The Virginia opossum (Didelphis virginiana) is North America’s only native marsupial. This highly adaptable mammal is known for its opportunistic scavenging habits, allowing it to thrive in diverse environments, particularly near human settlements. Opossums frequently visit backyards and urban areas in search of readily available sustenance. This proximity often leads to questions regarding their consumption of unusual items, and a common query concerns pet waste. This article addresses the specific feeding behavior of opossums toward dog feces and the associated health considerations for homeowners and pets.
The Opossum’s Dietary Habits
Opossums are classified as generalist omnivores, meaning their diet is extremely broad and changes based on seasonal availability and habitat. Their natural foraging includes a wide range of items such as insects, snails, slugs, small rodents, eggs, carrion, berries, and various fruits. This adaptable feeding strategy allows them to exploit nearly any food source they encounter, whether in a forest or a suburban landscape.
The opossum’s preference tilts toward high-calorie foods that require minimal effort to obtain. In urban environments, this frequently translates to raiding unsecured garbage cans and consuming pet food left outdoors. This flexibility demonstrates that the animals prioritize energy intake and survival over a specific menu.
Addressing the Specific Scavenging Behavior
The direct answer is that yes, opossums will engage in coprophagy, which is the act of consuming feces, including that of dogs. This behavior is not a preferred dietary choice but rather a form of opportunistic scavenging driven by necessity, particularly when other food sources are scarce. For a foraging opossum, dog waste represents a low-effort source of energy and nutrients in times of limited resources.
Modern commercial dog foods are formulated to be highly nutritious, and the canine digestive system is not perfectly efficient at absorbing every component. As a result, dog feces often contain a significant amount of undigested material, including grains, protein, and vitamins. This residual nutritional content makes pet waste an attractive option for an animal focused on maximizing its caloric intake.
Health and Safety Concerns
The consumption of dog feces by opossums creates a biological pathway for parasite and pathogen transmission within the local environment. Dog waste frequently contains parasite eggs, such as hookworms (Ancylostoma caninum) and roundworms (Toxocara spp.), which an opossum can ingest and then potentially shed through its own droppings. While opossums are notably resistant to the rabies virus, they are known to be reservoirs for a wide variety of other parasites.
The opossum’s feces itself can pose a risk to domestic animals and humans. Opossums can carry the protozoan Toxoplasma gondii, although they are not the primary host, and also shed the protozoan that causes Equine Protozoal Myeloencephalitis (EPM) in horses. When an opossum consumes waste containing parasites from a domestic animal, it can become a carrier, contributing to environmental contamination and the spread of zoonotic diseases.
Preventing Opossum Access to Waste
The most effective way to eliminate this scavenging behavior is to remove the attractant entirely from the environment. Homeowners should practice immediate and thorough cleanup of all pet waste in their yards, ensuring no feces remains accessible overnight. This minimizes the window of opportunity for nocturnal foragers like the opossum.
Securing all other potential food sources is an important step in deterring opossums from the property. This includes securing garbage cans with tight-fitting lids or storing them in a shed or garage. Pet food and water bowls should be brought indoors every evening, as these are highly appealing targets for an opportunistic animal.