In this article, we will talk about Can You Eat Possum?
How many times have you asked yourself Can you eat a possum?
What if I told you that possum tastes great?
The reality is you can eat possum, but it’s not something that I would try unless I was starving in the wilderness and had no other options.
In this article, we are going to tell you about possum meat, what it tastes like, how to prepare it, and if you should ever consider eating it.
Can you eat Possum?
Humans can eat possums, but there are some caveats.
First of all, a possum is an umbrella term for a wide variety of small and mid-sized marsupials that live in Australia and North America.
Some North American possums are almost rat-sized, while others have short fur and resemble rabbits or guinea pigs.
All possums have thick brown or gray fur on their bodies with white stripes along their backs and sides.
What Does Possum Meat Taste Like?
If you’re wondering what possum meat tastes like, it’s a good thing you found us first—because we can answer that question with absolute certainty.
While some animals make fine table fare—think rabbit, duck, or quail—possums are not one of them.
They don’t taste good at all and should be avoided at all costs if possible.
If you’re dead set on trying possum, there are places in America where it is legal to do so but we recommend against it for obvious reasons.
Unfortunately, we have no data about how to cook possum meat because no one wants to eat it!
What Diseases Can You Get From a Possum?
One of the first questions people ask when they think about possums is, Can you eat a possum?
While possums are not commonly eaten in North America, possum meat can be sold as long as it has been inspected and processed by federal or state meat inspectors.
Only certain parts of a possum can be eaten, so even if you have a recipe for delicious possum stew, there are still some obstacles to overcome before you cook your new dinner.
If you do find yourself with some fresh-killed possums and no better plans for them, these instructions will help ensure that your dinner doesn’t give you more than just an empty stomach.
Let’s take a look at whether or not you can eat possums.
How Do You Cook Possum?
There are over 70 species of possums living around Australia, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, and many Pacific islands.
To understand how to cook possum, you need to know which type you’re dealing with first.
The brushtail possum is found across Eastern Australia and eats leaves, flowers, and fruit.
It’s about 50cm long including its tail and is mostly herbivorous.
The common ringtail lives in Western Australia, Northern Territory, and Queensland and is smaller at between 30cm to 50cm (including tail).
It eats insects as well as fruit trees such as eucalyptus.
The cuscus is found in Northern Australia but there are no records of it having ever been eaten by Aboriginal Australians because of its foul-smelling meat when it’s dead or alive.
How Do You Kill a Possum Quickly?
The first step to killing a possum quickly is locating it.
Depending on how much of a nuisance it has become, you may want to go after it with a spray bottle or a baseball bat.
If you just want to get rid of it, lay some traps and be patient: there’s no need to resort to physical force right away.
But if you have children in your home who could be hurt by an attack or an infestation is driving you crazy, take care of business fast.
Whatever method you choose, make sure you kill the possum—humanely if possible—as soon as possible; shooting them or drowning them may not do much good if they crawl away before dying.
Also, Read – Fish Senses And How Fish Use Them To Survive
Health Benefits of eating possum
Eating possum provides a wide variety of health benefits.
For example, eating possum helps to reduce obesity and reduces obesity-related illnesses.
Furthermore, eating possum can help to lower cholesterol levels in your body and makes it easier for you to have healthy skin.
Eating possum has also been shown to have antioxidant properties that can help your body fight off free radicals and cancer cells.
Additionally, eating possum is known for its ability to treat high blood pressure in humans.
Although there are many health benefits associated with eating possum, people who plan on doing so should keep one important thing in mind;
if you are going to eat an opossums best diet plan is a diet that is low in carbohydrates and high in protein.
How to trap a possum
Here’s a fun fact: in Australia, possums are considered pests and there is a $5 bounty on each one that gets caught.
And, much like us over here in America, Australians enjoy eating possum meat.
So how do they catch them?
With clever devices known as possum traps.
A simple cage with bait inside, once you trap a possum it will eventually stop kicking and get comfortable enough to fall asleep before being released far away from your property.
Conclusion about Can You Eat Possum
Possums are not necessarily poisonous, but they are certainly NOT good to eat.
Aside from many of them being rabid, possums also carry parasites that can make you very sick.
While some people claim that cooking possum meat can get rid of some of these parasites, it’s generally not worth risking your health for a single meal.
It is true that possums have fat reserves like many animals do; however, since their fat content is so low (1%), eating them won’t do much in terms of nutritional benefits.
In fact, it may even be difficult to obtain any fat from them at all!
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