Opossums have a bad reputation they don't really deserve. They're shy, slow-moving and generally harmless, and homeowners in Kearny are more likely to spot one crossing the yard at night than to have any real trouble with it. The problem starts when an opossum decides your deck, shed or garage is a good place to live. Below, we'll explain what opossums are, why they settle near homes and why getting one out is best left to a professional. If you have one in residence now, our wildlife removal team can remove it humanely and close up the way in.
What Opossums Are
The Virginia opossum is North America's only marsupial. Like a kangaroo, the female carries her young in a pouch, and later the young ride on her back. Adults are about the size of a house cat, with grayish fur, a pointed white face, dark ears and a long, bare tail.
Opossums are nocturnal and not picky eaters. They eat insects and carrion, along with fruit, garden vegetables, pet food, birdseed and garbage. They don't dig elaborate burrows of their own. Instead, they move into spaces that are already there and move on every so often, which is how they end up under porches and sheds.
Why Opossums Show Up Around Homes
An opossum near your house is usually following food and looking for shelter.
- Food left outside. Pet food bowls, open trash cans, fallen fruit, spilled birdseed and compost piles are all easy meals. Our post on compost bin rats covers how to keep a compost pile from feeding wildlife.
- Shelter. Gaps under decks, porches, sheds and stoops, open crawl space vents, garages left open at night and damaged roof or soffit areas.
- Quiet spaces. Cluttered corners, woodpiles and brush piles give them a place to rest during the day.
Signs An Opossum Is Living On Your Property
Because they're active at night, you'll often see the evidence before the animal:
- Tipped trash cans, scattered garbage or an empty pet dish in the morning.
- Droppings near a deck, shed or garage, often in the same area.
- Tracks with a thumb-like toe on the hind feet that points off to the side.
- Rustling or movement under a deck, porch or floor at night.
- A strong, unpleasant smell near a den, from droppings or old food.
Are Opossums Dangerous?
Opossums are not aggressive, and they'll avoid you when they can. A frightened opossum may hiss, drool and show a mouth full of teeth, or it may fall over and play dead. Both are defensive bluffs, but a cornered opossum can bite or scratch.
The real issues are what comes with a den. Opossums can carry fleas, ticks and other parasites, and their droppings carry germs, so you don't want them living under the floor or in the garage. They also make a mess of trash and pet food. Never handle an opossum, even one that appears dead, and keep children and pets away. If a person or pet is bitten or scratched, see a doctor or veterinarian.
Why DIY Removal Usually Goes Wrong
It's tempting to set a trap or block the hole and call it done. There are good reasons not to.
- It's regulated. Trapping and relocating wildlife is regulated in New Jersey. Doing it yourself can put you on the wrong side of state rules.
- Young may be inside. A female may have young in her pouch or nearby. Sealing a den with animals inside can leave them trapped.
- Sealing too early backfires. An animal shut inside will try to dig or chew its way out, sometimes into your home.
- The opening stays open. Removing one opossum doesn't stop the next animal, whether it's another opossum, a skunk or a raccoon, from moving into the same space.
What A Professional Does Differently
A professional starts by finding how the animal is getting in and whether anything is still inside. From there, humane exclusion is the most reliable approach. A one-way door goes over the main entrance so the opossum can leave at night but can't get back in. Once the space is confirmed empty, the opening is sealed with sturdy mesh buried below ground and bent outward along the base of the deck, shed or porch, so nothing can dig under it.
EcoFusion's NJ DEP-licensed technicians also look for the other gaps that tend to draw wildlife, like crawl space vents and gaps around sheds and stairs. Our home pest-proofing service seals those openings so your property stays closed to the next visitor. We offer a free inspection and same-day or next-day service.
Opossums aren't villains, and in the wild they help clean up insects and carrion. But they don't belong under your deck or in your garage. If you've spotted one settling in around your Kearny home, keep food put away, keep your distance and let EcoFusion Pest Control remove it humanely and seal it out for good.