Opossum Removal: Are They Dangerous & How to Get Rid of Them

You spotted a gray, rat-like animal the size of a house cat waddling across your yard at night — or worse, you found one hissing at you from under your deck. Opossums are North America's only native marsupial, and they're increasingly common in suburban and urban environments.

The good news: opossums are generally less dangerous than most wildlife. The bad news: they still cause real problems when they take up residence in or around your home. Here's what you need to know.

The Virginia opossum (Didelphis virginiana) is the only opossum species in North America. Adults weigh 4–14 pounds and measure 24–40 inches including their prehensile tail. They're opportunistic omnivores that eat almost anything: insects, rodents, carrion, fruit, garbage, and pet food.

Opossums are nomadic by nature — they rarely stay in one location for more than a few days unless they find a particularly attractive food source or denning site. This nomadic behavior is both good news (they may leave on their own) and bad news (they'll keep returning if attractants aren't removed).

Opossums are drawn to:

• Unsecured garbage cans — Their primary urban food source
• Pet food left outdoors — A reliable, easy meal
• Fallen fruit — Fruit trees drop significant food in late summer and fall
• Compost piles — Open compost is an opossum buffet
• Bird feeders — Spilled seed attracts opossums at night
• Grills — Grease and food residue

Opossums seek dark, enclosed spaces for denning:

• Under decks, porches, and stoops
• Under sheds and outbuildings
• In crawl spaces
• In attics (accessed through damaged soffits or vents)
• In wood piles and brush piles

This is the most common question — and the answer is more nuanced than a simple yes or no.

Opossums have an extremely low body temperature (94–97°F) that makes it nearly impossible for the rabies virus to survive in their tissue. While not impossible, rabies in opossums is exceptionally rare — far rarer than in raccoons, bats, foxes, or skunks. This is one genuine advantage opossums have over other wildlife.

Opossums are not aggressive by nature. Their primary defense is "playing dead" (thanatosis) — going limp and appearing deceased to deter predators. However, a cornered opossum will hiss, bare its 50 teeth, and bite if it feels threatened. Bites require medical attention and a tetanus evaluation.

While rabies risk is low, opossums can carry:

• Leptospirosis — Bacterial infection spread through urine, dangerous to humans and pets
• Salmonella — Present in droppings
• Tuberculosis — Rare but documented
• Fleas, ticks, and mites — Opossums are hosts for significant numbers of ectoparasites

Opossums can injure cats and small dogs in defensive encounters. They also compete with outdoor cats for food and territory.

Opossums denning under structures cause:

• Accumulation of droppings and urine that creates odor and attracts other wildlife
• Damage to insulation in crawl spaces
• Potential damage to HVAC ductwork in crawl spaces
• Destruction of garden beds and vegetable gardens

When severely threatened, opossums enter an involuntary catatonic state that can last minutes to hours. The animal goes limp, its eyes glaze over, it emits a foul-smelling fluid from anal glands, and its body temperature drops. This is not a conscious choice — it's an involuntary neurological response.

Do not assume a motionless opossum is dead. Do not approach, handle, or attempt to dispose of it. It will recover and may bite when it does.

A technician inspects the property to locate all denning sites, identify how the opossum is accessing the area, and assess the extent of any damage. Under-deck and crawl space access points are mapped.

Opossums are captured using cage traps baited with fruit, cat food, or marshmallows. Traps are placed at den entrances and along travel routes. Because opossums are nomadic, trapping is usually resolved within 2–5 days.

After removal, all entry points are sealed with appropriate materials:

• Hardware cloth (1/4" or 1/2" galvanized mesh) around deck perimeters and under porches
• Concrete or mortar for foundation gaps
• Commercial sealant for smaller gaps

Exclusion without trapping first is counterproductive — you risk sealing an opossum inside.

A technician will identify and advise on removing the food and shelter attractants that drew the opossum to your property in the first place. Without addressing attractants, new opossums will move in within weeks.

• Mothballs — Ineffective as a repellent and toxic to soil and groundwater
• Ammonia-soaked rags — Temporary at best; opossums habituate quickly
• Bright lights — Opossums adapt to light within days
• Ultrasonic devices — No scientific evidence of effectiveness

• Removing attractants — The single most effective long-term strategy
• Securing garbage cans with bungee cords or locking lids
• Bringing in pet food at night
• Exclusion fencing around gardens (2-foot hardware cloth with a 6-inch outward-facing lip at the top)

However, if an opossum is already denning under your structure, exclusion without removal first will trap it inside — creating a worse problem.

Call immediately if:

• An opossum is denning under your deck, porch, or shed
• You find an opossum in your attic or crawl space
• You have pets that have had contact with an opossum
• You find opossum droppings inside or near your home
• DIY attempts haven't resolved the problem

Wildlife Removal Specialists provides humane opossum trapping and exclusion across 32+ service markets. We remove the animal, seal the entry points, and advise on eliminating attractants — so the problem doesn't come back.

Call (800) 319-1556 for a free inspection and written quote.

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