Communication is an important process for virtually every animal on earth. Communication is not only intended to scare away potential enemies, but is used in mating and in communicating with in large groups of the same species.
For example, in many colonies of rats, there can be hundreds if not thousands of rats that live in that colony. This means that a form of communication is necessary to ensure that the rats work together to be able to perform important tasks, such as defense and finding food. It’s one of the reasons why rats have been so successful at migrating and populating virtually any location that human beings have set up residence.
In every kind of species of animal, there is a means for communication that may be different from others. Some types of animals make a clicking noise to communicate. Some screech or make some other kind of oral sound that communicates the message they wish to convey.
In several species of animals there are many different forms of communication that are used. For example, in the cat it will meow if it is in need of something, like food. However, it will hiss at you or another cat if it is relaying a warning to stay away. These kinds of communication become easily understood, not only by other species of cats but by other animals as well.
The possum also has its own form of communication. It is able to relay messages to animals around it as well as to others within the species. Not only does a possum need to communicate to be able to find a mate and begin the reproductive process, but it also needs to warn potential foe that they need to stay away from the possum or risk its wrath. This answers for you the question do possums hiss?
Like a cat, possums use a hissing sound as a warning. When this begins it lets you know that they are quite irritated or mad. Their response is to try to deter whatever animal that is in their way from continuing to harass or annoy them.
While the possum isn’t particularly dangerous in terms of its ability to strike, like a bear per se, but they do have the ability to cause some damage. Possums have very sharp claws and teeth, and they will defend themselves like any other kind of wild animal when some other creature has disturbed them.
We all know that when a possum is originally confronted by a predator its initial response is to play dead. This is usually quite successful in getting the predator to go away. However, this does not always work and so the possum may turn to a hissing noise to try to warn the predator or potential enemy that it needs to go away.
How successful this is really depends upon the animal they are facing off against. Some will be startled and may venture away, while others will turn and continue to fight.
Read more:
Opossum Control,
How to Get Rid of Opossums,
Opossum Feces.