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Winter is here, and it’s already snowing in some parts of the US. If you’re looking for opossum tracks in the snow, it could be fun to go out on this adventure. These tiny furry animals wabble through their way while leaving little imprints for you to track. Let’s find out how you can find possums and how they are different from raccoons.
What are opossums?
If you are unfamiliar with opossums, you’d still have seen them in some memes on social media. These animals are so cute that it’s hard for them not to go viral.
Opossums have over 120 pieces and are widely thriving across North and South America. These animals are often a threat as they are considered pests. They look like Didelphimorphia, but they are not the same animals. Opossums are usually non-aggressive, but if you find possum footprints, you must ensure they’re not moving toward your home!
Raccoons vs. opossums
Raccoons and opossums can confuse you if you don’t know what their trails look like. Yea! If you have a face-off, you’d know which dances to ‘I Like to Move It Move It’s in Madagascar. However, their trails are tough to distinguish.
Some common things about these animals are that they could be lurking around your home and sniffing around your outdoor garbage cans. These animals are nocturnal, so if you’ve heard some weird scampering in the yard, they could be the reason why! Both these animals are quick to wiggle out of their way, so you might not be able to catch or identify them if you try to come near.
Opossum tracks in the snow
If you search for opossum tracks in snow images, you will get a neat idea of their footprints. These are usually recognizable, but you might miss them if you haven’t seen them.
So, possum feet include five toes and the two legs at the back resemble a human infant baby. The inner toe on each foot looks like a baby’s thumb. The front feet are 1 and 7/8 inches in length and 2 inches in width. The feet at the back are approximately two and ½ inches in length and two and ¼ in width.
Opossum tracks in the snow are a common sight to witness around the households and often have drag marks on their tails. You will find the feet close together, and the prints on the snow will not be wide apart as they are tiny animals.
Opossum paw prints might seem to lead up a tree as they can climb. They might also be along deck railings and downspouts.
Opossum raccoon tracks in the snow
Raccoon tracks in the snow might look like opossum tracks. Both animals leave their marks on the snow and have four feet and five toes! However, there could be a way to differentiate between the two.
If you have raccoons near your house, you will find the feet prints longer and closer together. Raccoons have all their face forward. Thus, their pattern will not match that of the opossums.
When raccoons walk, every back-foot lands next to their opposite right foot, these animals have flat feet, so their imprints are more prominent. If you look closely, you can determine if you have raccoons or opossums.
How to get rid of opossums?
As soon as you spot possum footprints, you will want to get rid of them around the house. Having opossum feet near you might be a red alert for infestation. These pests can bring diseases to your household and threaten your family.
You might be at greater risk if you have pets at home. Possums are territorial, and they refuse to leave once they find comfort around an area. Once you spot opossum tracks in the snow, the only thing to do is hire a pest control service to protect your home.
What do Opossum droppings look like?
Worried if your house or lawn has opossum droppings already? Find out what they look like to get pest services immediately.
Opossums defecate in protected areas that have trees around them. You will often find them near trails. It is interesting to note that possums’ feces can change according to the food they consume. These tiny animals can eat anything from insects to fruits and trash to smaller animals!
Many times, people consider opossum poop as cat poop. However, cat droppings are way different than these. To spot feces generated by possums, you will need to check if the droppings are pointed towards the end and are around 1-3 inches in length.
If you find both tracks and feces of possums, you have to connect with a pest professional to protect your home. These animals can lead to diseases like Chagas, toxoplasmosis, trichomoniasis, and coccidiosis. They might have parasite infestations in their body, causing them to spread lice, mites, and ticks.
Final thoughts
Let’s end with a fun fact we bet you didn’t know about opossums! Possums are an Australian variant of the Phalangeriformes. Opossums, on the other hand, are widely found across North America and have been spotted in Virginia. Racoon seems to be similar looking, but they are all different animals.
Their similarity in the probability of infesting your household has to be a problem you consider! So, I hope you get to watch these animals through memes and not track down their trails in the snow outside your home.
