Opossums usually aren’t a major threat, but when they become a nuisance around homes and businesses, GGA can help remove them.
Virginia opossums are nocturnal marsupials that can be identified by their pointed snouts, grayish-white faces, and hairless prehensile tails. Unlike other animals or rodents, they are solitary and nomadic creatures that do not establish permanent nests or colonies. In most cases, an opossum found around or in your home is using the area as a temporary shelter before moving on.1
That being said, certain conditions can cause opossums to remain on a property longer than you’d like. If they aren’t leaving on their own, the safest way to remove them is with professional opossum pest control.
Because opossums don’t usually nest long-term, the risk of severe property damage or danger to people is lower compared to other pests. However, they are still wild animals and can create several issues, including:
If an opossum has decided to rest on your property, you’ll likely find them in crawl spaces, garages, sheds, or under decks. To build their dens, they mostly use natural materials like leaves, twigs, grass, and dirt, but may also use available household trash and debris such as plastic bags and paper.
The spread of this type of clutter into or around your home can be a nuisance to clean and can cause strong odors from their urine, feces, and decaying nesting materials.
Opossums can carry dangerous diseases such as leptospirosis, salmonella, toxoplasmosis, and coccidiosis, which affect both humans and pets. These are mostly spread through direct contact with their urine or feces. The most concerning diseases, however, such as flea-borne typhus or tularemia, are spread when an opossum is infested with fleas, ticks, mites, and lice.
When opossums move away from your property, any abandoned den materials, food scraps, or waste can be extremely attractive to other insects, rodents, and animals. Especially if the pest has opportunistic habits, they’re likely to take advantage of the shelter and resources left behind.
Opossums are nocturnal animals and most active at night. When nesting indoors, their movement sounds like scratching, rustling, thumping, or scurrying. This type of nighttime wildlife activity can be disruptive to your sleep and creates a sense of unease for many people.
Unfortunately, some opossum exterminators view these animals as dangerous when, in reality, they are generally timid and prefer to avoid confrontation. In most situations, they are far more likely to flee, hide, or “play dead” than attack.
At GGA Pest Management, we believe all wildlife should be handled responsibly and humanely. Our team is committed to safe opossum removal and relocation practices that protect your property and the animal itself.
Below, you’ll find helpful information to help you understand opossum behavior, recognize what attracts them to properties, and learn safe, effective ways to discourage them from returning:
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If you need help safely removing an opossum from your property, trust GGA Pest Management.
Our teams understand opossum behavior and the conditions that attract them to homes and businesses. We’ll create a targeted removal and exclusion plan to resolve the current issue and help prevent future activity by sealing entry points, cleaning affected areas, and providing personalized recommendations.
Contact us today for a full property inspection.
With GGA Pest Management, you're not just another number; you're a valued customer who deserves meticulous care and effective results. Our team offers professional, reliable, and comprehensive pest management services for every job we undertake.
Opossums don’t usually “infest” homes or businesses like other insects and rodents, but there are several signs that one may be temporarily in your space. These include:
Yes, many pest control companies can help remove opossums from your property, but it’s important to keep up on preventative care. There’s always the possibility of more finding their way to your home, but if entry points are properly sealed and food or shelter sources are removed, they’re less likely to stay.
The best way to get rid of an opossum in your yard is to clean up food, water, and shelter attractants. If they’re staying on your property or getting inside, humane trapping and relocation by a pest professional is usually the safest and most effective option.
If you hire a pest control company with humane wildlife services like GGA, the opossum removal process will usually follow a trapping, monitoring, and exclusion strategy similar to this:
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