Snake venom is also not the only deadly pathogen they resist. Opossums contract rabies at a remarkably low rate compared to other wildlife, likely due to their lower body temperature.
That said, they are not entirely harmless. They carry fleas, ticks, and lice, and can damage property through their foraging and nesting behavior. They are considered furbearers under Missouri law and can only be killed or hunted with a license during open season.
What To Do
If opossums are becoming a nuisance on your property, contact Advanced Wildlife Control — the top-rated wildlife removal company in the Sullivan area. We use the latest, most humane techniques to eliminate your opossum problem safely and legally.