How to Avoid Attracting Opossums to Your Home

Opossums may be famous for being the only marsupial that lives in North America, but you aren’t likely to start welcoming them into your yard or home any time soon. This creature is easy to recognize due to the snowy white face and the long pink, hairless tail. The body is often gray, brown, or black. Their tail can be used to hang from trees or carry around some food.

Since opossums were originally only found in South America, they are considered an invasive species. However, they aren’t doing much more than being a nuisance in most areas. They tend to scavenge for food, and they will break into your garbage cans, garage, or even your home to find something to eat. Outdoor pets will often find an opossum digging in their food bowl, and these marsupials are happy to raid your garden if you have any fruits or vegetables growing.

While annoying, they can also be a hindrance to your pets as they can carry parasites in their droppings. Plus, if they attempt to break into your house, garage, or shed it usually involves chewing through your siding and drywall. Sometimes they can even die inside your walls or in your crawlspaces, especially if they accidentally chew through a little bit of electrical wiring. A rotting animal inside one of your walls can definitely be considered a biohazard.

Keeping the Opossums Away

When it comes to pests, it is always easier to prevent them than it is to get rid of them which is why we wanted to share a few tips for keeping opossums out of your yard and your home. One of the best things you can do is not have any food sources available which will attract them. Don’t leave pet food on the patio or in the shed and clean up the bowls as soon as your animals have eaten. If you have a garden, pick up any of the rotting vegetables and fruits right away. Don’t leave apples to rot on the grass after they have fallen from the tree.

There are several repellents on the market. Some of them are supposed to have scents that act as a repellant, and others have scents that the opossums will think are predators in the area. The reviews are mixed on whether these types of sprays have much effect. There are motion-activated sprinkler repellents that seem to be the most effective, as they start spraying water when they are activated. However, if you have a very large yard or garden, the sprinklers will simply train the opossums on the particular spots in the yard to avoid.

Opossum Removal

If you already have an opossum problem, the best thing to do is have the animals humanely removed. At SWAT Wildlife, we specialize in removing pest animals safely and humanely, and we can also help animal proof your home so that the pests do not become a reoccurring problem. We are happy to help you get rid of a few lingering opossums!