How To Get Rid of Opossums

Opossums are the only marsupials that live in North America. Like other marsupials, their young develop in an exterior pouch like kangaroos rather than inside a womb within a placenta.

They’re omnivores that will feed on almost anything. But because they have so successfully adapted to human environments, they can easily become nuisance animals in urban settings or even in neighborhoods where they forage through trash cans.

Despite their adaptability, opossums are slow runners with poor eyesight, which is why they are easily run over by cars. When they are alive, however, they can disturb pets and create a racket outside while going through garbage. They can become a pest issue on your porch or inside your basement, attic or crawl spaces.

All opossums range about 21 to 36 inches long, measured from nose to the tip of their tail. They’re similar in size to a cat or a small dog. Some of their more identifiable characteristics are their pointed head and pink nose, a long, hairless tail, and hairless, pointy ears. Their mouths contain 50 small, sharp, teeth. They also feature opposable thumbs on their hind feet.

• Breeding season is almost year-round, from January through mid-November
• Litters usually consist of six to nine pups
• Born 12 days after breeding, the opossum’s pups crawl into the mother’s pouch to continue developing
• Venture outside the maternal pouch at 60 to 70 days old and fully leave within 80 to 90 days.
• Remain with their mother for three to four months
• Average lifespan ranges from one to two years

Opossums can transmit leptospirosis, coccidiosis, tularemia, tuberculosis, and toxoplasmosis when they scratch and bite. Contact with their feces and urine also puts humans at risk for these diseases. As they known to “play dead,” steer clear of one whether you believe it is alive or not.

Opossums are scavengers and will eat just about anything. They are attracted to overflowing or odorous trash cans, uncovered compost heaps or other containers that you may have outside. They like to set up their habitat near water or moist areas. If you live near a pond, drainage ditch or sewer, you’re more likely to see opossums on your property.

Because of their size and activity, you will probably hear the signs of an opossum infestation before you see them.

Opossums are known to scratch while they’re looking for food and will make hissing and screeching noises. If you’ve also noticed property damage and signs of your trash being picked through, it’s time to perform a full inspection so you can be certain that opossums are the pest you’re dealing with.

• Trash left outside of the can, with clear signs of tampering
• Scratch marks on the outside of your home and garbage cans
• Foul odors
• Disappearing pet food
• Tracks with opposable thumbs
• Nesting materials inside holes, cracks, logs, brush, or even inside your attic or basement

If you’re already dealing with an opossum problem, your first step is remediation. Sanitize your property and remove all of the things that attract opossums.

Food sources like your trash and hiding places like logs can be easily sealed off or removed. For other attractants like gardens or the cozy crawl spaces under your house, you may need to take further steps toward warding off opossums and preventing future infestations.

• Schedule outdoor maintenance and inspection at least once a month for yourself or a professional to do.
• If you ever hear scratching noises or any other suspicious sounds around your house, immediately inspect your property yourself or call someone to do so.
• Opossums can “play dead,” so even if you see one in your yard that looks like it might be dead, keep a safe distance and continue to monitor it.

Motion-activated tools like outdoor lights and sprinklers aren’t usually huge investments, and they can help keep away a variety of intruders. Any time opossums creep toward your yard, the lights or sprinklers will kick in and startle them, causing them to scurry away.

Sonic repellents can exist in a variety of forms, either requiring you to place them in your ground or setting them up near your house. They’ll emit either a high-frequency noise or sonic vibration that opossums can’t stand, causing them to turn away. These products usually also come with a motion sensor. This method isn’t advisable if you have outdoor pests, since you could scare away your own cat or dog while they’re outside.

Despite their bad eyesight and slow running, opossums can create an enormous mess in yards. Known for eating almost anything, they get into trash and create a foul smell with their feces and urine.

Because they can transmit a variety of diseases to people and pets, it is important to address any opossum issue promptly.

Fortunately, there are many treatment and prevention methods you can use to get rid of opossums on your property and prevent them from coming back. These methods can be used on your own, or a professional wildlife expert can also use them for you in order to save time and effort.

Signs of opossums on your property will include trash that has been tampered with, scratch marks on garbage cans, droppings, foul odors, and disappearing pet food (if you keep any outside). Once you know you have opossums in your yard, you can use some specific and targeted treatment methods to stop them in their tracks and prevent others from coming onto your property.

After you’ve purchased a live trap, be sure to fully read the instructions so you understand how to use it. There are a variety of traps that come in different sizes, but most traps usually work with spring-loaded or one-way doors.

At night, place the trap either near areas where opossums feed (most likely near your trash cans or garden), or near any nesting area you’ve been able to find. You should only leave the traps out at night since opossums are nocturnal and you’ll avoid trapping diurnal animals which you aren’t trying to catch.

Place some bait inside of the trap. Opossums really aren’t picky, but this can be a trial-and-error process to tempt them while also not attracting other animals to the trap. Some ideas for bait include dog or cat food, fish, meat, or fruits.

Camouflage the trap with grasses, leaves and twigs. This will make the trap even more appealing by turning into the type of hollow shelter they like to hide inside.

Keep your outdoor pets away while the trap is in use. Especially if your bait is pet food, it’s best to keep them inside the entire time rather than risk trapping and possibly injuring them.

Check the trap every day. If an opossum dies of dehydration inside the trap, its carcass will attracts other animals and pests and create a host of other pest problems for you.

Check your state’s laws regarding opossum trapping before you take it away to set it free. There may be certain restrictions on where you can release them, or there may even be helpful information from your state regarding the best places to do this.

Place a small ball or toy inside the trap along with the bait. Once inside, the opossum will probably play with it out of boredom and frustration, tiring them out for you to be able to take them away easily.

DIY methods can be a game of trial and error. A wildlife control expert will target eradication and prevention using tried-and-true practices and top-of-the-line products. This could even save you money since the professional will likely solve the problem with one strategy versus you buying a multitude of products on your own to figure out what works. Furthermore, many wildlife removal companies offer guarantees that they’ll continue treatments until the problem is resolved.