If you have problems with ticks, leave the possums alone

[raubvogel]

They eat them (up to 5,000 ticks in one season) and do not get Lyme disease. And are rather resistance to rabies.

Opossums Eat Ticks! Misunderstood Marsupial Good For Your Yard

In addition to being relatively harmless, the opossum is also one of our greatest allies in fending off ticks that carry Lyme disease. Read more about this on our blog.

www.mosquitosquad.com

 

[easttex]

And! If you ever find yourself lost in the woods, go find a possum or an armadillo and follow it. You'll be out in the middle of the highway in no time at all!

 

[Glucker]

I saw a video awhile ago, taken at night, of a possum removing and eating presumably ticks off of a deer. Deer was perfectly calm enabling the possum to do so. I am always happy to see possum out here at my ranch and leave them be.

 

[badzero]

The wife feeds one on our back porch, she calls it her ugly cat.

 

[Blackwing]

Appears not:

New Study Says Possums Don't Like Eating Ticks

Many think that opossums eat thousands of ticks. According to a 2021 peer-reviewed study, opossums may not eat ticks at all.

www.fieldandstream.com

 

[FIANNAFAL]

They taste good baked with rice and taters. Sulpher take care of the ticks.

 

[meltblown]

Garbage pandas are cool. I tend to leave them alone as all wildlife is welcome on my place except for hogs. I leave the snakes be unless it is a rattler.

 

[Illurian00]

Many birds will eat ticks.
If I kept chickens, I would add some guinea fowl as well.

 

[Story]

Appears not:

New Study Says Possums Don't Like Eating Ticks

Many think that opossums eat thousands of ticks. According to a 2021 peer-reviewed study, opossums may not eat ticks at all.

www.fieldandstream.com

I'll cast a jaundiced eye at anyone *groundtruthing*.

According to Dr. Bret Collier, associate professor of wildlife ecology at Louisiana State University’s School of Renewable Natural Resources, “No, not at all, period. Ticks are not, in any manner, selected for by Virginia opossums.” He cites a 2021 peer-reviewed paper called “Are Virginia opossums really ecological traps for ticks? Groundtruthing laboratory operations,” by Dr. Cecilia Hennessy and Kaitlyn Hild of Eureka College’s Division of Science and Mathematics.

 

[Tak]

it it too much to ask that we know the truth about 'possums and their tick eating habits?

I don't have time in my life for all this ambiguity on this subject damnit !

 

[lew]

I have enough diatomaceous earth spread around to kill any insects. Opossums are cool, though.

Fence lizards here in the Southwest are magnets for ticks, but their antibodies to Lyme disease are transmitted to the ticks that feed on them, therby killing the microbe responsible for spreading said disease.

 

[alphadog58]

They come around my place regularly. I find possum poop in the driveway.
Many years ago I heard my husky/shepherd mix raising hell outside one night. I go to check it out and he's running circles around a possum curled up on the lawn. Alive, seemingly unhurt and "playing possum". I pick it up by the tail and bring it in the house to show the girls. They freak out and order me out of the house with "that thing". I get the dog in the house and leave the possum in the yard. Ten minutes later he's gone. Fun 'n' games...
Larry

 

[ByronF]

For some reason I would like a possum for a pet. I think they're cool critters.

 

[Gazz]

 

[hardheaded]

Guinea hens are hard on ticks if you can stand listening to them

 

[meltblown]

Cool vid. I wouldn't want to raise one if they only live a couple of years. Too much heartache bonding to an animal and lose it that quick.

 

[Invictus77]

Possums are carriers of equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM) and can transmit this incurable and deadly disease to horses.

I lost a good horse to EPM a few years ago. Since then all possums are shot on sight here, that is if the dogs don't get them first.

 

[ByronF]

Had a big ol'e possum here that would visit my porch a couple years ago. Stopped coming around. I guess it likely died. Smaller critter been visiting the tree line but doesn't come to the porch like Old Fatty.

 

[alphadog58]

Guinea hens are hard on ticks if you can stand listening to them

Had ten for a while, along with a dozen or so chickens of various breeds. Their screeching drove me nuts. One starts, then the rest join in chorus. They wouldn't go in the coop at night, would roost in trees. Laid their eggs all over the place. Good thing that they're delicious...
Larry