Possums, often seen as nocturnal visitors in backyards, are frequently questioned about their digging habits. These marsupials do dig, though their excavation is not as extensive or destructive as that of some other common yard inhabitants. Understanding their digging patterns can help clarify their role in the local environment.
Do Possums Dig?
Possums do dig, but they are not primary excavators that create elaborate burrow systems. Their digging is generally superficial, resulting in shallow scrapes rather than deep tunnels. These disturbances typically appear as irregular patches of disturbed soil, only a few inches deep. Possums prefer to use existing burrows, hollow logs, rock crevices, or spaces under structures for shelter, rather than digging their own extensive dens.
Why Possums Dig
The primary motivation for a possum to dig is to forage for food. Possums are omnivores with a diverse diet that includes insects, grubs, worms, and roots found beneath the soil surface. They use their strong claws to unearth these food sources, especially grubs and earthworms. While not their main purpose for digging, possums may also create or modify shallow depressions for temporary rest or shelter, particularly in areas with dense vegetation or under existing cover. Most of their digging activities occur at night as they search for these buried treats.
How to Identify Possum Digging
Identifying possum digging involves recognizing its specific characteristics and distinguishing it from other animals’ activities. Possum holes are shallow, 3-6 inches in diameter, and irregular in shape, appearing as overturned patches of soil. These holes are found near potential food sources like bird feeders, compost piles, or in lawns where insects are abundant. While possums may leave paw prints with five splayed toes, their digging is less uniform and more focused on shallow surface disturbance compared to the more structured excavations of other animals.
Here’s how possum digging differs from other common animals:
Moles create distinct tunnels and molehills, which are mounds of soil pushed up from underground.
Voles, smaller rodents, dig small, neat holes about 1-2 inches in diameter and create visible runways through grass.
Skunks dig cone-shaped holes in lawns for grubs and insects; these holes are deeper than those made by possums.
Raccoons cause larger, more disruptive digging, often around water sources or trash cans.
Armadillos create distinctive conical holes that are 3-5 inches wide and 1-3 inches deep, often in rows.
What to Do About Possum Digging
Managing possum digging in a yard involves practical and humane deterrence strategies. Eliminate food attractants by securing trash cans, cleaning up fallen fruit, and not leaving pet food outdoors, especially overnight. Blocking access to potential den sites can also help; seal openings under sheds, decks, or porches with sturdy materials like hardware cloth buried several inches underground.
Repellents can discourage possums, though their effectiveness can vary. Natural options include sprays made from cayenne pepper, garlic, or molasses. Applying these to plants or around garden borders may deter them. Motion-activated lights or sprinklers can also startle nocturnal possums. These methods make the environment less appealing without causing harm, encouraging them to seek resources elsewhere.