Possum Vs. Opossum: Can You Tell the Difference?

The opossum is a nuisance animal commonly found in many parts of the United States. When you hear the word possum, it is likely that you are still thinking of the opossum. This, however, is not the case, as the possum is an actual animal species that can be found in Australia. Since both of these animal species are considered to be a nuisance in many cases, it can be important to be able to spot the difference between the two. Continue reading to learn how you can tell the difference between these two similarly named marsupials.

Marsupials

One important feature of both of these critters is that they are both marsupials. Marsupials are very unique in the world, as the opossum is one of the only ones found in the Americas. Marsupials are born without being completely developed yet. Upon birth, they travel to their mother’s pouch, where they nurse and begin to further develop. 

Appearance

One of the easiest ways to tell these two animal species apart is to examine each of them. Upon examination, it will become very easy to tell the two critters apart. The possum has a furry tail that appears to have a lot of long and semi-curly hair. The opossum has a long, pink tail that has no hair on it at all. The opossum and possum also have very different looking fur coats, as opossums are usually light or dark gray and white, whereas possums have very luscious-looking brown, gold, gray, or other colored coats. Another great way to tell the two apart is to look at the face. Opossums have a very pointed, predatory-looking faces and also have very large, black, beady eyes. This is opposed to possums, which appear to have a shorter, more round-looking faces with eyes that are set back further into their head. Possums also seem to have brown-colored eyes that are easily seen. 

Habitats

One of the easiest ways that you can tell which animal you are looking at is simply by knowing where you are currently located. If you are in Australia, New Zealand, or the Oceania part of the world, you are looking at a possum. If you are in North America anywhere, you are looking at the opossum. Possums tend to like living in forested areas and along creeks and streams where there are plenty of trees around. This is somewhat similar to opossums, as they can be found everywhere, but they tend to prefer living in wooded areas. In recent times, they have become much more adept at living in urban settings but still survive quite well in areas where there is plenty of brush. 

Behavior/Habits

Another great way to tell the two species apart is to look at how they are acting and whether they are doing something unique to their species. One of the common phrases in use today is ‘playing possum’, which is a misnomer. This comes from the fact that the Australian possum does not actually play dead, but the American opossum does. If a critter plays possum when you are around, it is actually an opossum.

A big difference between the two species is their actions around humans. Opossums tend to be more scared of humans, and can even be aggressive if cornered. Possums do not tend to be scared of humans and are also less likely to be aggressive, though they still could harm a human if they feel threatened. 

How can they both be removed?

Whether you are dealing with a possum or an opossum problem, it is important that you remove these animals from your property or home as soon as possible. If they spend enough time around you and your family, they could spread diseases that could potentially be fatal. 

It is very important to hire a professional wildlife removal company to perform opossum or possum removal for a few reasons. One reason is that possums are protected by Australian law, so a DIY removal could lead to legal problems. Another reason is that attempting a DIY removal on your own could lead to being bitten or scratched by the critter. Finally, wildlife removal experts have plenty of experience that can be used to prevent future infestations as well.