We have them all over the place here on Long Island. I always thought they ate worms and bugs.

DH called 'Animal Control' because we thought he might be injured (or dead) and a rep came out instantly - said he was fine - just hiding and staying cool. He said yes, they eat mostly bugs, worms and insects but likely no vegetation unless vegetables. But not hosta leaves or roots.

We'll let him overstay his welcome.

Westy

Raccoons dig and eat crops. They will pull waterlilies right up out of their pots and chomp on the rhizomes and then toss them aside....they are smart, strong and secretive but they leave a big mess behind. They were rolling up my Aunt's lawn like it was fresh sod to get at grubs underneath. What they've done to my ponds over the years could fill a book.

Possums have a good set of teeth on them, don't think they can see too well. They are marsupials like kangaroos are, so a female could be carrying babies around inside her pouch. And then the raccoons....they tore into a screened porch and helped themselves to a 25 lb bag of dog food, and the second night they drug it outside on the back steps. Also, I lost a parrot to coons, nothing left but the upper beak and one eye, and it freaked me out. Be very cautious about coons....they carry rabies. Don't have the nicest manners in the world. When I find the bird baths full of muddy water, I know the coons have come for a midnight snack.

I was sitting on the patio last night with our outdoor cat in my lap, and a young possum came strolling up right by my foot and started eating the unfinished food out of the cat's dish. I put the cat down and he looked at the possum, then up at me like "so......what?" I guess he's seen possums before, no big deal for him. The possum just looked back at that cat and meandered off. No fear, for the cat or me.

I see them in the yard quite frequently, even had to step over one adult one that was on my steps and would not get out of the way. They have done no damage to either the yard, ponds or garden that I have seen.

They drink out of the woods pond right in front of me when I am sitting on the bench, sometimes I think they raid the compost pile for kitchen scraps, but that may be the raccoons.

I have no problem with them here, but like any wild animal where humans have taken over habitat, there is always potential for trouble.

Sandy