HELP! What is this thing(pic inside)? Another predator?

[Folly's place]

And one of our mares had EPM twice, treated, and while she lived, was permanently impaired. No love lost on opossums in the barn!
Mary

 

[Cattle dog Mom]

And one of our mares had EPM twice, treated, and while she lived, was permanently impaired. No love lost on opossums in the barn!
Mary

Luckily we don't have opposums here! But I know several people that live where they DO have them, whose horses have gotten EPM. It is NEVER good.

 

[ColtHandorf]

it had little opossum babies in it, and my 9 year old BO hen ate them

Unnecessary...

 

[WILIFORD]

Usually if you see one, there are more. It took me and my dogs, about 2 years to rid myself of them. I don't know a lot about the, but I found where they were residing. I went out in my backyard one night with a flashlight and found about 9 hanging out in one of my trees. It took awhile, but I got them all. I haven't seen one in about 10 years now.

 

[ColtHandorf]

It took awhile, but I got them all. I haven't seen one in about 10 years now.

Out of curiosity, why did you feel the need to eliminate/exterminate them?

 

[cassie]

It is an opossum. It is the only marsupial found in North or South America. I leave them alone. They are scavengers. While they will kill chickens, if your coop and run are so insecure that either a skunk or an opossum can enter, you have lots bigger problems than that.

 

[cassie]

Usually if you see one, there are more. It took me and my dogs, about 2 years to rid myself of them. I don't know a lot about the, but I found where they were residing. I went out in my backyard one night with a flashlight and found about 9 hanging out in one of my trees. It took awhile, but I got them all. I haven't seen one in about 10 years now.

Why? What did they do to you?

 

[WILIFORD]

They are nasty, germ carrying little critters, as well as being very destructive. They actually ate a hole through the floor in my shed. They were into everything. They are also very mean when cornered. So I didn't want my dogs, or any of my other animals, goats, bees, chickens etc. being exposed to these threats.

 

[cassie]

I would kill it if I was you, it knows were your birds are, and will most likely come back.

Why kill it? If your coop is half way secure it doesn't matter if it comes back or not. If a possum can get in a raccoon sure can and raccoons can wipe out your entire flock in one night.

 

[Fintechie]

Is there white colored opossum? I recall seeing a dead one by roadside near my house a few years ago. I didn’t know what it was at the time, but actually called our town to collect it...