While opossums might not be the cutest animal you’ll ever encounter (depending on who you ask, of course), they’re not nearly as mean or as viscous as they seem. Opossums use their scary snarl and loud hiss to scare away predators, but it’s really just a big bluff! Opossums are actually quite shy and aren’t aggressive toward humans or pets, and in fact they can’t bite or attack well at all. If their scary act doesn’t work, they will usually try playing dead. They really are much more afraid of you and your pets than you are of them. 

Even though the opossum doesn’t want to hurt you or your pets, you still probably do not want him moving in on your property, and that is perfectly understandable. Here are some tips to keep these critters at bay.

Exclusion, exclusion, exclusion

Start by searching your property for any opossum dens. You’ll want to look around the perimeter of your property and especially around porches and under decks. If you find any dens, wait until a few hours after dark (that’s opossums will be out roaming around) and then fill it in with straw, leaves, or even crumpled up newspaper. This is a humane method because if an adult opossum is indeed still in the den, he or she will be able to climb out but be very unlikely to return. After a few days, check to see if the den has been disturbed. If not, check if any young are inside (it’s not likely, but you never know). Once you’re sure the den is opossum free, you’ll want to seal it up. Digging a trench and putting in hardware cloth is a great method for sealing.

Make your property unattractive (to opossums, of course!)

There was a reason the opossum decided your property was the place to be, so you need to figure out what made it so attractive. Is your garbage lid loose? Maybe the opossum smelled the food in there and decided your home was the best buffet in town. Do you feed pets outside? Again, if the opossum finds an easy source of food, or even just the possibility of easy food, they are more likely to hang out. Make sure your garbage lids are tight, you feed pets indoors, and don’t have any food laying around outside.

Despite what you may have heard, opossums rarely have rabies. That drooling mouth is just to scare you away. If you find opossums have decided to move into your home and you need help with removal, call the trained professionals at Attic Solutions to safely and humanely evict them. The specialists at Attic Solutions are qualified experts in opossum removal and fixing any damage they may cause.