ickplant

Opossum Fact: Opossums do not eat ticks

https://lemmy.world/post/44551271

Mar 21 at 2:14pmWeb
Show threadickplantMar 21

Just FYI, I got a lot of flak for mentioning this fact in opossum communities on social media sites. No one wants to believe that they aren’t these amazing tick-eating heroes.

I say they are still heroes and prevent a lot of disease and nastiness! They just don’t eat ticks.

Show threadLilDumpyMar 21

There are more social media opossum communities than this one?

Where? I must know.

Show threadickplantMar 21
You’ll be disappointed because it’s Facebook groups and Instagram accounts. And they are starting to be overrun with AI images. So I focus on wildlife rescue accounts more since they will just post pics of animals in their care.
Show threadthisbenzingringMar 21
they don’t really live in the same environments, so concluding the the opossums ate them all was lazy
Show threadHubertManneMar 21
they don’t. we have forest preserves with deer and deer ticks and possums. I mean I would call that the same environment. coyotes and racoons and such to.
Show threadI_Fart_GlitterMar 21
I read the study a long time ago, it was to do with tick covered opossums. Also, I’ve got both in my yard.
Show threadPapaStevesyMar 21
Uh yeah they absolutely live in some of the same environments, what are you talking about? They both live in the Midwest US for sure.
Show threadthisbenzingringMar 21
well it’s definitely situational because in Washington State they don’t
Show threadPapaStevesyMar 21
Having done very minimal research, yes they do. Just because you don’t see them hanging out doesn’t mean they’re not there. Here’s the opossum’s range, at least three of these ticks live in the same region.
Wild Mammals of North America

Winner of the 1984 Wildlife Publications Award from the Wildlife Society, the first edition of Wild Mammals of North America (published in 1982) offered zoologists, naturalists, wildlife specialists, and students detailed information about the biology, conservation status, and management of 57 mammalian species and species groups, with contributions from 100 of the leading authorities. Now thoroughly revised to reflect new biological research and approaches to wildlife conservation and management, the second edition of this "essential volume" (Wildlife Society Bulletin) continues to provide the most current and comprehensive data on the distribution, physiology, ecology, behavior, commercial value, and viability of nongame species including bats, woodrats, prairie dogs, and armadillo, the whales, seals, and sireians, as well as carnivores, furbearers, and big game species.

Google Books
Show threadMrQuallzinMar 22
I’ve seem more than my fair share of possums here
Show threadI_Fart_GlitterMar 21

If you’re on the US west coast, Western Fence Lizards are your Lyme disease fighting heroes.

…jstor.org/theres-something-about-lizard-blood/

There’s Something About Lizard Blood - JSTOR Daily

The blood of western fence lizards has the ability to neutralize Lyme disease in ticks—so why aren’t scientists bottling it to sell at the grocery store?

JSTOR Daily
Show threadmystrawberrymindMar 21
This is so amazing, my mind is blown!! Gonna share this with everybody. Also that lizard pic as if it’s laughing is perfect😁
Show threadI_Fart_GlitterMar 21

My best fence lizard pic. They’re friends!

Show threadmystrawberrymindMar 21
Too cute! :)
Show threadhumble_boatsmanMar 22
The very end of this article stares possums are immune to Lyme disease and will pop them like m&ms when attacked… Are possums not the same as opossums?
Show threadMinnesotaGoddamMar 22
so about lizard blood. do i have to eat the lizard blood or get the lizard blood on me to become immune to limeys
Show threadI_Fart_GlitterMar 22

Oh no… it’s been 12 hrs…

You alright?

Show threadMinnesotaGoddamMar 22

You alright?

i mean this is me we’re talking about.

Show threadcaseyweedermanMar 23
Oh, no, that part actually means you need to have lizard ancestry. A common misconception.
Show threadMinnesotaGoddamMar 23
fuck. i merely tried injecting ground lizard tail. i, uh, had an interesting few hours.
Show threadcaseyweedermanMar 23
That could still work. Depends on where you injected it.
Show threadYiddishMcSquidishMar 21
Learned this a few years ago and caught shit for trying to spread the truth too. People before a happy lie it seems.
Show threadchonglibloodsportMar 22

I say they are still heroes for being awesome marsupials living in North America. Not very many of those! It also doesn’t hurt that they’re super cute and rather comical in their expressions! I also don’t mind that people seem to be afraid of them, even though I know they’re harmless.

Us humans in our warm and cozy houses and apartments forget how brutal the elements of nature can be. All that rain and snow and tempestuous wind; all that humidity and blistering heat. Nature remains a very difficult place to survive in, even when you’re an awesome marsupial well-adapted to the local conditions. Climate change, logging, construction and encroachment into habitats; we humans put even more pressure on our four-legged friends!

Show threada_non_monotonic_functionMar 23
I think you may have misjudged the opossum communities. You didn’t just expect them to roll over and play dead with this new info, did you?
Show threadstringereMar 24
oh you…
Show threadAeriMar 21
The pro possum propaganda is acceptable as it increases their PR.
Show threadace_of_basedMar 21
Possum PR predicated on prevarication? preposterous!
Show threaddeceiverMar 21

She found worms, a French fry, broken glass, and a mostly undigested shrew

really does paint a vivid picture of the opossum’s whole vibe - just an absolute gremlin waddling through life eating whatever, completely unbothered

Show threadgaloisghostMar 21
You can’t just ask them to their faces. Of course they’re going to deny it.
Show threadsad_detective_manMar 21
Wait really? Because I just recently made a joke which would look really stupid in retrospect
Show threadJimbabweMar 21

Hey everybody!! sad_detective_man made a joke based on debunked scientific data!! What an absolute BUFFOON

Let’s all agree right here and now to never let this guy live it down. He is irrevocably besmirched. Way to throw your life away, kid.

Show threadsad_detective_manMar 21

My death by firing squad approaches

Show thread🇰 🌀 🇱 🇦 🇳 🇦 🇰 🇮 Mar 21
Tagging them now as “Doesn’t know shit about Opossums”
Show threadsad_detective_manMar 21
Show threadbetterdeadthanredditMar 21
Glad somebody is out there checking on this stuff. Lazy science really ticks me off.
Show threadfinallymadeanaccountMar 22
That’s the most horrified opossum expression I’ve ever seen!
Show threadcandyman337Mar 22
They forgot to account for oppssoum ticks georg
Show threadteyrnonMar 22
Boo, fuck off to this source. There are always possum haters that want to kill them all that deny they eat ticks and kill their stupid chickens.