Our Opossum Removal Services
Opossum Control
Opossums are considered a nuisance species because they are opportunistic, and will take advantage of human homes, sheds, and decks to survive by stealing food. It is not uncommon to find an opossum digging through your trash can and making quite a mess. Opossums are also routinely found in the attics of homes and are a common dead animal extraction target.
Males produce specific sounds to attract females. After mating, it takes only 14 days for young opossums to be born. Although a litter usually consists of 20 babies, only a few of the young will survive. Opossums are marsupials, meaning that the female opossum has a pouch on her belly in which she carries her young.
Opossums are Hunters
Opossums are omnivores and will eat virtually anything – including reptiles, amphibians, eggs, fruit, and berries. Since they eat carrion, dead animal on the road can be a perfect meal for them as well. They are nocturnal animals, doing all of their hunting at night, despite having poor eyesight and a poor sense of hearing. Their hunting skills are derived from their excellent sense of smell. They have sharp claws that can be used against predators.
However, opossums famously have a more efficient technique which helps them survive dangerous situations - they pretend to be dead! Opossums can lay motionless from one minute to 6 hours, giving rise to the popular phrase “playing possum.”
Do I Have an Opossum In My Home?
Opossums will invade your property through broken vents, open holes underneath eaves and through open crawl space covers. You may also notice torn up shingles and ripped soffits if an opossum has broken into your home. If you notice loud scratching and ripping noises in your attic, an opossum may very well have taken up residence. Although these sounds are similar to that of rats and mice, an opossum is a much larger animal, and thus the sounds may be easier to hear from your home.
Opossums tend to vocalize frequently. Their sounds can be eerie, including loud hissing and shrieking; while a mother opossum may make clicking noises to communicate with her babies. Probably the most unpleasant sign that an opossum has taken up residence in your space is a strong pungent odor. Opossums leave more droppings than other rodents, and these droppings are quite large in comparison to other rodents who live in your attic. These often seep into insulation, creating a pervasive stench which cannot be removed easily. Once inside your home, opossums make their presence known.
Our Process:
At ARMADILLO WILDLIFE, we have over two decades of experience in trapping and removing opossums. We have learned that simply trapping an opossum is not generally sufficient to ensure that they will not return to your home.
Phase 1: Our trained opossum removal experts will conduct a comprehensive inspection of your home and attic. We will be looking for obvious access points as well as evidence of chewed materials along the roofline, soffits, and eaves. Our experts will identify any nests or droppings in your insulation or attic. If opossums have died in your home, the odor will give them away. Our team will search for the dead animal as well.
Phase 2: Once a complete inspection of your property has been conducted, Armadillo Wildlife will give you a personalized action plan which will describe our custom solution for your opossum infestation. You will also be furnished with photos when necessary, to help you understand the size and scope of the problem; and to explain our rationale for our recommended course of action.
Phase 3: Our opossum removal experts will trap or build a one-way exclusion door at all identified points of access. This one-way door will allow the opossums currently in your home to easily leave, but prevent them from regaining entry. It is crucial that our team of experts fully search for any evidence of babies. If appropriate, we may set traps at all access points on your roof or in your garage to remove those opossums which will not give up trying to access your home.
Phase 4: Once all opossums have been removed from your home, our team will seal up all points of entry, remove all droppings and replace contaminated insulation.
Phase 5: It is the policy of Armadillo Wildlife to conduct a second inspection of your home before concluding the project, to guarantee that your opossum intrusion problem is adequately resolved.
Are Opossums Dangerous to Humans?
An opossum's droppings will make your property unsanitary; The need to remove opossum droppings and avoid contamination should be taken seriously. But beyond the danger of sickness, opossums do present a danger to humans if confronted. They are known to fiercely defend their den and their young, as most animals will do when cornered. However, they have sharp claws and more teeth (50) than other mammals.
Can You Repel Opossums?
Opossums will eat nearly anything, so repelling them is difficult. Some homeowners have cited motion sprinklers as a temporary repellant. People should reduce the temptation for opossums, by reducing the presence of outdoor garbage containers which may attract them.
If opossums have successfully accessed your home, however, you should call a professional wildlife control company who has expertise locating signs of nesting, droppings, and points of entry. Once the possums are removed, the team at Armadillo Wildlife can seal holes shut with a metal covering they cannot breach. Without access to food and shelter at your home, opossums should move along.
We Can Work With Your Insurance Company
Because opossums can do significant damage to your home, your homeowners' insurance will most likely reimburse you for the costs incurred to protect your home from infestation. We are glad to contact your insurance company to help you with any wildlife-related claim.
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While opossums are not considered to be dangerous to humans unless cornered, their presence and droppings in your home will create a stench and possibly spread contamination and disease. Call an expert wildlife removal service as soon as you discover any signs of rodent or mammal infestation in your home. Armadillo Wildlife has served the Fort Wayne community for 20 years, providing professional identification, removal, restoration, and wildlife exclusion services.
Armadillo Wildlife is proud to serve the Fort Wayne community, as well as Warsaw, Auburn, Angola, Syracuse, and surrounding areas.
