Urbanization has forced many wild animals to live in the same spaces that humans do, they have come to eat foods that humans eat, or rather, foods that humans throw in the garbage.

However, not all human food is good for possums. So, do possums eat bananas? This article looks into it

Possums do eat bananas, bananas are packed with a variety of vitamins and minerals which are great for a possums’ health. They are also delicious to possums. 

Do possums eat bananas? 

Possums in the wild eat a diet of leaves, fruits, flowers, and insects. Eating anything other than their natural diet is not the best for these animals. In fact, eating foods that aren’t meant for them can cause them to develop very serious and life-threatening illnesses.

Thankfully, bananas are food that these animals can eat and do eat

Are bananas good for possums?

Bananas are a sweet delicious food to possums. Not only are they great-tasting, but they also offer a variety of nutrients to possums as well. So yes, bananas are good for possums

Bananas are packed with a variety of vitamins and minerals which will benefit possums. This food is a good source of vitamin C, various antioxidants, potassium, vitamin B6, phytonutrients, and sugar 

Note: When feeding bananas to possums it is important not to overfeed this fruit to the animal. This food is high in sugar, too much sugar is not healthy for these little animals. 

Are bananas bad for possums? 

Bananas aren’t necessarily bad for possums but they can be.

Pesticide and insecticide poisoning are risks of possums eating bananas. Pests love eating bananas, to combat this, banana crops are sprayed with insecticides and pesticides to keep these pests at bay. These sprays are not good for possums.

These sprays can kill wildlife, possums included, they can also cause these animals to become sick. Pesticides and insecticides aren’t designed to be ingested by anyone, especially not wildlife.

The effect that these products can have on a possum differs depending on the amount and type of pesticide consumed. 

One way to go around this pesticide and insecticide problem is to feed these animals peeled bananas. Giving them this ensures that no insecticides or pesticides are ingested by the animal.

Another option is giving possums organic bananas to eat. 

Can possums peel bananas? 

Possums can technically peel banana peels but they likely won’t, videos online show humans feeding possums bananas with the peel removed but these animals will happily much on bananas with or without the peels. 

Do possums eat banana peels? 

Possums may have opposable thumbs which would, in theory, allow them to peel bananas like humans do before eating them, but if these animals were to eat a banana, they would simply bite the whole fruit, skin and all. 

Can baby possums eat bananas? 

Baby possums cannot eat bananas. When these animals are babies they latch onto their mothers to survive, the mother supplies the babies with milk and the babies’ mouths are fused shut on her teat. This ensures that they don’t get separated easily.

Possums of this size cannot eat anything else, their bodies aren’t able to digest solid foods like bananas or even mashed foods. Solid foods can only be introduced to these babies when they are weaned off of their mother’s milk at about 80 days old. 

Conclusion: 

In conclusion, yes possums do eat bananas, this food is packed with vitamins and minerals that will boost a possum’s health, they are also sought after because they are delicious.

Just as with any animal, a possum will likely eat a banana by biting the whole fruit, skin included. Baby possums are not able to eat and digest bananas

If you enjoyed this article then you may also be interested in other possum related articles. Here are some articles that you may be interested in: Are Possums Dangerous To Cats?, Can Possums Eat Meat?, Can Possums Eat Apples?, Can Possums Eat Cat Food?, Where Do Possums Nest?