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Opossum walking across a patch of soft, wet mud beside a garden bed

Opossum Tracks and Signs: How to Tell an Opossum Visited

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Something knocked over the bird feeder or nosed into the trash last night. Was it an opossum? Opossum tracks are some of the easiest wildlife prints to recognize, because their feet look like small hands. Here’s what to look for in mud, snow and dust, plus other clues that one stopped by.

How to Recognize Opossum Tracks

The Missouri Department of Conservation describes the prints:

  • Front foot: about 2 inches, star-shaped, with five toes spread wide.
  • Hind foot: about 2 inches, with the inner “thumb” sticking out at a right angle and leaving no claw mark. The three middle toes sit close together.
  • Pattern: the front track often sits right beside the hind track.
  • Tail drag: sometimes a line between the prints where the tail touched the ground.

UC IPM explains why: an opossum’s feet look like small hands with five spread fingers, and every toe has a claw except the opposable thumb on the rear foot. The Cornell Wildlife Health Lab notes that thumb, along with a tail that can grip, makes opossums good climbers.

Trash can by a garage with its lid strapped shut, a step that cuts down on opossum tracks around the bins
A tight lid keeps opossums and other visitors out of the trash.

Where to Look

Clear prints show up best in soft mud, fresh snow, dust or sand: along a garden bed, by a downspout, under a deck or beside the bins. MDC notes opossums stay active in winter, so snow is a good time to check. The Wisconsin DNR says they rest by day in places like brush piles, hollow logs and spaces under buildings or porches, so start near those.

Other Signs an Opossum Visited

Cut Down on Visits

Massachusetts recommends securing garbage with tight lids and putting it out the morning of pickup, and feeding pets indoors. FWC adds securing bird seed and picking up fallen fruit. See opossums and dogs for pet routines.

When to Call

Tracks alone don’t mean anything is wrong. Healthy adults usually move on by themselves, and our rescue service is for opossums that are hurt, orphaned or trapped. Call if you find one injured, stuck in a window well or trash can, or young ones alone. See opossum in a window well and injured opossum.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do opossums dig up lawns?

If you’re finding holes rather than prints, see holes in the lawn. Many small holes in summer are made by insects.

How big is an opossum?

UC IPM describes them as about the size of a house cat, 2 to 3 feet long including the tail.

Opossum Hurt or Stuck?

Our Opossum Rescue & Transport service is for opossums that are injured, orphaned or trapped. Call or text 419-614-6445 with a photo and your location, or use our contact page. We contain the animal gently in a ventilated carrier, never with bare hands, and drive it to a licensed wildlife rehabilitator for care. See opossum rescue. Opossums are the only mammals we rescue.

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Opossum eating dry food from a metal pet bowl on a porch at night

Opossum and Dogs (and Cats): Are Pets at Risk?

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Opossums wander through a lot of Ohio backyards at night, and the pets that live there notice. Most opossum and dogs encounters end with a lot of barking and an opossum hissing, climbing or playing dead. The bigger risk usually runs the other way, toward the opossum. Here’s what to know and how to keep everyone apart.

What Happens When an Opossum and Dogs Meet

A threatened opossum bluffs first. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission says it will hiss, drool, growl and try to bluff its way out, and may then play dead. The Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife notes that opossums are preyed on by unsupervised dogs, and that a cornered opossum may attack a dog or cat. So the problems come when a pet corners or grabs one.

If your dog or cat catches an opossum, call even if the opossum looks fine. Our opossum rescue page lists “an animal caught by a dog or cat, even if it looks fine” as a sign it needs rescue. Check your pet for bites or scratches and call your veterinarian with any concerns.

Tabby cat sitting indoors at a window at night, a simple way to avoid opossum and dogs or cats run-ins
Keeping pets inside at night avoids most backyard encounters.

Shared Food Bowls

Opossums eat almost anything. FWC notes they’ll eat whatever is available, from plants and animals to garbage. A bowl of kibble on the porch is an open invitation, and it can bring an opossum right up to the door where your pets go in and out.

  • Feed pets indoors. Massachusetts recommends it specifically.
  • Pick up bowls before dark if you feed outside.
  • Secure trash, bird seed and fallen fruit. FWC lists all of these as ways to reduce visits.

Simple Pet Routines

  • Leash or supervise dogs at night. Massachusetts recommends keeping pets leashed.
  • Keep cats indoors after dark, when opossums are most active.
  • Do a quick yard check with a flashlight before letting dogs out late.
  • Close off hiding spots. Wisconsin DNR notes opossums rest in places like brush piles and under buildings or porches.

What About Disease?

The Cornell Wildlife Health Lab notes rabies is rarely found in opossums. Still, the Ohio Division of Wildlife warns that wild animals can carry diseases and parasites, some of which can pass to people or pets. Keeping pets and wildlife apart is the simplest protection. See are opossums dangerous?

Frequently Asked Questions

My dog “killed” an opossum, but it’s not moving. Is it dead?

Maybe not. It may be playing dead. Bring the dog inside and don’t pick it up. See opossum playing dead.

Will an opossum go after my pet?

Rarely. Massachusetts describes opossums as harmless and nomadic, but a cornered one may defend itself.

Pet Caught an Opossum?

Our Opossum Rescue & Transport service is for opossums that are injured, orphaned or trapped. Call or text 419-614-6445 with a photo and your location, or use our contact page. We contain the animal gently in a ventilated carrier, never with bare hands, and drive it to a licensed wildlife rehabilitator for care. See opossum rescue. Opossums are the only mammals we rescue.

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Opossum hissing with its mouth wide open, showing many teeth

Are Opossums Dangerous? Hissing, Drooling and Other Bluffs

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Corner an opossum and it may open its mouth wide, hiss, drool and show a lot of teeth. It’s a startling sight, so people ask: are opossums dangerous? Mostly, no. That display is a bluff, and an opossum would much rather scare you off, climb away or play dead than fight.

Are Opossums Dangerous When They Hiss?

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission explains that a threatened opossum will hiss, drool, growl and try to bluff its way out. If it still feels threatened, it may play dead. The Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife notes opossums may growl, hiss, bare their teeth or climb when threatened. They have 50 teeth, more than any other land mammal on the continent, so the display looks fierce.

But Massachusetts wildlife officials also describe opossums as harmless and very rarely a threat to people. The open mouth is meant to make you step back. Do that, and the encounter is usually over.

Opossum climbing a tree trunk at dusk, one way it avoids conflict when people ask are opossums dangerous
Opossums often climb away from trouble rather than fight.

Real Risks vs Imagined Ones

  • Rabies is extremely rare. The Cornell Wildlife Health Lab notes opossums keep a lower body temperature, about 94 to 97°F, than most mammals, which is thought to make it hard for the rabies virus to survive. Massachusetts calls it extremely rare for an opossum to contract rabies.
  • Bites happen when they’re handled. Like any wild animal, a cornered or grabbed opossum can bite. Tufts Wildlife Clinic advises never using bare hands with wild mammals.
  • Parasites and disease. Cornell notes opossums can carry fleas, ticks, mites and lice, and the Ohio Division of Wildlife warns that wild animals can carry diseases and parasites that can pass to people or pets.
  • Pets. Massachusetts notes a cornered opossum may attack a dog or cat. See opossums and dogs.

How to Avoid Trouble

  • Give it an exit. Back away and let it leave. Most will.
  • Don’t corner or grab it. If it goes limp, don’t pick it up. See opossum playing dead.
  • Bring pets in until it moves on.
  • Remove food. FWC suggests securing trash, outdoor pet food, bird seed and fallen fruit to reduce visits.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is an opossum out in the daytime rabid?

Not necessarily. Massachusetts notes they sometimes come out in daylight, especially when food is scarce. One that seems confused, hurt or unable to move away may need help.

Do opossums help with ticks?

FWC notes they eat ticks they find while grooming, which may reduce the number of ticks in an area.

Will you remove a healthy opossum?

Healthy adults passing through usually move on by themselves. Our rescue service is for opossums that are hurt, orphaned or trapped.

Opossum Hurt or Trapped?

Our Opossum Rescue & Transport service is for opossums that are injured, orphaned or trapped. Call or text 419-614-6445 with a photo and your location, or use our contact page. We contain the animal gently in a ventilated carrier, never with bare hands, and drive it to a licensed wildlife rehabilitator for care. See opossum rescue. Opossums are the only mammals we rescue.

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Mother opossum carrying several young on her back along a log

Why We Take Opossums to a Wildlife Rehabber: Ohio Rules and Reasons

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When we rescue an opossum, our job ends at the door of a licensed wildlife rehabber. Ohio law and plain good sense both point the same way: injured and orphaned wild animals do best with people who are trained and permitted to care for them. Here’s what a rehabilitator does and why we don’t raise or release opossums ourselves.

Wildlife Rehabber, Ohio Edition: What Rehabilitators Do

A licensed wildlife rehabilitator takes in injured, sick or orphaned wild animals, treats and raises them, and returns them to the wild when they’re ready. The Ohio Division of Wildlife explains that rehabilitators go through training on how to raise and treat young and injured wildlife. It also notes that each animal’s nutritional, housing and handling needs are very specific and must be met if it is to have any chance of survival.

The Division of Wildlife publishes a list of permitted wildlife rehabilitators, organized by county.

Young opossum alone on leaf litter, an orphan that may need a wildlife rehabber; Ohio requires a permit to raise one
A young opossum that falls off its mother’s back can be left behind.

Why Not Just Keep It or Release It?

  • It’s the law. The Ohio Division of Wildlife says it is illegal to possess, restrain or keep any wild animal without a permit. The purpose is to protect wild animal populations and to protect people from disease and injury.
  • Disease and parasites. ODNR notes wild animals can carry diseases and parasites, some of which can pass to people or pets.
  • Habituation. ODNR warns that an animal that becomes habituated to humans cannot be returned to the wild.
  • Feeding mistakes. ODNR says never give food or water to injured or orphaned wildlife, because inappropriate food can lead to sickness or death.

When a Young Opossum Is an Orphan

Wisconsin DNR explains that young opossums ride on their mother’s back once they’re about 3 to 4 inches long. Occasionally one falls off, and if it doesn’t catch up and climb back on, it’s left behind. They become independent at about 4 months, when they’re roughly 7 to 9 inches from snout to rump.

Tufts Wildlife Clinic gives a simple rule: an opossum over 7 inches long, not counting the tail, is old enough to be on its own. One under 7 inches is an orphan and should go to a licensed rehabilitator. Our opossum rescue page also lists young opossums alone, especially if they are cold, weak or covered in flies, as a sign help is needed.

Our Part

We safely contain the opossum in a ventilated carrier and drive it to a licensed wildlife rehabilitator. The rehabilitator handles care and release. If you can, note exactly where the animal was found, because location matters for release. See how to keep an injured opossum safe.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I drive it to a rehabber myself?

You can contact a permitted rehabilitator on the state list directly. If you’re not comfortable containing or transporting the animal, call us.

Do you rescue other wildlife?

No. Opossums are the only mammals we rescue.

Found an Orphaned or Injured Opossum?

Our Opossum Rescue & Transport service is for opossums that are injured, orphaned or trapped. Call or text 419-614-6445 with a photo and your location, or use our contact page. We contain the animal gently in a ventilated carrier, never with bare hands, and drive it to a licensed wildlife rehabilitator for care. See opossum rescue. Opossums are the only mammals we rescue.

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Upside-down ventilated laundry basket on a lawn with a folded towel beside it

Injured Opossum? How to Keep It Safe Until Help Arrives

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An injured opossum by the road, in the yard or in the garage needs two things: to be kept safe and calm, and to get to someone licensed to treat it. You don’t have to do the second part. Here’s how to handle the first few minutes until help arrives.

Signs an Injured Opossum Needs Rescue

Our opossum rescue page lists the signs: an opossum that’s injured, bleeding or can’t walk normally; a mother hit on the road, since young may still be in her pouch; an animal caught by a dog or cat, even if it looks fine; and one out in daylight that seems confused or unable to move away. The Ohio Division of Wildlife also lists open wounds and being attacked by a pet as reasons to get help.

Make sure it isn’t just playing dead. A frightened opossum can lie limp for minutes to hours and then walk away. See opossum playing dead.

Ventilated pet carrier with a folded towel inside, ready for an injured opossum
An injured opossum is moved in a ventilated carrier, never carried by hand.

Until We Arrive

  • Keep kids and pets away. A hurt animal is a frightened animal.
  • No bare hands. Tufts Wildlife Clinic advises thick gloves and a jacket if you must handle a wild mammal, since all mammals can carry rabies.
  • Cover it loosely with a ventilated box or an upside-down laundry basket. A towel over the top helps.
  • Keep it quiet and dark. Less light and noise means less stress.
  • No food or water. The Ohio Division of Wildlife says never give food or water to injured or orphaned wildlife, because the wrong food can cause sickness or death.
  • Note the exact location. Where it was found matters for release.

If You Must Move It

Sometimes an animal is in traffic or another dangerous spot. Tufts describes placing a thick towel over the animal, gathering it inside the towel, and setting it right into a sturdy box or carrier with a secure lid and air holes. Do this only if it’s safe, and never with bare hands.

What Happens Next

We contain the opossum gently in a ventilated carrier and drive it to a licensed wildlife rehabilitator for care and, when possible, release. The rehabilitator handles care and release. See why we take opossums to a wildlife rehabber.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I keep it overnight and nurse it?

No. The Ohio Division of Wildlife says it’s illegal to keep wildlife without a permit, and each species has specific care needs.

What if it’s a mother hit on the road?

Call. Young may be alive in her pouch.

My dog caught an opossum. Does it need help?

Call even if it looks fine, since injuries aren’t always visible. See opossums and dogs for keeping pets and opossums apart.

Found an Injured Opossum?

Our Opossum Rescue & Transport service is for opossums that are injured, orphaned or trapped. Call or text 419-614-6445 with a photo and your location, or use our contact page. We contain the animal gently in a ventilated carrier, never with bare hands, and drive it to a licensed wildlife rehabilitator for care. See opossum rescue. Opossums are the only mammals we rescue.

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Opossum at the bottom of a corrugated metal window well

Opossum in Window Well, Pool or Trash Can? How to Help It Out

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It’s a common morning surprise: an opossum in window well, staring up from the gravel at the bottom. Pools, trash cans and other steep-sided spaces trap opossums too. The good news is that many can climb out on their own once you give them a way. Here’s how to help without getting too close.

Helping an Opossum in Window Well Spaces

Wildlife Illinois notes that window wells without covers commonly trap wildlife, including opossums. For larger animals like opossums, it recommends placing a rough board in the well at an angle so the animal can climb out on its own.

  • Use a rough board, not a smooth one, so claws can grip.
  • Lower it gently from above. Don’t climb into the well.
  • Step away. Opossums are mostly nocturnal, so it may wait until dark to leave.
  • Keep pets inside until it’s gone.
Rough wooden board leaning at an angle in a window well, an escape ramp for an opossum in window well
A rough board set at an angle gives a trapped animal something to climb.

Pools and Trash Cans

The same idea applies: give it a way out rather than reaching in. If an opossum is in a trash can and you can do it safely, tip the can gently onto its side from a distance and step back. An opossum in a swimming pool needs help right away, so call us while you keep people and pets away.

Don’t Handle It Bare-Handed

A frightened opossum may hiss, drool and show its teeth, then go limp. See opossum playing dead. Tufts Wildlife Clinic advises never using bare hands with wild mammals, because all mammals can carry rabies, and to avoid being bitten, licked or scratched. Our opossum rescue service contains trapped opossums gently in a ventilated carrier, never with bare hands.

When to Call

  • It hasn’t left after a night with a board in place.
  • It looks hurt, can’t walk normally, or there’s blood.
  • It’s in a pool, a fence, a garage or another spot you can’t easily make an exit for.
  • There are young with it, or tiny ones alone. See why we take opossums to a wildlife rehabber.

Prevent the Next One

Wildlife Illinois recommends a plastic or metal window well cover installed flush against the wall. The Ohio Division of Wildlife also suggests capping chimneys, vents and window wells to keep animals from getting trapped (ODNR Pub 310). Keep trash cans lidded so they’re less tempting to climb into.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I feed it while it’s stuck?

No. The Ohio Division of Wildlife says never give food or water to injured or orphaned wildlife.

Can I lift it out with a shovel?

Please don’t. It risks injury to the animal and a bite to you. Use a board or call.

Opossum Stuck and Can’t Get Out?

Our Opossum Rescue & Transport service is for opossums that are injured, orphaned or trapped. Call or text 419-614-6445 with a photo and your location, or use our contact page. We contain the animal gently in a ventilated carrier, never with bare hands, and drive it to a licensed wildlife rehabilitator for care. See opossum rescue. Opossums are the only mammals we rescue.

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Opossum lying limp on its side in grass with its mouth slightly open

Opossum Playing Dead: What to Do When an Opossum Plays Possum

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You find an opossum lying on its side in the yard, mouth open, not moving. The dog is circling. Is it dead? Maybe not. An opossum playing dead is one of the strangest defenses in the animal world, and the best thing you can do is usually to give it space and quiet.

Why an Opossum Playing Dead Looks So Real

The Missouri Department of Conservation describes the sequence: a threatened opossum first bares its teeth and drips saliva, then rolls onto its side with its tongue out while its heartbeat slows. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission describes the same catatonic state: the animal goes completely limp, breathing and heart rate drop, and it may give off a foul smell.

The Ohio Division of Wildlife Mammals of Ohio field guide says the opossum essentially passes out when confronted with danger, then wakes up a short time later and goes about its business. It isn’t a choice in the way people imagine “faking it.” It’s an involuntary response to fear.

Opossum walking across a lawn toward shrubs, as it might once opossum playing dead behavior ends
Once the threat is gone, an opossum that was playing dead usually gets up and leaves.

How Long Does It Last?

The Cornell Wildlife Health Lab says opossums can stay in this state from minutes to as long as 6 hours. The Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife says several minutes to several hours. Most come around once the threat, often a dog, a cat or curious people, has left.

What to Do

  • Don’t pick it up. FWC says if an opossum appears dead, do not try to pick it up. It may be playing dead to escape a larger predator, which includes you and your pets.
  • Bring pets inside and keep kids back.
  • Leave it quiet. Turn off bright lights and step away where you can watch from a distance.
  • Check again later. If it’s gone, it was just frightened.

When It Needs Help

Call if the opossum is still there after several hours, or if you see blood, a wound, or it can’t walk normally once it gets up. Also call if a dog or cat caught it, even if it looks fine. Our opossum rescue page lists these signs. If it’s a mother hit on the road, young may still be in her pouch. See injured opossum: how to keep it safe.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will it bite if I touch it?

It might, and Tufts Wildlife Clinic advises never using bare hands with wild mammals. Don’t touch it.

Is it sick if it’s out during the day?

Not necessarily. Massachusetts wildlife officials note opossums are mostly nocturnal but sometimes come out in daylight, especially when food is scarce. One that seems confused or unable to move away may need help.

Is playing dead a sign it’s dangerous?

No. It’s a defense. See are opossums dangerous?

Opossum Still Down or Hurt?

Our Opossum Rescue & Transport service is for opossums that are injured, orphaned or trapped. Call or text 419-614-6445 with a photo and your location, or use our contact page. We contain the animal gently in a ventilated carrier, never with bare hands, and drive it to a licensed wildlife rehabilitator for care. See opossum rescue. Opossums are the only mammals we rescue.

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