It’s time we set things straight about opossums. While they are notorious for pilfering through trashcans and raiding chicken coops, these mischievous marsupials are way cooler than they let on. Here are five facts about opossums that you may not know:

It’s easy to think opossums fall in the same category as rats and other rascally rodents, but they’re more closely related to kangaroos. And, like their kangaroo kin, baby opossum are referred to as “joeys.” They’re omnivores with a serious set of teeth. Virginia opossums have 50—that’s more than any other North American mammal. Another cool thing about the Virginia opossum? It’s the only marsupial found in the United States and Canada. Despite what you may have heard, the chance of opossums carrying rabies is pretty slim. Opossums have a low body temperature coupled with a strong immune system, so it’s hard for any infection to last long. They aren’t a young species, evolutionally speaking. Opossums have been around since the days of dinosaurs.