When living in close proximity to wildlife, like we do in Southwestern Ontario… regular wild animal encounters are common. That is why we made this post on “Five Effective Tactics to Keep Opossums Out of Your Yard”. Having an opossum as a pest can be a great nuisance for a homeowner trying to create a fun, safe, and healthy environment for their family.
It is not easy to prevent opossums from passing by and taking up space in your yard. These animals are scavengers and often cover a very large territory while breeding in large numbers. A single female opossum can give birth up to three times a year, with each litter having between 18 and 25 babies.
As such, any method you employ to help keep opossums away has to be a very good one. If you allow this critter to get comfortable in your backyard, removal in the future may become very difficult and expensive.
Protrap is a top-rated wildlife control and pest management company that provides humane ways to get rid of possums in your home. If you need effective animal removal services, call 226-350-7378 right now, and a technician will be dispatched to your location.
How to Tell You Have an Opossum Around Your Yard
Unlike many other small rodents and burrowing animals, opossums do not dig their own dens. As such, do not expect to wake up in the morning to the tell-tale signs of excavation like a mole or gopher. They simply move into existing burrows or make a home for themselves under wood decks, or in compost heaps, brush piles, or neglected trash.
Opossums are very active at night, so the most common way to detect their presence is to hear them rummaging around after dark. You may also bump into one outside its den or notice a foul odour from its urine and feces. Usually if you have any outdoor pets, you will find them stealing food and water from their bowls.
Are Opossums Dangerous?
Opossums are not particularly dangerous in the sense that their first instinct is to run away or play dead when caught unawares rather than attack. Also, despite popular opinion, opossums are highly resistant to rabies and will not likely pass this disease on to you, your family, or your pet.
Having said that, their scavenging activities, vicious-looking appearance, and foul odours when they defecate or play dead mean that having a family of them around the yard can be quite unpleasant. Their urine also carries bacteria that can infect humans and pets with leptospirosis.
They will also not get along well with your dogs or cats, meaning it is better to keep them away as much as possible. If you suspect you have these critters in your yard, be sure to call an opossum removal service immediately to resolve the situation.
Five Ways to Get Rid of Opossums
Knowing what kind of food opossums like, where they prefer to live, and what environmental conditions they cannot stand is the first step in your quest to deter this critter from returning to your home.
The following are five effective ways to keep opossums and similar wildlife pests, such as the raccoon, away from your yard:
1. Keep Garbage Can Lids Secured
Usually, the smell of decaying kitchen trash is one of the things that will attract opossums to your yard. That is why when you first encounter them, they are usually in and around the garbage bin area. As such, if you want to discourage opossums from entering your yard and home, this is the best place to start.
Some of the most effective control methods require you to keep your trash bins securely closed and to dispose of any garbage regularly. Opossums are omnivorous, so whatever you throw away from your kitchen, they will try to eat. As such, you need to deter opossums by cutting off their main source of food.
2. Light up the Yard
Bright lights are very effective at keeping opossums away from your home. They prefer dark hiding places during the day and will move around in the shadows at night. Using a motion-activated security light in the problem areas you have identified is a very effective deterrent.
3. Remove Open Food Sources
If opossums fail to find food in your trash cans, they will try to steal pet food or whatever crumbs you may be leaving in bird feeders. As such, you need to make sure to keep dog bowls and feeders empty after your pets have eaten their fill. Dealing with an opossum requires a meticulous level of cleanliness when it comes to food scraps and leftovers.
4. Seal Points of Entry
Another method you can use to try and keep your home and yard free from opossums is to seal off any entry points you can identify. However, this is easier said than done since opossums are skilled climbers who will try to go over any fence that you erect around your yard.
Here, you may have better success if you simply want to prevent entry directly into your home. You can close any gaps with chicken wire that is at least 4 feet high. Make sure there is no space under the fence, or the opossum will simply crawl its way through.
5. Add Scents and Traps to Your Yard
Opossums hate the smell of ammonia or mothballs, so either of these can be used as an effective repellent. If you have a garden and want to deter any opossums in your yard, you can mix some peppermint oil with water and use a sprinkler to distribute the solution around your home.
Other smells that opossums hate include onion, garlic, vinegar, and camphor. If all else fails, you can set traps around the yard to capture the critters when they come out to scavenge.
A Good Animal Removal Company Can Help
The problem with most of the DIY solutions above is the animal usually returns, especially if it has learned where to get food from. The absolute best way to rid your home of opossums is to hire ProTrap your local wildlife removal company. Only a pest management professional can assess the situation and determine the best opossum control methods to use.
If you visit the ProTrap website often, you can learn how to get rid of a wide range of pests in your yard. If you need animal removal now, hit the “Contact Us” button, or call the numbers above and help will be on the way! Trust the top-rated animal removal company in Ontario across Windsor-Essex & Chatham-Kent, and get rid of opossums once and for all.
