Possums provide natural pest control in areas where they have a larger population. Possums eat a lot of other small animals, which helps keep their population under control. This way, a specific population does not dominate an area. Among other animals, do possums eat rats?
Yes, they do. Possums eat many other animals besides rats, for instance, cockroaches, mice, slugs, garden pests, and snails. According to National Wildlife Foundation, possums are among the best natural pests repellent for land.
As possums are predators of rats, they help maintain the balance of nature. They keep the population of cockroaches and rats at bay by feeding on them. Usually, a possum targets a place where its food is in abundant supply.
Contents
Will A Possum Keep Rats Away?
A possum considers itself welcome in an area where there are a lot of rats. The more rats are present in the vicinity, the more possums will come.
Possums are a blessing in this manner as they protect humans from many diseases transmitted from rats to humans. Possums clear away illness from a population once they start feeding on rats.
Do Possum Like Rats?
It is hard to say whether possums like a rat the most. They are willing to have pretty much any animal offered to them. This includes Mice, nuts, garbage, birds, rats, eggs, and even garbage!
You should beware if possums are residing in your garden to feed the ripe tomatoes. However, there are certain advantages to having possums in your gardening area. They feed on plant-eating insects, pests, and slugs, all known for destroying vegetation.
Thus, possums act as natural pesticides and can play an active role in keeping your garden young, lush, and healthy only as long as they don’t start feeding on the grown vegetation.
Are Possums Big Rats?
Possums resemble rodents in appearance. They have a big rat-like tails. They also have long faces that make them look like a rat. However, possums are not rodents.
It may be surprising for you to know that possums belong to the mammalian classification of marsupials. That’s right! They belong in the same group as koalas and kangaroos. Just like the rest of the marsupials, the possum’s development is incomplete at the time of birth.
They are carried and suckled in their mother’s abdominal cavity or a pouch attached to the belly. This is where their developmental stages are completed, and they mature.
Do Possums Eat Dead Rats?
It is commonly believed that a possum likes to hunt for its food and attack it before eating it. However, possums are equally comfortable filling their stomachs with a dead rat.
According to IDNR, possums can also feed on dead birds, small mammals, worms, frogs, and snails. They also consume the carrion, and other roadkill remains. Although they prefer to hunt down their food, they will also feed on anything that comes their way quickly.
Do Possums Keep Mice Away?
Yes, possums feed on both rats and mice. Hence, they are more likely to be found near a population with more mice.
Possums attack these mice very smartly and feed on them one by one. Possums also invite other possums to an area with a lot of food supply or an abundance of mice population.
As possums are predators of mice, mice begin to die out once the population exceeds a certain threshold. Most of the mice prefer running away and finding another home for themselves.
Hence, it can be stated that possums play an integral role in keeping mice away in an area where the possums have settled.
What Do Possums Eat?
Possums have a lot of variety to choose from. For instance, possums can:
- Eat insects
- Consume Grains and Fruits
- Feed on piles of compost
- Search for food in garbage cans
- Prey on Birds
- Chase other small mammals
Possums are omnivores and will eat anything they find in their vicinity. However, they feed on rats as it is their prey and a predator-prey relationship is hard to cut off.
Do Possums Hunt Rats?
Possums are generally considered to be a nuisance by people. Having possums in your vicinity is not always a bad idea. Possums eat cockroaches, mice as well as rats.
Possums hunt down rats from gardens and residential areas. They like sneaking up on them and attacking them. Possums want to search for their food and then eat it.
Will A Possum Attack A Rat?
A possum loves to eat rats and will attack any rat that comes into sight. Moreover, a possum is always on the lookout for rats and will search for it till it finds one.
It is a fact that possums commonly look for cockroaches and rats to hunt them down and eat them. Even if a Possum finds a dead rat, it will not hesitate to eat it.
Do Possums Eat Rat Blocks?
Possums that reside in Australia often tend to consume rat bait like Warfarin. This causes severe internal bleeding in possums. Loss of excessive blood leads to their death.
Low chances of survival are there. Possums are also likely to ingest slug bait. After a lot of suffering, possums die. There is no treatment available that can save a possum after it has consumed baits.
Do Possums Attract Rats?
Possums are predators of rats. Hence, the presence of possums makes rats run far away from them. Rats are generally scared of possums as they are afraid of dying.
A possum hunts down rats and eats them one by one. Moreover, a possum will not hesitate to eat a dead rat. A possum tried to lessen the rat population in an area.
Are Possums Attracted To Ratsak?
Ratsaks are very attractive to possums. If you place rat baits in your garden to trap rats, a possum is likely to get trapped in it too.
Possums die an excruciating death if they get trapped in a rat sak. This kind of death is agonizing for them as they cannot find an escape for themselves.
Thus, it can be stated that possums kill rats and eliminate them from the population. However, a rat sak, when used as bait, will kill both the possums and the rats.
Do Possums Deter Rats?
Yes, the presence of possums deters rats. Rats are afraid of possums as possums hunt them down for the sole purpose of killing them.
That is why rats prefer to hide from possums or stay away from an area where the population of possums is more. However, if possums find the hideout of rats, they will hunt them down and eliminate them all.
Do Rats And Possums Fight?
Yes, rats and possums fight with one another, which is a common sight. Both of the animals make noises while fighting, like squealing. The rat’s squeal is usually at a higher pitch than the possum’s. The male possums issue a warning call to the other males in the vicinity. They do this to warn the other possums regarding the presence of a rat.
Opossums and rats mainly fight over food as they compete against one another. It is common for an opossum to kill rats if it finds them near its food source. Opossums are generally more robust and beat rats in the fight.
Are Possums Resistant To Rat Poison?
Yes, usually, possums are resistant to rat poison, especially the first-generation anticoagulants. However, that is not true for all. Possums are susceptible to the rat poison – Brodifacoum. It is the only known poison in the market that effectively targets rats and possums. One can easily purchase it from the market or online stores.
Possums usually survive rat poisons but cannot escape cyanide’s effect on their bodies. Cyanide pellets and paste are easily available in pest control shops and can be used as a toxic substance for killing possums in no time. Possums can be killed easily by using the Tomcat Mole Killer Worm Bait and Sweeney’s & Gopher Poison peanuts.
Possums Were Once Used To Control The Rodent Population, Is it True?
Yes, possums were once used to control the population of rodents in Brooklyn. The city council used this approach. Possums are predators of rats. They often compete with one another over food and shelter. During this competition, possums usually kill the rats and finish them off.
In Brooklyn, the authorities captured possums from the wild and set them free in different parks and locations. This way, the possums were on the lookout for the rodents, and eventually, with time rodents’ population started reducing. The introduction of opossums in the rat population proved to be effective in chasing the rats away.
Should You Worry About Possum Presence In Your Yard?
No, you should not be worried if a possum is present in your yard. The possums are not a threat to you or your yard. Generally, they come around to look for food. If they find a good food source, they may stay around for longer. However, they pose no threat.
Nevertheless, leaving food around in your yard can be a continuous invitation for the possums to come and prowl. That is why care should be taken, and waste should be thrown away tamely. Otherwise, the horde of possums will often start coming to your yard to grab a bite or two.
Conclusion
Possums like hunting and feeding on rats. However, they eat all kinds of other small mammals too. As possums are nocturnal, they prefer hunting at night.
Possums are one of the best natural pests in an ecosystem. They feed on insects and animals that harm plants. Moreover, they help keep the balance of nature by not allowing one population to prevail for an extended period.
Possums have other food sources too. They can also live on dead meat and feed on an injured animals. As possums are carriers of disease, one must not hesitate in getting rid of them.
References
- Developing strategy and tools for the local elimination of multiple pest species- University of Nebraska
