How to Prevent Opossums
While opossums aren’t as bad as raccoons, they’re still no angels. They can enter your home, wreck your things, and even carry plenty of diseases. That’s why you should make some small changes here and there for opossums prevention at bay.
Lock up the Trash
Whether it’s a raccoon, a skunk, rats, or any other pest you can imagine, the same advice goes; always keep your trash can secured. While it may be difficult to keep that in mind as you’re dragging a garbage bag outside while tired and aching for your bed early in the morning or even late at night, this is just something you have to do. Garbage bins provide opossums and other potential invaders with a great source of food. It’s almost as if you left them a buffet and begged them to come stay with you, so please fasten the lid so it can’t come off if they push the trash can over.
Hide the Pet Food
If you have a nice big yard and a pet, you might decide to leave their food outside where your pet can roam freely, get some exercise, bathe in the sunlight, and even do their business. Unfortunately, this isn’t as good an idea as it seems. Not only does having food lying about attract opossums, but it can even put your pet in danger if predators pick up the scent. That’s why you have to tidy up all your pet’s food and water and keep them locked up inside.
Fasten the Pet Door
Pet doors are incredible devices that let your pet enjoy both the great outdoors and the comforts of your home. Unfortunately, they also add a new pathway for pests. If you aren’t careful, the nocturnal opossum might decide to crawl into your home through the pet door while you’re asleep and unaware. That’s why you should have a lockable pet door installed. That way you can fasten it at night, and rest easy knowing opossums can’t get in.
Trim your Garden
Whether you have a beautiful assortment of flowers, have a mini-farm in your backyard, or just haven’t bothered trimming the grass recently, you’re going to want to get busy. It’s no secret that opossums love plants. Any fruits and vegetables you have in your garden make for a great meal, and large flowers, bushes, or overgrown grass give these creatures perfect cover that allows them to prance about without the fear of being caught by a predator. That’s why you should always tend to your garden and keep things trimmed. This goes double for anyone with trees or fruit-bearing plants, as opossums are great climbers and might climb trees to find a way into your home. They’re also known for adoring rotting food, so be sure to pick those fruits and veggies before they go bad.
Block the Entries
Opossums love building their dens in small, enclosed areas. Attics, basements, the insides of walls, and sheds are all perfect little homes for these furry creatures. While you can’t do much to make these places less appealing to them (unless you fancy tearing down these parts of your home), you can still make it difficult for opossums to set up shop. Start by finding potential entries and block them off. Things like cracks in the wall, holes in your ceiling, the chimney, vents, and a number of other small entryways should all be closed up and blocked.
Set up a Fence
Fences are great. They allow you to separate your home from the outside world with a physical barrier, while also keeping a whole host of critters at bay. One such creature is the opossum. That’s why, if you haven’t already, you should think about building yourself a
fence. While there are all sorts of different fences out there, be sure to get ones that are hard to climb over.
Scare them Away
If all else fails and the opossum manages to get into your home anyway, you’re going to want to have something that’ll make them scurry on back to where they came from. The best way to do that is by messing with their senses. Animals, much like people, can get scared if there are sudden noises or movement. That’s why you can set up motion-activated sprinklers and spotlights that’ll burst into life the moment the opossum gets into your yard, sending the poor creature into a fright, and making it leave. At which point it’ll regret ever stepping on your lawn.
Wrap Up
While opossums may be a nuisance, there are plenty of things you can do to keep them at bay. It can be as simple as keeping your trashcan’s lids locked, or as advanced as setting up motion-triggered systems in your lawn. Whatever you choose to do, you can rest assured knowing those opossums won’t be bothering you anytime soon.
| Related Articles |
|---|
Select Your Animal
Raccoons
Raccoon Removal Information & How-To Tips
Squirrel
Squirrel Removal Information & How-To Tips
Opossum
Opossum Removal Information & How-To Tips
Skunks
Skunks Removal Information & How-To Tips
Rats
Rat Removal Information & How-To Tips
Mouse
Mouse Removal Information & How-To Tips
Bat
Bat Removal Information & How-To Tips
Bird
Bird Removal Information & How-To Tips
Snake
Snake Removal Information & How-To Tips
Beaver
Beaver Removal Information & How-To Tips
Mole
Mole Removal Information & How-To Tips
Vole
Vole Removal Information & How-To Tips
Gopher
Gopher Removal Information & How-To Tips
Rabbit
Rabbit Removal Information & How-To Tips
Woodchuck
Woodchuck Removal Information & How-To Tips
Flying Squirrel
Flying Squirrel Removal Information & How-To Tips
Chipmunk
Chipmunk Removal Information & How-To Tips
Coyote
Coyote Removal Information & How-To Tips
Fox
Fox Removal Information & How-To Tips
Wild Hog
Wild Hog Removal Information & How-To Tips
Dead Animal
Dead Animal Removal Information & How-To Tips