I have posted about my oppossum many times and she does come out occasionally during the day.
Here is my welcome visitor .. my pups want a piece of her
http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/my-...s-suburbs.html
They are welcome in my yard as they kill things I would rather not have here like bugs and rodents.
Opossum Facts National Opossum Society
As for the concern about rabies:
Question: Do opossums carry rabies?
Answer: Any mammal can get rabies. However, the chance of rabies in an opossum is EXTREMELY RARE. 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.
The above from:
Frequently Asked Questions - Opossum Problems and Solutions