Anything Wrong With Opossums in My Yard?

[lleighmay]

I have horses.... and chickens..... and possums (along with everything else from bears, cougars, and coyotes on down). According to my veterinarian most horses in the US have been exposed to EPM and most never have a problem with it unless their immune system is compromised in some way (age, infirmity, parasites, etc.). Even if possums are just passing through they can (and will) urinate and defecate wherever they are when they need to go. Even if you have managed to completely eradicate every possum in your immediate locality (not likely) it's still possible for hay to be contaminated. There is nothing you can do to keep your horse completely unexposed unless it's in a bubble or you live somewhere where possums don't exist.
As far as them bothering the chickens, I've not had a problem. My coop is secure (unless a bear comes along) and my birds are locked in it at night. The possums that do frequent my property usually just join the barn cats for dinner. I can walk outside and talk to them without interrupting their dinner. I prefer to take a "live and let live" stand because wildlife is part of the reason I live in the country anyway.

 

[lleighmay]

Unfortunately there is no vaccine for EPM (for horses or possums) but I understand they're working on it.

 

[joedie]

Quote:
Tell that to a person who's horse HAS EPM and see what they tell you. EPM isn't something to take lightly and as long as a possum is passing through, he can keep going. If he decides to take up residence he will be trapped and disposed of. I have 4 horses and I DO take what they carry seriously, you may be able to afford the treatment for a horse who has is but I personally can't. And it IS a lot more prevalent than you wish to think.

I just helped my friend put down a horse with EPM. So sad... Having horses, I would definately not take the chance of them running around my property and would dispatch them immediately. JMO.

 

[cgmccary]

Opossums are voracious mice hunters, and they will clear a place of mice. I do not dispatch them unless they become interested in my chickens. However, my chcikens are locked up at night. My dog takes a different tune, & she will kill a opossum if she catches it.

 

[centrarchid]

Simply killing every oppossum you see might make you feel better in a potentially mentally unsound sort of way but will not likely put a significant dent in the local oppussum population. The number of oppossums per square mile is likley higher than you think and in all likelihood more than one fuzz ball visits your pasture every night. Promoting development of EPM vaccine probably best long-term option. Until then, loss of susceptible horses to EPM will be like losses to lightening or gastric dissoders, simply part of risk / cost of keeping horses.

 

[The Kibble Goddess]

Gotta' tell y'all that last year I came upon a possum and a bobcat having a bit of a rumble. If I had had a gun, I would have put the possum out of his misery 'cause he sure was one hurting fellow. BUT you should have seen the bobcat. I didn't know possums would fight like that or could do so much damage.

 

[centrarchid]

I say hokum. Oppossum could not hold own against bobcat. I routinely handle oppossums bare handed and have yet to suffer a scratch.

 

[The Kibble Goddess]

Well, I did say he was losing. But still, I didn't even know they would fight back.

 

[centrarchid]

Fighting back I have observed included holding mouth open, hissing and producng a green stinky material from near anus. Only exception was with one I called Billy Bob that kept getting into grill just after nightfall. I caught him repeatedly and caused him great embarrassment each time before releasing the moocher. Usually he did his best to run away before I caught him. After this occurred nightly for at least a week, he appeared to grow testicals in that he actually started to approach me growling (if you want to call it that). Even when got close enough to lick shoes, he never offered to bite, just growled and hissed.