What kind of problems do possums cause

they are somewhat difficult to kill without the proper weaponry.

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Opossums cause no problems if you eat them.

Mom learned to feed the outside cats in the daytime. After hours she would have visitors. Anyone that thinks they are harmless should get a good look at the mouth and teeth and hear one snarling! Yikes. I sic my DH and kid on 'em.

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I am a horse person... hate possums with a passion.......

i have no problems with opossum when they stay away...
im a wildife rehabber and have rehabbed many possum, all of them cool interesting little critters...
but when it comes down to farming...
its the same for ALL wild animals, my livestock, my pets, and my family/saftey come first, mess with those im not so large hearted to just let you get away with it.
possum in the woods, let it be...
keep feed and such locked up tight...if possum still wants to try it id have no problems cleaning it up for doggy dinner!

If you have horses, then possums can cause Equine Protozoal Myeloencephalitis (EPM).
Sorry, I see it's already been posted.

I was wondering, do they carry rabies?

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You all missed the obvious - they stink!

Uncommon, but not impossible. A few years ago they found a few rabid possums down in Orange Co, CA that picked up the bat strain.

You got that right! And they love, love, love cat and dog food.

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Guess I'm the only person on HT that actually LIKES possums. They are really neat animals. I've had them come in my garage and eat WITH the cats...cats couldn't care less. We have horses and so far have had no problems with possums in the barn or pasture. I think the possums prefer the more wooded area of our farm.

Haven't had any problems with them bothering my chickens either, but then, I keep my chickens in a very large pen that possums can't get into (no free ranging for my chickens due to the dogs).

First year here on the farm an infant possum fell off its mama in the garage. We raised it and set it free when it was big enough to fend for itself. For a long time it would come back to the cage to sleep during the day.

I moved out here to live with nature, not to destroy it. Killing the other residents is something that I'd prefer stayed in the cities.

Only possum we've killed was a very sick one...had a bad infection in a wound and was almost dead when hubby found it. We do kill cottonmouths when they get in our yard or around our ponds since we've had several dogs get bit and almost lost one.

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No, Raven, you're not alone. You'll almost always find me going against popular opinion here and defending them. I really do think they get a bum rap.

A couple of years ago, very early one morning. I heard a noise under the carport. That was when I kept my chicken food out there in tubs. I went out and checked and there was a 'possum getting into one of the tubs.

I shooed him away but he returned the next morning about the same time. So, I took to giving him a bowl of dry dog food, which he was happy to have and, since it required far less work than knocking the lids off the chicken food tubs and climbing in, he started leaving the chicken food alone and eating the dog food.

After a few days, the dogs got used to him, so did the cats, and he got used to all of us. I easily could have petted him (I didn't).

One day, we were all outside, the kids and I and the dogs and various cats. The 'possum was there, too, just wandering around, when one of the cats found a dead old bird that had obviously been dead for some time - it was all flat and dried out. The cat was walking around proudly with that dead bird when that 'possum ran up, grabbed the dead bird right out of the cat's mouth, and disappeared under the house with it. My kids will stay say that was one of the funniest things they ever saw.

Remember, I have chickens and did when that 'possum was here. I also have a couple rabbits in cages outside. He bothered nothing.

After a couple of weeks, he moved on and we never saw him again.

Except for eating your chicken feed.
If he hadnt had the food you gave him, he could have easily taken a chicken or rabbit.

I have enough animals to feed without trying to "bribe" the wildlife

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He didn't eat much.

A possum bite to the head of one hen left her with moderate brain damage for the rest of her life. They eat and soil the feed that they get into. Their excrement stinks like nothing else. They transmit EPM, leptospirosis, and TB.

I generally like to live and let live, so I don't kill them when I see them. That's the dogs' job. Coincidentally, I haven't seen possums or coons in several years. Good dogs!

had one show up last night which freaked out my cats..should have shot it but just took a photo or two.

They are harder on your tires than chickens are.

But they don't usually damage your grille or headlights.

Don't hate 'em, but don't tolerate 'em, either.

They do at least as much damage as skunks and 'coons, and we don't suffer them here on the farm, either.

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They carry disease, and they will get a whole nest of eggs, we shoot them.

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