Give an opossum space
Opossums are wild animals, not tame pets. Give one room because a threatened wild animal could bite or attack.
Opossums
Understand opossums near the beach
The opossum stands 6 to 8 inches at the shoulder and weighs 4 to 7 pounds. It has a grayish white coat and a hairless prehensile tail. The opossum is about the size of a house cat. Opossums are abundant in every county in South Carolina and thrive in woodlands, farmlands, and residential areas. Opossums are common in urban areas, drawn to garbage, pet food, and cultivated fruit.
Sources checked 2026-08-24: South Carolina Department of Natural Resources opossum species guide (opens in a new tab) and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission opossum profile (opens in a new tab) and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service wildlife help guide (opens in a new tab) and South Carolina Department of Public Health rabies guide (opens in a new tab) and National Park Service feeding wildlife guide (opens in a new tab) and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service feeding wildlife guide (opens in a new tab) .
Four choices
Leave a still opossum alone
A threatened opossum enters a catatonic state that confuses an attacker. Give the opossum plenty of time and space to wake up unless it has an obvious injury.
Secure food and trash
Secure garbage cans and take pet food in at night. Human food is not part of a wild animal's diet.
Respond to a bite or scratch
If a wild animal bites or scratches you, care for the wound and contact a healthcare provider.
What this page covers
This record makes no Surfside Beach sighting claim, local frequency claim, local rabies case claim, case count, season claim, or den claim.
It gives no health diagnosis, death diagnosis, removal promise, rescue instruction, hunting instruction, trapping instruction, legal penalty, or phone number.
Source: South Carolina Department of Natural Resources opossum species guide (opens in a new tab) · Source: Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission opossum profile (opens in a new tab) · Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service wildlife help guide (opens in a new tab) · Source: South Carolina Department of Public Health rabies guide (opens in a new tab) · Source: National Park Service feeding wildlife guide (opens in a new tab) · Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service feeding wildlife guide (opens in a new tab)
Opossum questions
- Is an opossum near the beach dangerous?
- Opossums are wild animals, not tame pets. Give one room because a threatened wild animal could bite or attack.
- Source: National Park Service feeding wildlife guide (opens in a new tab)
- Is a still opossum dead?
- A threatened opossum enters a catatonic state that confuses an attacker. Give the opossum plenty of time and space to wake up unless it has an obvious injury.
- Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service wildlife help guide (opens in a new tab)
- May I feed an opossum?
- Do not feed an opossum. Human food is not healthy for wild animals and is not part of their natural diet.
- Sources: National Park Service feeding wildlife guide (opens in a new tab), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service feeding wildlife guide (opens in a new tab)
- What should I do after an opossum bite or scratch?
- Care for the wound and contact a healthcare provider.
- Source: South Carolina Department of Public Health rabies guide (opens in a new tab)