Opossums are providing benefits to humans in multiple ways. They can help us control the population of unwanted species. Although they have a docile and non-aggressive nature, they are still considered nuisance creatures since they have a habit of digging in our yard. In some instances, they can choose to live within our property. They can also damage our vegetable gardens and steal the eggs on our chicken coop.

Understanding the Diet of Hartford Opossums
There are at least 60 species of opossums that are found in the US. Most people often think that they are dangerous scavengers. However, this small creature still has some positive attributes. They have the immense capacity to look for food and to remember where the foods are located. During a laboratory testing, this creature scored high compared to cats, rabbits, rats and even dogs with regards to recalling the location of the food.



Diet of the Opossums
The standard menu of the opossums is basically consists of birds, rodents, insects, and dead animals. They will also eat grains, fruits, plants, small amphibians such as frogs, and eggs. According to the study, opossums require a high amount of calcium. This is why they will munch on the skeletal remains of the animals if given the opportunity. They will devour the bones of the roadkill creatures. Possums can also be attracted to the smell of the pet food. They are not picky eaters and will eat almost all types of leftovers. In fact, it will not be uncommon to encounter an opossum that is digging through our garbage can.

Design for Scavenging
Opossums are opportunistic feeders. They will basically eat all things that are edible. Due to their unique eating habit, accessibility of the food is not an issue to this creature. Hartford Opossums may have poor eyesight but they make up for this through their immense hearing and smelling skills. They are nocturnal creatures and will move during the night when hunting for their food. Their sharp claws are built and design for incessant digging. They will also use this when capturing their prey and climbing fruit-bearing trees. Their long tails support them in climbing high structures and trees.

What about the Young Ones?
While the mature Hartfordopossums are properly equipped to forage foods, the newborns are very small in size that makes them completely dependent to their mother. Since they are marsupial species, they will hide on the pouch of the mother opossums for at least 80 days or until such time that they can already hunt their own food.

The diet of the opossums helps us control the population of the insects and pests on our house. They will eat slugs, snails, cockroaches, and rodents that are not only detrimental to our health but also to the condition of our house. If you want to keep the population of the opossums in control, be sure to call the assistance of the wildlife animal removal company. Under some circumstances, they can even provide you with a free consultation and assessment.

Visit our Hartford wildlife control home page to learn more about us.