Opossum Identification & Prevention

Opossums, widely known as "possums," are North America's only marsupial. The primary species of opossum encountered in the United States is the Virginia opossum, and these wildlife critters are known for being omnivores, often invading human structures in search of food, water, or shelter.

Opossums are characterized by their long, pointed muzzles, coarse gray and white fur, slender legs, and long tail. They use their tail to hang or hold onto items. Opossums are also known to carry their young on their back as a way of transportation. 

When they invade your property, professional opossum control is necessary to stop the problems caused by this pest.

While opossums prefer to keep to themselves, an infestation of this critter on your property is dangerous. Opossums may bite or scratch if you accidentally stumble too close to their hiding spots, and this can result in the transmission of bacteria. Diseases that opossums are known to carry include leptospirosis, tuberculosis, and Chagas disease, among many others. 

Opossums may also carry fleas, ticks, and mites in their fur, and while most opossums are resistant to rabies, they can occasionally carry this disease. An influx of opossums around your property tends to create secondary infestations of parasitic pests.

An opossum problem typically occurs on properties with plenty of opossum attractants left out. Items such as unguarded pet food, open trash cans outdoors, long grass, debris piles, and moisture issues that create excess puddles of water all encourage opossums to visit your property and stay nearby for as long as possible.

One of the best opossum control methods is removing the factors that might be attracting this pest to your property in the first place.

Opossums typically hide during the day, as this pest is nocturnal. They will utilize abandoned animal dens, the areas underneath outbuildings, dense piles of foliage and brush, or even crawl spaces to hide. If opossums get inside your property, you may see them around storage areas, garages, basements, or attics.

Professional wildlife control will help you find these hiding spots so all traces of opossums can be removed.

Instead of trusting in DIY wildlife control methods to get rid of opossums, contact BigHeart Wildlife Removal at the first signs of opossums on your property. Our expert technicians will help identify your main problem areas and provide you with tailored solutions that get rid of your opossum problem at the source.

Call us today for a free inspection or to learn more about our opossum control solutions.

Prevent opossum problems in the future by following our expert tips below to keep this pest off of your property for good:

• Remove access to outdoor pet food and cover up trash cans and compost piles to stop opossums from scavenging in these areas.

• Clear outdoor spaces of long grass, debris, and wood piles and fill in abandoned animal dens.

• Seal up gaps around your property's structure and place mesh screens over vented areas near crawl spaces and attics to keep opossums out.

• Install an exclusion fence to stop opossums and other wildlife critters from straying into your yard.

• Utilize the odors of peppermint, vinegar, or garlic around your property to deter opossums who hate these strong scents.

Reach out to BigHeart Wildlife Removal today for more opossum prevention advice or opossum removal you can rely on.