Poison Against Opossums – Humane Wildlife Removal

Does poison work against opossums?

Dealing with an opossum infestation is one of the most annoying things that can happen to a household. Aside from the inconveniences it causes, you and your family are at risk of various hazards including contracting diseases transmitted by a live or dead opossum. Considering this, it is understandable why you would opt for the poison method to solve this dilemma. However, before you go ahead, there are things that you should definitely know about. Here are 6 things you should know about poisoning an opossum.

#1 It might take weeks for an opossum to die of poison

You might have already experienced poisoning other pests before but bear in mind that
opossums are not like other nuisance animals. Aside from the fact that they can grow to be up to 37 inches long, it is guaranteed that possums have stronger bodies that can withstand a poisoning for weeks before they actually die.

If you are anxious about solving this problem as soon as possible, then poisoning might not be your best bet.

#2 It will be a challenge to locate the body

Given that it will take a while before the body of an opossum finally succumbs to the poison, it will be hard to know exactly where it will be when it dies. In this case, the foul smell of the carcass will help you locate the body. This is a health hazard especially if you have children, the elderly, or people with respiratory illnesses living in your house! Keep in mind that an animal’s dead body can transmit diseases and it can even attract predators inside your property such as snakes. You should consider that risking having a dead animal lying around for an extended period of time can do more damage than having an alive opossum visiting you.

#3 You will have to dispose of the dead opossum by yourself

You have been warned. This thing is not for the faint of heart. A poisoned opossum will have suffered from multiple organ failures. It will definitely look nasty and smell nasty. If you are not up for the challenge, do not use the poison method.

Now, if you think you can do it then follow these instructions:

Once you locate the dead body, do not go near it unless you are wearing a mask, gloves, and along with sleeved shirt. Prepare two garbage bags.

Pick up the dead opossum and place it inside one of the garbage bags and seal it. Do not push the air out from inside the bag since the animal might be a carrier of a disease. Inhaling this air is a health hazard. Once this is done, get the second garbage bag and put the sealed dead opossum body inside it. Seal this bag too.

In some states, it is required for the dead body of an opossum to be disposed of by either burning or burying. It is strongly recommended that you look this up to make sure you are complying with the law. If this is not required in your area, you can go ahead and throw the garbage bag in your trash bin. However, you need to make sure that it will be taken out the same day.

#4 You could unintentionally kill your pets

Instinctively, you will place the poison in areas where opossums can easily see and eat the poison. More often than not, this spot will also be accessible to other animals that you do not intend to kill. This includes your pets.

If you decide to use the poison method, make sure that your pets or even children in your house will not accidentally consume the poison. This is important. Let there be no collateral damages in your pursuit to end the opossum infestation on your property.

#5 Opossums have strong bodies that can survive poisoning

You won’t find a single legally registered opossum poison on the market. All the poisons available are for other animals, mostly rodents, that you will just have to try and see if it will work on opossums too. There have been a lot of cases where this animal survived poisoning and the homeowners efforts have been in vain.

#6 Poisoning is inhumane

Poisoning inflicts agonizing pain to animals. This is not exactly the best way to solve your opossum problem. Aside from the fact that there is a low chance that poisoning will finish the job, you will be committing animal cruelty.

Putting your entire household at risk to execute the poisoning method that is not likely to work anyway might not be worth it. If you are looking for a better method, you might want to opt for trapping or hunting instead.