Ever spot an opossum drooling and wonder what’s going on? Turns out, opossums have a pretty clever reason for it.
They drool heavily to make predators think they’re sick or just plain gross, hoping to avoid getting attacked.
Usually, you’ll notice the drooling when the opossum feels scared or threatened. It’s just one part of their whole defense routine—think wide-open mouth, maybe even playing dead.
So, if you catch an opossum drooling, it’s not sick; it’s just trying to stay safe. Wild, right? Opossums have some pretty fascinating tricks up their sleeves.
Want to dig deeper into their weird and wonderful survival tactics? Check out opossum defense techniques.
Understanding Why Opossums Drool
Opossums drool for a few reasons. Sometimes it’s all about their defense tricks, and other times, it just means they’re scared or stressed.
If you know why, you’ll get a better sense of what makes these marsupials so unique.
Playing Dead: The ‘Playing Possum’ Response
When an opossum gets really scared, it might suddenly flop over and go limp. People call this “playing possum.”
While it’s lying there, you’ll often see it drooling a lot. But don’t worry; it’s not sick or rabid.
The drooling just happens when it enters this deep, faint-like state to fool predators into thinking it’s dead.
Sometimes this act lasts a few minutes, sometimes a couple hours. While “playing dead,” the opossum even releases a nasty smell so it’s even less appealing.
Honestly, it’s a pretty rare move, but it works well for them in the wild.
Defense Mechanisms Against Predators
Opossums use drooling as one of their tricks to avoid danger. If a predator shows up, you might see the opossum hiss, bare its teeth, or even growl.
The drooling often happens along with these behaviors, but it’s really just for show.
Opossums, being North American marsupials, prefer sneaky tricks over actual fights. The drool isn’t dangerous—it’s just a way of saying, “I’m not worth the trouble.”
If you spot one making these weird faces, there’s no need to worry.
Signs of Stress or Fear in Opossums
When an opossum feels stressed or frightened, it may start drooling too. This usually happens if something surprises it or if it feels trapped.
Unlike dogs or cats, relaxed opossums don’t drool much, so if you see extra saliva, it’s time to back off and give it space.
You might also notice the opossum swaying or making hissing noises. These signs mean it’s uncomfortable and just wants to be left alone.
If you watch for these hints, you’ll know when to keep your distance and let it calm down.
For more info on these behaviors, you can check out this explanation on how opossums use drooling as a defense.
Health and Disease Considerations Related to Drooling
Most of the time, when you see an opossum drooling, it’s just doing its thing to stay safe—not because it’s sick. Still, it helps to know what illnesses they can carry, especially if you have pets or care about the local environment.
Potential Diseases Transmitted by Opossums
Opossums can carry some diseases, but honestly, they’re less likely than other wild animals to spread serious infections to people. For example, rabies isn’t common in opossums because their body temperature is usually too low for the virus to survive.
They can carry leptospirosis, though. This bacterial disease spreads through their urine and can infect people or pets if they touch contaminated water or soil.
It’s smart to avoid touching an opossum’s saliva or drool, just to be safe. You can read more about disease risks from opossums at Didelphis spp. opossums and their parasites in the Americas.
Interactions With Pets: Dog and Cat Veterinary Insights
If your dog or cat runs into an opossum, the drooling is almost always just a scare tactic—not a sign of rabies. Opossums open their mouths and drool to seem sick, hoping to freak out predators.
This behavior itself isn’t dangerous. But sometimes pets can pick up ticks or fleas from opossums, and those can cause problems your vet should check out.
If your pet starts acting oddly after meeting an opossum, you might want to visit your vet just in case.
To keep pets safe, try to limit their unsupervised outdoor time where opossums live, and stay up to date with flea and tick treatments. For more tips, visit Are Opossums Dangerous? Everything You Need to Know.
Opossum’s Immunity to Lyme Disease
Opossums do a surprisingly good job at controlling ticks, which spread Lyme disease. They’re always grooming themselves and end up eating a lot of ticks—honestly, more than most other critters.
So, if you’ve got opossums hanging around, you might actually have fewer ticks near your home. Their habits make a big difference, even if you don’t notice it right away.
David Suzuki and some other wildlife folks point out how important opossums are for keeping things balanced in nature. Next time you spot an opossum drooling or playing dead, maybe pause and appreciate that they’re probably helping protect you from Lyme disease—without any thanks at all.
