Do Opossums Bite?

Opossums, also known as possums, are generally not aggressive animals and are unlikely to bite unless they feel threatened or cornered. However, like any wild animal, they may bite if they are provoked, scared, or feel the need to defend themselves. Opossums are more likely to hiss, growl, and show defensive behaviors such as baring their teeth or playing dead (than biting) when faced with a perceived threat.

Do Opossums Bite Cats?

Opossums are generally non-aggressive and prefer to flee when threatened. Biting is most likely when an opossum feels cornered or cannot escape—such as when a cat approaches it in a confined space like under a deck, in a garage, or inside a shed.

Protecting Young: Female opossums may become more defensive if they are carrying or protecting their young. A mother opossum confronted by a curious or predatory cat may bite in an attempt to protect her babies.
Surprise Encounters: Sudden close encounters, especially at night when opossums are most active, increase the likelihood of a defensive bite. Cats often stalk or pounce on wildlife quietly, which can startle an opossum.
Food Competition: If an opossum is eating or guarding a food source—like pet food left outdoors, garbage, or birdseed—it may bite a cat that approaches too closely. Hunger and resource defense can heighten aggression.
Injured or Sick Opossums: Opossums that are ill, injured, or weakened may be more irritable and prone to biting as a defense mechanism when approached.

Repeated attempts by a cat to swat, chase, or corner an opossum can provoke a bite, even if the opossum’s initial instinct is to escape.

Do Opossums Bite Dogs?

Opossums are naturally non-aggressive and prefer to escape rather than confront. However, bites are most likely if a dog corners or surprises an opossum in a tight or enclosed space, such as under a porch, in a garage, or inside a shed.

Protecting Young: Female opossums with young are more likely to bite in defense. If a dog approaches a mother with babies in her pouch or nearby, the opossum may perceive a threat and bite to protect her offspring.
Food-Related Conflicts: Opossums scavenging pet food, garbage, or birdseed may bite if a dog attempts to take the food. Resource defense, especially when the opossum is hungry, increases the likelihood of biting.
Surprise Encounters: Dogs often investigate wildlife using scent or sudden movement, which can startle an opossum. Quick, close approaches—especially in the dark when opossums are most active—can trigger defensive biting.
Injury or Illness: Opossums that are injured, sick, or weakened may be more irritable and prone to biting when approached by dogs.
Persistent Harassment: If a dog repeatedly chases, cornered, or pins an opossum, the animal may eventually bite in self-defense, even though its first instinct is to flee.

While opossums are not highly territorial, extreme stress from aggressive dog behavior can provoke a bite as a last resort.

Do Opossums Bite People?

Opossums are naturally shy and non-aggressive toward humans. Bites usually occur only if a person corners an opossum or handles it, leaving the animal with no escape route.

Direct Handling: People attempting to pick up, capture, or move an opossum—especially without protective gloves—may be bitten defensively. This is the most common situation for human bites.
Protecting Young: Female opossums with babies in their pouch or nearby can become defensive. If a person inadvertently comes too close to a mother opossum, she may bite to protect her offspring.
Surprise Encounters: Sudden encounters at night, particularly when a person is unaware of the opossum’s presence, can provoke a bite. Opossums may perceive quick movements as a threat.
Injury or Illness: Injured, sick, or weakened opossums may be more irritable and prone to defensive biting when approached.
Repeated Harassment: Attempting to provoke, tease, or repeatedly approach an opossum can lead to a defensive bite, even though the animal’s first instinct is to flee.
Food-Related Situations: Bites can occur if a person tries to remove food the opossum is eating, such as pet food left outdoors or garbage. The opossum may defend its resource if it feels cornered.

Why Do Opossums Bite?

Opossums, marsupials belonging to the family Didelphidae, are generally not aggressive animals and do not bite humans unless they feel threatened or cornered. Their biting behavior is primarily a defensive mechanism rather than an aggressive one. Here are some reasons why opossums might bite:

Perceived Threat: Opossums have a natural instinct to protect themselves when they feel threatened. If an opossum perceives a human or another animal as a potential predator, it might bite in an attempt to defend itself.
Cornered or Trapped: When opossums feel cornered or trapped, they might resort to biting as a last-ditch effort to escape. This behavior is common when they are caught in confined spaces or confronted in situations where they cannot easily flee.
Protecting Offspring: Female opossums can become aggressive if they feel their young (joeys) are in danger. A mother opossum might bite to protect her offspring from potential threats.
Pain or Injury: Opossums might also bite if they are injured or in pain. When in discomfort, they might lash out defensively if approached by humans or other animals.
Territorial Behavior: Opossums are territorial creatures. If they feel their territory is being invaded, they might exhibit defensive behavior, including biting.

While opossums can bite, they are not typically a significant threat to humans. Avoiding close contact with opossums and giving them space is the best way to prevent bites. If you encounter an opossum in your vicinity and are concerned about its presence, it's a good idea to contact a professional pest control service. We can provide expert advice on safely managing possums and other wildlife.

Opossum Bites

Opossum bites are relatively uncommon because opossums are generally non-aggressive and tend to play dead or flee when threatened. However, when they do bite—usually as a defensive reaction—they can cause injuries that vary in severity:

Bacterial Infection: Opossums carry bacteria in their mouths that can infect bite wounds. Common infections include Staphylococcus, Streptococcus, and Pasteurella species. Signs of infection may appear within 24–48 hours and include redness, swelling, warmth, pus, and increased pain at the bite site.
Tetanus: Any puncture wound, including from an opossum, carries a risk of tetanus if the person’s vaccination status is not up to date. This risk is higher with deep puncture wounds that introduce bacteria into tissue.
Leptospirosis: Though rare, opossums can carry Leptospira bacteria in their saliva or urine. If the bacteria enter the bloodstream through a bite, it can cause fever, muscle aches, and in severe cases, liver or kidney damage.
Allergic or Local Reactions: Some individuals may experience exaggerated swelling, redness, or itching around the bite due to an allergic reaction to opossum saliva.
Minor Trauma: Opossum bites usually produce small puncture wounds, but depending on location, they can damage tendons, ligaments, or small blood vessels, particularly in fingers or toes.
Psychological Stress: Even when medically minor, a bite can cause anxiety, fear, or stress due to the sudden nature of the injury or concern about infection.
Secondary Complications: If a bite wound is not cleaned and monitored properly, secondary infections can develop, potentially requiring antibiotics, wound care, or even minor surgical intervention in severe cases.

Most opossum bites are minor and can be managed at home with proper cleaning, but any bite that breaks the skin should be treated carefully to prevent infection. Serious complications are rare, and rabies is almost never a concern.

Do Opossums Have Rabies?

Opossums have an extremely low risk of carrying rabies due to their low body temperature and robust immune system, which make the virus unlikely to survive or replicate in their bodies. While no animal is completely immune, documented cases of rabid opossums are exceedingly rare, and public health authorities generally consider them a negligible rabies threat. Unlike raccoons, bats, or skunks, opossums are not typical vectors for the disease, so the main concern with their bites is bacterial infection rather than rabies.

What Do Opossum Bites Look Like?

Opossums have sharp, canine-like teeth that create small, distinct puncture marks when they bite. Typically, a bite will leave two pairs of punctures from the upper and lower canines. These marks may appear in a roughly triangular or rectangular pattern depending on the bite angle.

Size and Spacing: The puncture wounds are usually small, about 2–4 millimeters in diameter, and spaced approximately 1–2 centimeters apart. This can help distinguish opossum bites from those of larger predators or dogs.
Tissue Damage: While opossum bites rarely produce large lacerations due to their relatively weak jaw strength, they can still tear the skin slightly or cause small abrasions around the puncture sites. Deep tissue penetration is uncommon but possible in smaller extremities like fingers or toes.
Bleeding and Bruising: Minimal bleeding typically occurs immediately after the bite, though slight oozing may continue for a short period. Swelling and minor bruising can develop around the puncture sites within a few hours.
Signs of Infection: Because opossums carry bacteria in their mouths, untreated bites can develop redness, warmth, and pus within 24–48 hours if infection occurs. The surrounding skin may become tender and inflamed.
Differentiation from Other Animal Bites: Opossum bites are often confused with small dog or cat bites. Key distinguishing features include the small size of punctures, weak tearing force, and absence of extensive bruising or claw marks.

Any opossum bite should be thoroughly cleaned with soap and water and evaluated by a healthcare professional, as opossums can carry diseases such as leptospirosis, though the risk of rabies is extremely low.

What To Do If An Opossum Bites You

If you get bitten by an opossum, it's important to take prompt and appropriate action to minimize the risk of infection and complications. Here's what to do if you're bitten by an opossum:

Clean the Wound: Wash the wound gently but thoroughly with soap and warm water. This helps remove any dirt, debris, or potential contaminants from the bite. Use an antiseptic solution, hydrogen peroxide, or iodine to further cleanse the wound and reduce the risk of infection.
Control Bleeding: If the bite is bleeding, apply gentle pressure with a clean cloth or sterile bandage to stop the bleeding. Elevating the wound can also help reduce bleeding.
Apply an Antibiotic Ointment: Apply a topical antibiotic ointment to the wound to prevent infection. This can also keep the wound moist for proper healing.
Cover the Wound: Cover the wound with a sterile bandage or dressing to protect it from further contamination. Change the dressing daily and watch for signs of infection.
Seek Medical Attention: Regardless of the size of the wound or severity of the bite, it's advisable to seek medical attention. Opossum bites can introduce bacteria into the wound, leading to infections such as cellulitis. A healthcare professional will assess the wound, provide appropriate treatment, and may prescribe antibiotics to prevent or treat infections.
Watch for Signs of Infection: Keep a close eye on the wound for signs of infection, such as increasing redness, swelling, warmth, pus, or worsening pain. If you notice any of these symptoms, contact your healthcare provider.
Update Tetanus Vaccination: If your tetanus vaccination is not up to date or you're unsure, your healthcare provider may recommend a tetanus booster shot, especially if the wound is deep or contaminated.
Report the Incident: If the opossum bite occurred in an area where opossums are not typically encountered, consider reporting the incident to local wildlife authorities. This information can help monitor potential changes in opossum behavior or population.
Remove Opossums: The most reliable way to prevent opossum bites in the future is to remove the opossums from your property. To do this, you can attempt DIY opossum removal, or contact our team to learn more about our professional opossum control services and schedule a free inspection.

Opossum bites are rare, and opossums are generally not aggressive towards humans. However, taking prompt and thorough action after a bite is essential to ensure proper wound care and prevent potential complications. Always consult a healthcare professional for personalized advice based on the specific circumstances of the bite.