Have you spotted an opossum scurrying across your yard at night? You’re not alone. These nocturnal creatures often find their way into residential areas, causing headaches for homeowners, gardeners, and property managers alike. This blog will guide you through understanding opossums, detecting their presence, and implementing effective control methods, ensuring your property remains opossum-free.

Call 804-292-0156 for Licensed Opossum Removal and Control in Richmond Virginia

Get to Know the Virginia Opossum (Didelphis virginiana)

Opossums are North America’s only marsupial. Known for their nocturnal habits, these creatures are omnivores, feeding on anything from fruits and insects to small animals and garbage. Their adaptability makes them common in both rural and urban areas. While opossums can play a role in the ecosystem by controlling pests, they become nuisances when they invade human spaces. They may forage in garbage cans, create nests under decks, and even prey on ornamental plants.

Top Signs of an Opossum Infestation

How do you know if opossums have made themselves at home on your property? Look for these telltale signs:

Tracks and Droppings: Opossums leave behind distinct tracks and droppings. Their footprints show five-fingered impressions, while their droppings are typically dark and cylindrical with pointed ends.
Noises at Night: If you hear rustling, scratching, or other noises at night, it might be due to opossums. They are nocturnal and usually active after sunset.
Damage to Structures: Check for signs of gnawed wood, disturbed insulation, or damaged screens. Opossums often seek shelter in attics, basements, and under decks.

Health and Safety Concerns

Opossums can pose several health and safety risks. They are carriers of various diseases such as leptospirosis, tuberculosis, and tularemia. Their droppings may harbor parasites like fleas and mites, which can infest pets and humans. Additionally, opossums can cause significant property damage by chewing through electrical wires, insulation, and wooden structures. Their presence can also attract other predators, creating a more significant issue on your property.

Prevention Strategies

To deter opossums, consider the following prevention strategies:

Secure Trash Cans: Use sturdy, sealed trash cans to prevent opossums from scavenging. Store garbage indoors until collection day whenever possible.
Remove Food Sources: Clean up fallen fruit, pet food, and birdseed from your yard. These easily accessible food sources can attract opossums.
Block Entry Points: Inspect your property for potential entry points. Seal gaps under decks, porches, and sheds. Install screens over vents and chimneys to keep opossums out.

Humane Removal Methods

If opossums have already invaded, humane removal methods are essential:

Natural Repellents: Certain scents, like garlic, ammonia, and predator urine, can deter opossums. Place these repellents around your property where opossums are active.
Professional Wildlife Control: For a guaranteed and humane approach, contact a professional Richmond animal removal service. They have the expertise to remove opossums safely and efficiently.

Wildlife Control Legalities

Understanding local ordinances and regulations is crucial before taking action. In some areas, it is illegal to trap and relocate wildlife without a permit. Always check with local authorities or wildlife organizations to ensure compliance with the law. Professional wildlife control services are often well-versed in these regulations and can handle the legal aspects for you.

Post-Infestation Guide

After removing the opossums, take steps to prevent their return:

Repair Damages: Fix any structural damages caused by the opossums. This includes sealing holes, repairing gnawed wires, and replacing damaged insulation.
Regular Inspections: Conduct regular inspections of your property to identify and address any new entry points. Keep an eye out for signs of opossum activity.
Use Opossum Deterrents: Continue using natural repellents and maintain secure trash cans and food sources to keep opossums at bay.

Conclusion

Opossums might be a part of the natural ecosystem, but they can cause significant problems when they invade human spaces. By understanding their habits, detecting their presence, and implementing these strategies, you can effectively control and remove opossums from your property. Timely and humane intervention is key to ensuring the safety and well-being of your home and garden.

If you are looking for professional and reliable wildlife control for these nocturnal nuisance critters, you are in the right place. Contact Virginia Wildlife Pros at 804-292-0156 for opossum removal and control in Richmond and its surrounding counties. Our team is dedicated to helping you maintain an opossum-free environment with expert care and effective solutions.

A Nightly Foraging Adventure

As the sun sets and most of the world goes to sleep, opossums come alive. These creatures are strictly nocturnal, which means that they spend their days sleeping and their nights actively foraging for food. With a diet that consists of everything from insects and small animals to fruits and vegetables, opossums have developed a versatile and opportunistic approach to finding their next meal. Using their keen sense of smell, they can locate food even in the dark, which is aided by their long snouts and whiskers that help them navigate through their surroundings.

Multi-Tasking Masters

While foraging may be the main priority for opossums at night, it’s not the only task on their to-do list. Opossums are skilled multi-taskers, and they use their nightly hours to fulfill a variety of other essential activities as well. From grooming and socializing with other opossums to marking their territory and building nests for shelter, these creatures have a busy schedule to keep up with every night.

Playing Dead

One of the most fascinating and well-known abilities of opossums is their unique survival technique – playing dead. When threatened, opossums have the ability to go into a state of shock that makes them appear dead to predators. This helps them avoid danger, as many predators prefer fresh prey over carrion. While in this state, opossums also release a foul-smelling odor that further deters predators from attacking them.

Opossum Babies

As with many animals in the wild, opossums face significant challenges during their first months of life. Babies, known as joeys, are born after only a 13-day gestation period and are extremely tiny, about the size of a honey bee. They then spend the next two to three months inside their mother’s pouch, surviving solely on her milk. That’s right, opossums are marsupials just like kangaroos. After leaving the pouch, they continue to nurse for a few more weeks before venturing out on their own. As a result of this precarious start to life, opossum mothers are extremely protective and nurturing towards their young.

Humane Solutions for Nuisance Opossums

While opossums may seem harmless and intriguing from a distance, they can quickly become a nuisance when they decide to take up residence in or around our homes. In addition to the mess and damage they can cause, their tendency to scavenge through trash and gardens can be a health hazard for humans. If you find yourself with unwelcome opossum neighbors, it’s important to seek out professional wildlife removal and control solutions for opossums. This may include using motion-activated sprinklers or sound devices to deter them from your property, as well as setting up exclusion channels and sealing up any potential entry points to prevent them from getting in.

In Summary

From their nightly foraging adventures to their unique survival techniques and important role in the ecosystem, opossums lead intriguing lives that are worth learning more about. By gaining a better understanding of these often misunderstood creatures, we can develop a newfound appreciation for their adaptability and resilience.

So, next time you spot an opossum in your backyard or on your street, take a moment to appreciate the secret life of these fascinating creatures. So, it’s our responsibility to live in harmony with them and respect their right to survive alongside us. Together, we can share this planet with all its inhabitants and continue to learn from one another.

Would you like expert assistance with nuisance possum troubles? Contact Virginia Wildlife Pros at 804-292-0156 for professional opossum removal and control in Richmond and beyond. Our licensed and insured animal trappers work with all native Virginia wildlife, using only safe and humane methods to extract and abate nuisance animals. Request a free quote, today.

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