This may have something to do with the opossum's low body temperature (94-97º F) making it difficult for the virus to survive in an opossum's body. Whilst it is believed that any warm blooded mammal can get rabies, opossums' body temperatures are generally too low to harbour rabies. It is intended to scare away potential predators, yet it looks just like rabies and is the reason people can be convinced they're seeing rabid opossums when they're not. ANSWER: Answer: Any mammal can get rabies. Rabies. Small rodents are almost never found to have rabies; but a state or local health department should be contacted in all cases of rodent exposure. Raccoons; skunks; foxes; and coyotes are the animals most commonly infected with rabies in the US. Opossums have timid, cute quirks that are easy to appreciate from afar, but these critters can cause significant trouble when they get too close. Many people are under the assumption that opossums carry rabies or have a natural immunity to rabies. This may have something to do with the opossum's low body temperature (94-97º F) making it difficult for the virus to survive in an opossum's body. Just like rats, squirrels, and raccoons, opossums can take up residence in attic crawl spaces or tight corners of your garage. People often mistake the open-mouth hissing and drooling behavior of opossums as a sign of rabies. Potentially, yes, but the reality of risk seems to be much lower. Bites from any of these animals should be considered a potential exposure. Resources However, this is just a bluffing behavior that opossums use as a defense mechanism. Opossums can be another matter. Opossums are amazingly resistant to rabies. Any mammal can carry rabies, as Sunil Bhatnagar answers, below. Hissing, drooling and swaying are part of the opossum's bluff routine. However, this would not be true since all mammals can actually become infected with rabies. Answer: Any mammal can get rabies.However, the chance of rabies in an opossum is EXTREMELY RARE. Opossums also can carry fleas, ticks, mites and lice. Nourredine said the top rabies carriers in our state are in the following order: Racoons - 142 positive case samples in 2018 In fact, rabies is extremely rare in opossums, perhaps because they have a much lower body temperature compared to other warm-blooded animals. This means that they do not become visibly ill as a result of contracting the disease. However, the chance of rabies in an opossum is EXTREMELY RARE.