10 Tips on How to Humanely Get Rid of Opossums

Posted on May 26, 2023 by Budgetanimal

Do you have opossums living in or around your property? If so, you may be wondering how to humanely get rid of them. Opossums can cause a variety of problems, from digging up gardens and raiding trash cans to introducing parasites and other pests into your home. Fortunately, there are several steps you can take to safely remove these animals from your property without causing them harm.

In this blog post, we discuss 10 tips for getting rid of opossums humanely. With the right knowledge and approach, it is possible to keep both yourself and the animals safe while ensuring that they don’t return again in the future. Continue below to delve in!

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Opossum Removal and Control Tips You Need to Know

1. Block Them Out

Block off any possible entrances to your home or property. This is the first step in opossum control, as it will prevent them from coming back once they have been removed. Check around your foundation walls and chimneys for gaps or openings that an animal might be able to squeeze through, and seal these off with wire mesh or hardware cloth.

2. Remove All Food and Water Sources

Remove food sources that may attract opossums to your property. If you have pet food outside, garden produce, compost piles, bird feeders, or other edible items that could serve as a meal for an opossum family, make sure these are secured away where the animals can’t get to them.

3. Illuminate Active Areas

Install lighting at night or motion-activated lights around your yard, as opossums are nocturnal and will be less likely to come onto your property if they know they can be seen.

4. Trap Them – (only if your state allows)

If your state allows non-permitted individuals to trap and relocate wildlife, you can attempt this method: Set up a live trap and bait it with something the animal will find irresistible – this could be anything from fruits and vegetables to pet food or fish. Once an opossum has been caught in the trap, you can relocate it away from your home using a carrying box or cage.

5. Deter Them With Repellent

Use repellents such as predator urine, mothballs, ammonia-soaked rags, or other smells that are unpleasant for opossums but won’t harm them. These should be placed near potential entry points, such as around your foundations or in your garden, to deter the animals from coming back.

6. Outsource Licensed Opossum Control

Call a professional Indianapolis wildlife removal company for opossum control services if all else fails. They will know how to humanely and safely remove opossums from your property without putting you or them at risk.

7. Learn More About Nuisance Wildlife

Educate yourself on how to protect yourself against any diseases that opossums may carry – this includes washing your hands after handling anything that an opossum may have touched and wearing protective clothing when dealing with them directly.

8. Know the Law

Be aware of the laws governing the trapping and relocation of wildlife in your area, as some places may require permits for such activities or restrict where you can release relocated animals.

9. Stay On Top of Outdoor Maintenance

Take extra steps to prevent a recurrence of the problem. This may include eliminating any standing water sources around your property, sealing up any holes or cracks in your foundation walls that could provide entry for animals, and trimming back overhanging tree branches that may be providing shelter for opossums.

10. Implement an Animal Proofing Plan

Consider hiring a professional wildlife expert to assess your property and provide advice on how best to protect it against opossums in the future – this includes identifying potential entry points and recommending ways you can prevent their return once they have been removed from your home.

In Summary

By following these tips, you can humanely get rid of opossums from your property and keep them away for good! Remember to always use caution when dealing with wild animals, and if you’re ever uncertain of what to do, contact a professional wildlife removal service for assistance.

Are opossums becoming a nuisance around your residential or commercial property in Indiana? Contact Budget Animal Removal at 317-875-3099 for DNR licensed and insured opossum removal and control in Indianapolis and its surrounding counties. Request a free estimate or advice, today!

Tips for Keeping Opossums Out of Your Yard and Garden

Posted on April 18, 2023 by Budgetanimal

Opossums, also known as possums, are nocturnal marsupials that can become a nuisance in your yard and garden. They often scavenge for food around the home, leaving behind messes and even damaging property. If you’re having trouble keeping opossums away from your yard and garden, below are some tips to help deter them. With a few simple steps, it is possible to keep opossum populations at bay and prevent future problems with these animals.

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Professional Opossum Removal

One of the most effective ways to keep opossums away is through wildlife removal. If you can identify where the opossums are accessing your yard, install barriers such as fences or screens that will prevent them from entering. Additionally, it’s important to remove potential food sources like garbage and pet food from the area so they don’t have a reason to come back. You may also need to contact a professional wildlife control specialist or even your local animal control department in order to take care of any existing opossum populations.

Opossum Repellent

Another strategy for keeping opossums out is by using repellents. Repellents work by creating an unpleasant environment that discourages animals from entering an area. There are several different types of opossum repellents available commercially, such as sonic devices, scent-based products, and even chemical solutions. Always be sure to read the directions on any product before use to ensure safety and effectiveness.

Environmental Modification

Finally, you can also take proactive measures in order to help keep opossums away from your yard and garden. Trim back any overgrown vegetation that might provide cover for these animals, eliminate standing water sources that could act as a breeding ground for them, and clear away debris piles where they may seek refuge.

Conclusion

By following these tips for keeping opossums out of your yard and garden, you can successfully deter these nuisance creatures while still respecting their natural habitat. With a little extra effort and diligence, you can rest assured that your outdoor space will be safe from opossums for years to come.

Key Takeaways:

► Remove potential food sources and install barriers such as fences or screens to prevent opossums from entering the area.

► Use commercial repellents, such as sonic devices, scent-based products, and chemical solutions.

► Trim back vegetation, eliminate standing water sources, and clear away debris piles in order to make the area less desirable for opossums.

► Contact a professional Nashville wildlife control specialist if necessary.

Homemade Possum Repellent Recipe

Opossums are cute but troublesome animals when they invade your property. They love to rummage through your trash cans and destroy your garden while looking for food. Luckily, a homemade repellent can discourage them from making your yard their playground. One of the most effective homemade repellents is a mixture of cayenne pepper, hot sauce, and water. These ingredients commonly found in your kitchen will create a potent smell and taste that opossums will not tolerate. Make sure to spray this repellent around the areas where opossums frequently visit to keep them at bay. With the right repellent recipe, you can have a peaceful and garden-friendly yard!

Hopefully this blog post has helped provide useful information on controlling possum populations. If you have any questions or concerns, contact Budget Animal Removal at 615-337-9165 for TWRA licensed and insured Nashville, Tennessee animal removal for opossums and more.

Opossums Facts That Will Stop You in Your Tracks

Posted on August 15, 2022 by Budgetanimal

Even though opossums have a bad reputation, they are actually quite fascinating. For instance, did you know that opossums are a type of marsupial, just like kangaroos? Or that they are one of the Earth’s oldest surviving mammals that has thrived for more than 70 million years? See? Opossums really are interesting! Continue below to learn about opossums so that you may better understand these highly misunderstood mammals!

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Nuisance Opossums and the Damage They Can Do

Here in the United States, opossums are known as scavengers and for good reason. Their very basic and non-specialized biology combined with their flexible diet and steadfast reproductive system makes them very successful at rapid colonization, plus allows them to survive in a wide range of locations and conditions. Consequently, opossums are a common pest problem for various suburban and city areas across the country.

Opossums are notorious for digging up gardens and lawns, pillaging garbage cans, devouring any outdoor food (including pet food and livestock feed), tearing through home siding, building dens underneath porches, and much more. The amount of damage they can cause is limitless, and the longer they are present, the more damage they can do.

All of these reasons are important to consider if you have a possum problem or infestation on your property. It is important to contact a local and trusted Indianapolis wildlife removal company for non-lethal opossum removal services.

Noteworthy Facts About Opossums

Aside from being a pest, there are some worthy attributes and characteristics about opossums that are interesting to learn. Perhaps they are a huge pest problem in many areas, but in the wild, they are just another mammal living in harmony with their surrounding Eco-system. Here’s some notable facts to start with:

The Virginia opossum (Didelphis virginiana) is also known as the North American opossum. It is the only species of opossum in the United States. Their name stems from the Algonquin word “apasum” meaning white animal, given by Captain John Smith in 1608.

Opossums are basically a step above omnivorous, as they will eat almost anything, including roadkill, dead animals, bugs, rodents, small birds, eggs, frogs, plants, fruits, grains, pet food, and human food scraps. They will even eat skeletal remains for calcium.

Opossums live in agricultural areas, woodlands, rural, urban, and suburban areas. They are generally solitary and nomadic, staying in one place until the food and water run out.

Opossums are nocturnal and crepuscular mammals. They are active from dusk to dawn.

Opossums are marsupials and “pouch” their young. Yes, just like kangaroos!

Opossums are incredible climbers and use their long, bald tail for balancing and handing upside down.

When threatened or injured, opossums will “play possum” by lying still and pretending to be dead. They might also belch, growl, urinate, or defecate.

Opossums have 50 sharp teeth and sharp claws. They are not aggressive by nature but can appear very menacing.

Where to Find Opossum Removal and Control Service in Nashville

Posted on March 23, 2022 by Budgetanimal

Are you dealing with a nuisance possum problem? Have you been searching for licensed and insured opossum removal and control services near Nashville? If so, you have finally made it to the right spot. We are fully qualified and equipped critter control specialists with more than 30 years of experience solve nuisance opossum problems. Continue below to learn more about managing nuisance possums, plus how to get started with a free quote for service.

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Facts About Opossums

Opossums are marsupials, just like kangaroos! Although they are a fascinating and unique mammal native here in Tennessee, they are evolving into quite the nuisance critter in urban and suburban areas. Mostly due to land over-development and loss of natural habitat, opossums have been pushed out of their own environment and into ours. So more than ever, possums are accustomed to surviving by means of scavenging our community’s dumpsters, trashcans, garbage receptacles, gardens, flowerbeds, and more. In more rural communities, they have been known to prey on chicken coups for the eggs. Their scavenging behaviors are messy and unpleasant, but they are also destructive. Opossums are known to dig up lawns, gardens, flowerbeds, and flowerpots.

Stopping Possum Intrusions

Opossums find their way into backyards, homes, and businesses with the help of their acute senses and long, sharp claws. Common places opossums like to use as shelter are beneath patios and porches. They also love to hide out in log piles, pool houses, and hollowed trees. If you come across an opossum, there is not much to worry about. They are aggressive in appearance with their hissing and howling, but they are not likely to actually approach you, let alone attack you or your pets.

To keep opossums out of your house and off of your property, you will need to start with some environmental modifications. Remove all outdoor food sources that can be taken inside, like pet food, bird/squirrel feed, and trashcans. Only take your trashcan’s outside on the day of garbage collection. Trashcans are a prime target for all sorts of nuisance wildlife, especially opossums. If possible, remove water sources like bird baths and standing puddles.

Next, you will need to implement some animal-proofing strategies. This may include some minor renovations like sealing up holes and access points on the exterior of your home and outdoor structures. It may also include treating your property’s perimeter with a non-toxic critter control repellent spray or granular substance. Once your property has nothing to offer them, opossums will move onto more fruitful territory.

All of this is possible with the help of a licensed and insured wildlife control company in Tennessee like Budget Animal Removal Nashville. Contact us at 615-337-9165 for TWRA licensed and insured Nashville, TN critter control for opossums and more. We serve commercial clients, too!

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Top Tips for Opossum Critter Control

Posted on April 21, 2021 by Budgetanimal

It is never a good sign to spot a possum on your property for a number of reasons. Not only are they known carriers of infectious diseases, but they also cause landscaping and property damages too. Gardens, lawns, gutters, roofs, trashcans, and more are all common areas of a property damaged by opossums and other nuisance wildlife. Also, opossums do not like to travel far, which means if you see one, its den is most likely somewhere close by. For this reason and more, it is wise to implement some methods to keep opossum off your property.

Continue reading to learn the most effective tips for opossum critter control, and what you can do if nothing seems to work.

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How to Get Rid of Opossums on Your Property

In contrast to common belief, opossums are not rodents. They are marsupials native to North America. At full adulthood, opossums can weigh on average around 15 pounds and measure up to two feet in length. This is about the same size of a small dog. This alone can alarm anyone who crosses paths with an opossum since many assume they are the size of rats or rabbits. Although not an animal known for viciousness, it can attack and bite in self-defense if it feels threatened. This is a bad scenario since possums can be carriers of infectious diseases.

Remove All Food and Water

The first step to keeping possums off your property is to remove all sources of food, water, and shelter. To accomplish this, remove all pet food, bird seed, squirrel feeders, water bowls, trashcans, and any other types of food and water. Since opossums are nocturnal, be sure to only take your trashcans out to the curb on the morning of pickup day.

Mind Your Garbage Cans

Opossums will dig through garbage bags and rummage through all the trash in search of food scraps. Eliminating this common possum attraction and others can reduce the frequency at which they visit your property. You may also install motion sensor lighting and sound machines to scare nocturnal wildlife away.

Fence in Your Gardens

Since you don’t want to remove the fruits and vegetables in your garden, install a fence around it instead. This will divert various types of wildlife from accessing and eating all the crops. Try sprinkling clove oil or cinnamon around the perimeter of your garden for a natural wildlife repellent.

Seal Off All Accessible Shelters

As for shelter, opossums like to make their dens in hidden places, safe from predators. When it comes to residential properties, common areas to inspect are underneath decks and porches. If there are animals living beneath certain areas of your home, they need to be drawn out with bait, and then the opening of that area needs sealed. This will make opossums move on and find new shelter elsewhere since they are unable to return to their spot. Use marshmallows, boiled eggs, or canned tuna fish to lure them out of hiding, then use that time to seal up their access points.

Stick With Routine Tree Care

Opossums are great climbers and will also use trees for shelter and protection. They can climb trees and access rooftops if tree limbs can reach the top of the house. Once nuisance wildlife has access to your roof, they can find access inside attics or cause major shingle damage. Trim tree limbs that are close or against your house. This will eliminate access to your roof and remove a likely hang-out spot for possums.

When You Can’t Get Opossums to Go Away

Contact a local Indianapolis wildlife removal and control company for professional help getting rid of pesky opossums. They retain the proper tools, training, and resources to exclude nuisance wildlife and prevent their return. Some companies even offer minor attic and crawl space restorations and other repairs caused by animal damage.

Are you looking for trusted and professional critter control services you can afford? Contact Budget Animal Removal at 317-875-3099 to get rid of opossums in Indianapolis, Indiana.

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