They're tick-eating machines

Opossums are opportunistic eaters, which means they consume both plants and animals as they come into contact with them. For a quick and simple meal, they will often dig through our trash or break into containers containing food. According to the National Wildlife Federation, a single opossum can consume as many as 5,000 ticks in a season in places where ticks are common.

Opossums are meticulous groomers and eat almost all of the ticks they remove from their bodies, which is why they ingest so many ticks. According to the wildlife federation, opossums really consume more than 95% of the ticks that attempt to feed on them. They control a variety of unpleasant things in addition to ticks. Cockroaches and small rodents like rats and mice are also eaten by opossums. They also occasionally consume carrion or dead animals.