It’s more than the name
In North America, “possum” and “opossum” have become colloquially interchangeable when referring to the same animal.
The animal in question is the Virginia opossum, North America’s only marsupial.
Australian possums are different animals, but they are closely related to opossums.
There’s a critter in your trash: Triangular face, hairless rat-like tail, and possibly screaming at you. Is it a possum or an opossum? In North America, we call these animals possums, but that’s not technically correct. While we use the terms “possum” and “opossum” interchangeably, these are distinct animals with notable differences. We’ve created a guide to help you distinguish possums versus opossums.
Possums and opossums are different animals with distinct characteristics and mannerisms.
| Type of Difference | Opossum | Possum |
|---|---|---|
| Size | 15–20 inches | 13.75–21.65 inches |
| Color | Grey-white | Grey-brown to red-brown |
| Tail | Hairless | Bushy |
| Location | North America | Australia |
| Habitat | Farmland, woodlots, and residential areas | Forests, woodlands, and residential areas |
| Disease | Can carry disease | Carries fewer diseases |
These marsupials are closely related but visually distinct.
Possums have bushy tails with fur extending right down to the tip. Opossum tails are thin and relatively hairless, like a rat’s tail. Both animals’ tails are fully prehensile, allowing them to wrap around an object and move around at will.
The North American opossum has a mostly gray body, white face, and black legs and ears. Possums, on the other hand, can vary in color—ranging from grey-brown to red-brown, with a different colored underbelly depending on the type of possum. There have been reports of black, brown, and albino opossums, but those are fairly rare occurrences.
Opossums have an elongated face, giving them a longer snout, smaller eyes, and slender, rounded ears. Possums have a stout snout, with big beady eyes and ears that face forward like a large mouse. Opossums have white faces that contrast with their darker bodies, while possums tend to be uniform in color.
Worlds away, yet so closely related, possums and opossums aren’t even on the same continent.
Virginia opossums are native to North America and the only marsupial found on the continent. Possums are predominately located in Australia, with certain species native to other Oceanic regions like New Guinea and Sulawesi.
Possums and opossums are attracted to similar habitats, including forested areas, woodlands, and urban areas, but you’ll only find certain species of possums in heavily forested areas. As burrowing scavengers, opossums like hiding under sheds and woodpiles, whereas possums tend to be attracted to ceilings and roofs.
Both animals are also prone to den. Possums use more natural surroundings for their dens, and can be found in hollow branches, tree trunks, fallen logs, rock cavities, or hollow termite mounds. Opossums use their surroundings to set up shop and can often be found using the abandoned dens of other animals, cavities in trees, or trash heaps.
Possums and opossums are omnivores, so they eat both meat and vegetables as part of their diet. Opossums have a much meatier diet and often eat insects, worms, reptiles, birds and their eggs, berries, fruits, small mammals, and carrion. While possums eat meat such as bird eggs, baby birds, and some insects, their diet mainly consists of vegetation like eucalyptus leaves, shrubs (mainly wattles), herbs, flowers, and fruit.
Possums and opossums live quite similarly. Neither are aggressive creatures and will only hiss and bare their teeth if they’re scared or perceive you as a threat. A well-known quirk of opossums is playing dead to avoid confrontation, but this behavior isn’t something they can control; it is a response to extreme fear.
As nocturnal animals, both the possum and opossum can mostly be seen wandering around at night and are attracted to dark places during the day. Possums are very territorial, but thankfully, opossums are not. You’ll still likely need to hire a local wildlife removal pro to get them off your property if they’re causing problems, but it won’t be as much of a challenge.
It’s easy to tell if you have unwanted opossums plaguing your property because they aren’t subtle creatures. Look for ripped-open garbage, missing vegetation from your garden, trampled plants, and scattered food remains or droppings.
The law regarding trapping opossums varies from state to state, but in most states they’re considered furbearers, which means it’s open season for hunting and trapping opossums. However, your first instinct shouldn’t be to kill an opossum, as it’s often a cruel and unnecessary strategy. The best way to get rid of them is by locating and destroying their den, spraying animal repellant, or setting off sprinklers to scare them away.
No! Do not pick up an opossum if you see one. While they might seem cuddly, they are fearful creatures who will bite if provoked. Not only that, but opossums can carry a host of diseases like tuberculosis, relapsing fever, spotted fever, trichomoniasis, and Chagas disease. They’re also a hotbed of infestation, often hosting fleas, ticks, mites, and lice. It’s best to leave them be and not get too close.
