Most opossums are around the size of a housecat. These marsupials have an elongated snout, and a large sagittal crest – a bone making their forehead look taller. They have scaly feet, and a scaly prehensile tail. Opossums prefer woody habitats, particularly deciduous forests that seasonally shed their leaves. They are also commonly found close to a water source, such as a stream or lake. Opossums are, however, highly adaptable. They have become quite adept at surviving in urban areas. Opossums are opportunistic feeders, which means that they feed on a wide variety of items to survive. They eat carrion, small animals, insects, reptiles, eggs, plants and whatever else they can find. Opossums present a variety of concerns for the safety and health of humans. They often harbor parasites such as fleas and ticks, and are more resistant to rabies than any other mammal, though they are not immune. Opossums may be a nuisance near homes where they get into garbage, bird feeders, and pet food, gardens, fruit trees or where they enter structures through large gaps around pipes, holes leading under your house, holes leading into your attic and drains under sinks.

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