What to do about opossums (2024)

FAQs

What to do about possums? ›

If there is an opossum in your backyard, don't worry. They aren't a threat and more than likely will be moving on in a short while. The best way to keep them from visiting is to have tight-fitting lids on garbage cans and not to leave any pet food outside overnight.

Contact your local Opossum Society of the United States (OSUS) member, wildlife rehabilitator, veterinarian, state department of wildlife or animal control for assistance. Always check first to make sure they do not euthanize all opossums.

However, it is very crucial to keep the possum warm and kept covered in a quiet stress free container with air holes and lined with a pillow case and something warm until a wildlife rescuer arrives and the opossum can be transported to your local wildlife rehabilitation center.

If they are inside your house, you can either shoo them out the way you might a cat, or you can create a good exit route, by closing all the doors except for the exit. It's best to wear heavy gloves and to not get too close, but the chances of them attacking you is very slim.

Opossums seldom stay in one area for more than a few nights, so fear of them "taking over" an area should not be a concern. Occasionally a mother with babies might stay longer, but will leave after a brief period as well.

Making a loud noise or playing loud music usually is enough to get the animal to retreat off your property.

The nocturnal opossum is attracted to our neighborhoods by the availability of water, pet food left out at night and overripe, rotting fruit that has fallen from trees. The opossum in turn helps keep our neighborhoods clean and free of unwanted, harmful garden pests and rodents, which may carry diseases.

Possums are transient creatures by nature and will generally leave on their own within a couple of weeks. By following the steps above (unless you already have an opossum in your home) most possums will leave the area as their needs will no longer be met on your property.

In addition to ammonia and mothballs, possums will also steer clear of odors of vinegar, garlic, onion, peppermint, and camphor. These strong scents are often used as natural repellents to keep opossums away from gardens, trash cans, and other areas where they may be unwanted.

How do you get rid of possums fast? ›

There are several ways to kill an opossum, including the use of gun, traps, poison, or even clubbing. Whatever method you decide is suitable, be sure to wear protective gloves while carrying out the act. These animals carry transferable disease parasites and vectors.

Opossums are scavengers. They move from place to place in search of good food sources and a comfy place to sleep. are beneficial for helping to control the overpopulation of snakes, rodents, and insects. Opossums act like little vacuum cleaners when it comes to ticks, including those that spread Lyme disease.

The young are weaned at approximately 3 months of age and are on their own at 4 1/2 – 5 months when they are approximately 7-9 inches long from nose to rump, excluding the tail. In a few months they will reproduce and continue the fascinating life cycle of the Virginia opossum.

What Are They Doing? While most of their foraging happens at night, opossums can occasionally be seen in the daylight. If food is scarce, they will spend as much time as necessary to locate it, scavenging at all hours. This is especially true during harsh winters.

A nocturnal animal, it spends the day in a den in a hollow branch, tree-trunk, fallen log, rock cavity or even a hollow termite mound. Brushtail Possums prefer to live by themselves, not with other possums. The Brushtail Possum moves rapidly among trees and will leap from one branch to another.

Opossums are awake and grooming between 6:00 PM and 8:00 AM, with most types of other activities occurring between 10:00 PM and 8:00 AM. The opossums spend the rest of the day, 8:00 AM through 6:00 PM, resting or sleeping. Psychon. Sei., 1969, Vol.