Despite possums being resilient and tolerating consuming different foods, there is an exception when it comes to a few fruits, vegetables, and more. In fact, there is a list of substances that are generally poisonous to possums, harming their bodies in turn. So, it is important to note down all of those foods, ensuring safe possum removal from areas where they might ingest harmful substances and saving them in the process. Thus, if you want a detailed note on a list of foods that are poisonous to possums, then you can read our blog further. By gaining knowledge on this, you can directly protect them from getting killed unnecessarily.
Poisonous Foods That Adversely Affect The Health Of Possums
What foods are poisonous to possums? The answer to your question is here with a detailed explanation.
Citrus Fruits
A few of the citrus fruits are grapefruits, limes, oranges and lemons and all of these contain different amounts of citric acid in them. Excess consumption of these citric acid fruits by possums leads them to face potential health issues, a major problem being digestive tract problems. Possums face upset digestion because of the acidic level consumption, causing an imbalance in the level of acids in their stomach. This in turn causes continuous stomach discomfort and diarrhoea to possums for days together.
Processed Foods
Possums are wildlife species and are generally adapted to natural diets available in the environment. Thus, possums face extreme discomfort in their bodies when they consume processed foods that are usually consumed by humans. So, if even possums consume processed meat unlike their habit of praying on wildlife meat, it is detrimental to their health. Moreover, these processed foods do not balance their nutritional value.
Alcohol
Alcohol is toxic to possums, like most of the animals in the food chain because alcohol has a high content of ethanol. In fact, ethanol causes adverse effects on possums’ central nervous system and a few of their organs, harming their body as a whole. Generally, possums have metabolic issues when it comes to digesting alcohol and indigestion in turn leads them to lethargy, depression and organ failure in severe cases. Therefore, the farther possums stay from alcoholic beverages, the safer their health will be.
Mouldy Or Spoiled Food
Although in search of food, possums consume mouldy or spoiled food, which is detrimental to their health and leads to many health issues. Because mould on any food item produces mycotoxins these substances are generally toxic, causing adverse effects on possums’ health. In most cases of possums consuming spoiled food, they face neurological problems, gastrointestinal issues and organ damage. Once possums consume spoiled food, they experience severe health problems.
Chocolates
In most cases, possums face different health issues at once and sometimes all of them together can even lead them to their death. This is because baking chocolates and dark chocolates contain higher levels of theobromine, which turns toxic when possums consume them. Severe health problems possums face when consuming chocolates are as follows:
- Heart-Related Health Issues: Increase in heart rate, leading to cardiac effects.
- Central Nervous System Problems: Signs Of restlessness and tremors.
- Gastrointestinal Distress: Symptoms such as diarrhoea and vomiting.
- Seizures: Seizures leading to transient irregularities in behaviour, and motor functions (including alternating stiffness and jerking of limbs).
Onions & Garlic
Both onions and garlic contain harmful substances that act as toxins to possum bodies and these can in fact pose a risk to their health. One such harmful substance onions and garlic contain is thiosulphate and this substance destroys their red blood cells. A condition where possums experience the destruction of red blood cells is known as hemolytic anaemia. This in turn leads to a decrease in the number of red blood cells circulating in their bodies. Therefore, possums experience symptoms like lethargy, weakness, having pale mucous membranes and more.
Dairy Products
All dairy products consist of lactose and even the small amount of its consumption by possums puts the lives of possums at risk. In fact, lactose intolerance is seen in most possums that are aged as they produce insufficient lactase enzymes over time. So, once possums start producing less lactase enzymes and consume more lactose food like dairy products, lactose intolerance happens. This in turn upsets their digestive system, causing symptoms like stomach discomfort and diarrhoea to arise.
Junk Food
Junk foods are high in fats, sugars, and salts and lack nutrients, minerals, vitamins and fibre, leading to harm to the physical health of possums. Because possums are adapted to a natural diet like vegetables, fruit, small insects and animals. In fact, once possums start depending on junk food, they become victims of health problems like the following:
- Obesity because of excessive fat intake.
- Dental issues due to consumption of more sugar.
- Nutritional imbalance as possums are taking an unhealthy diet.
- Digestive issues because their body is processing unnatural food items.
Salty Food
Consuming excessive levels of salt leads to dehydration of the body in possums and this is indeed harmful to their health. Known for their dependence on a natural diet, possums consuming salty foods can lead to an imbalance of electrolytes in their bodies. This in turn disrupts possums’ physiological balance, leading to various health issues and one such is kidney failure.
Avocado
Yes, it is true that avocados are harmful food to possums as they contain persin, a fungicide toxin and the higher the level of these toxins, the more risk it poses to possums. Although there are a variety of Avocados, all of them contain a certain amount of persin in them. Thus, whichever Avocado variety possums consume, they experience symptoms such as diarrhoea and vomiting. In fact, not only does Avocado contain persin toxins but also its leaves, seeds and branches.
Conclusion
So, if you are providing any food items to possums lurking in your garden or surroundings, beware of the harmful foods to possums. Yes, they do consume whichever food is edible and tastes good on their tongue, but the best approach to their health is always a natural diet. Moreover, keep monitoring the presence of possums to prevent them from consuming any of the foods we mentioned above. Consumption of dairy products, chocolates, citrus fruits and such causes adverse effects on their central nervous system, digestive system, etc. You can get assistance from professionals to get rid of possums on your property.