Do you ever wonder if possums could take on one of nature’s deadliest creatures, the snake? If so, do possums eat snakes or are they just natural enemies?
In line with that, you may also wonder if snakes are a part of a possum’s diet. Let’s take a closer look at what a possum consumes on a daily basis.
Do Possums Eat Snakes?
Do you wonder how possums could have lived for centuries without going extinct? The main reason is its adaptability- possums have expanded their dietary options so they could continue thriving in today’s world.
Possums are known to eat snakes, and a good variety of them too. However, they will probably eat any edible matter that’s in close proximity rather than having to go out of their way to hunt food. If there’s a snake around, then you can bet that possums will try to kill them for lunch or dinner.
On the other hand, these marsupials are perfectly happy to dine on insects, vegetables, and grains if they’re on hand. It’s believed that possums even eat carrion or dead animals that have been left out in the wild.
Possums and snakes are natural enemies, but possums do not always win when it comes to fighting them. Sometimes snakes win, especially if they’re bigger or if they’re pythons.
Are Snakes Part of a Possum’s Diet?
Snakes are indeed part of a possum’s diet. It’s believed that possums are selective to the type of snakes they eat and generally avoid boa constrictors, vipers, and pythons in particular. Some of the snakes possums love to eat are cottonmouths, copperheads, American rattlesnakes, prairie rattlesnakes, and eastern coral snakes, among others.
It’s worth noting that possums act more like scavengers, which means they won’t look for a particular food when hungry. Possums tend to eat ‘easy’ food, such as snake eggs or younglings when they chance upon a snake’s nest, or smaller creatures such as mice, frogs, slugs, snails, birds, and fruits. When left with little choice, possums are known to go through a trash bin or take away pet food that’s left outside.
What’s interesting is that opossums have a level of immunity when it comes to venom and snake bites, which could explain why they could go toe-to-toe with a deadly snake and live to tell the tale.
The possum’s blood has a special property that nullifies most snake venom, but they probably won’t survive if they lose a lot of blood or are squeezed to death.
Can Possums Eat All Snakes?
Possums, in theory, can eat all snakes, including ones that are bigger than them. However, these wise creatures will rather not go through the trouble and will probably ‘play possum’, or act like they’re dead to avoid a possible confrontation.
All snake meat is edible to possums, and they will prefer a dead snake or a young one compared to an adult or fully grown specimen. Big snakes have a tendency to turn the tide on them and make possums the prey instead of the predator.
Possums are immune to rabies as well, which explains the creature’s propensity to mice and small rodents. If they can’t get a snake then possums are likely to settle for smaller and weaker creatures, even ones that appear similar to them.
Ticks and ants are part of a possum’s menu as well, as are leftover food scraps and debris left by humans.
Possums can be beneficial to humans as they reduce rodent and tick populations and prevent possible diseases. However, it’s not a good idea to invite a possum into your yard or garden as they will likely eat your vegetables and edible plants.
Related Article: Do Possums Eat Rats?