Opossum Removal

Opossum Removal

Opossums are a very common nuisance animal found in virtually every urban area in the United States. From their unique appearance to their potential for spreading diseases in many different ways, opossums are very misunderstood by most people. Continue reading to learn more about opossums and how you can remove these nuisance animals from your home for good.

What damage do opossums cause?

Have you ever heard of tularemia, rabies, leptospirosis, and many other nasty, potentially deadly diseases? Opossums are widely known to be commonly found carrying these diseases, as well as many other viruses and bacteria that can cause serious, sometimes fatal health issues in humans and their pets. These diseases can be easily spread through feces, sometimes even weeks after the opossum deposited the droppings. Direct bites or scratches from the opossum can be the most direct way of spreading these diseases. Even urine and saliva can spread many of the illnesses. In addition, any small pets, rabbits, or domesticated birds will likely be harmed by opossums, so that is something to be aware of as well. As can be seen, these are not good nuisance animals to keep around your home and property, so it is very important to do something about it as soon as possible.

 How do I prevent opossums?

Preventing opossums can actually be pretty straightforward in most cases. Two of the simplest steps are limiting food sources and limiting shelter sources for these critters. Secure any pet food and garbage so that they cannot be accessed by animals. Pick up any and all fruit or vegetables that have fallen from their trees or plants. Work your way all around your yard picking up sticks, woodpiles, and any other forms of debris, as these are excellent places for opossums to seek food. If you want to effectively keep opossums out of your home and off of your property, a great way to do this is by installing a fence. A fence should completely bar opossums from access to your property.

 How can I trap opossums?

Removing opossums from your home or property might sound pretty easy. Just set a cage trap and call it good right? In fact, opossums can actually be very difficult to remove for a couple of reasons. The first, most important reason is that many times, a mother opossum will have had her young in your home. If you remove the mother, these babies will die slow, painful deaths and smell terrible. The second reason is that many times, opossums catch on to the cage traps and will not get caught in them. For these reasons, it is usually recommended to hire a wildlife removal company to get these critters out of your home effectively and fast.

Why hire New Jersey Wildlife & Pest Control?

Here at New Jersey Wildlife & Pest Control, we believe in helping out homeowners for the lowest prices possible. Our experts have years of experience in dealing with opossums, raccoons, and many other common nuisance animals. At New Jersey Wildlife & Pest Control, we are proud to provide humane animal removal that works fast and will continue to exclude animals for years to come. If you are dealing with opossums and want them removed by professionals, give us a call at New Jersey Wildlife & Pest Control.  

How To Remove Opossums From Under the Shed

Opossums may not seem like a serious inconvenience or danger to your home and the people who reside inside, but they can be if they are interacted with incorrectly. Like much other wildlife, opossums have the ability to spread dangerous diseases and bacteria through contact with humans. They can also be a danger to your pets if they are currently residing outside under your deck, shed, or some other den-like structure they have found.

What are opossums doing in your yard or around your home? Well, they love the access you give them to food sources. The items they enjoy eating are not just limited to actual food items. They will demolish your garden and trash as well. If you provide the food source through your garbage or trash bins, they will find a safe and warm space to reside. Even if it means they must squeeze underneath a deck, shed, or other structure you have outside of your home. They will very often decide to reside in your home if given the option, usually in an attic or basement, but if those shelters are unavailable, they will make do with outside spaces. 

Having an opossum anywhere in your space can cause serious damage. If they are inside your home, they can chew through important or foundational structures or wires they come across in your basement or attic. If they reside outside of your home under a shed or den, they can be a danger to you, your pets, your garden, and can even attract other animals to space. It is vital to have them removed when you discover them. Not completing this promptly can result in serious damage to your space.

If they are outside and under your shed, can’t you just use repellents to deter them and make them want to leave the space? Not necessarily. Opossums are flexible with their needs and what they require. If you provide them access to a reliable food source, they will stick around and typical repellents will not do much to deter them from the space if they are already present. 

If repellents do not work, then what should you do? Repellents should not be disregarded. They may not do much to remove the opossums that are currently in the space, but they can be put in place to prevent further infestations even if you already have a few of the animals present. If the animals are already around, and under your shed or deck, you may need to trap and remove them. Opossums can be dangerous and have pretty serious teeth as far as rodents go, so having a professional complete this for you is the most efficient and usually the safest option. New Jersey Wildlife & Pest Control can complete this removal for you so that your home and family can continue to stay safe.

Because opossums are such serious scavengers, the items that brought them to your space can often be used to help trap and remove them. This includes the food sources and trash that were the attractive parts of your yard or space. Once they are removed, the spaces that they created under your deck or shed need to be properly filled or meshed in to prevent further infestations from occurring in the same space. You need to professionally seal the base of your deck and shed to keep them from making your shed their home once again. 

If you have visitors currently living underneath your shed or deck, you can give us a call to discuss what your options are and what the process will look like. We can come to assess your space and guide you through how we plan to trap and remove the animals. New Jersey Wildlife & Pest Control can assist you in whatever part of the process you are currently in.