How to Get Rid of an Opossum

Deadly force is not needed to get rid of an Opossum.

Opossums hiss, feign death and almost never carry rabies. They get into the garbage, the bird feeders, the pet food, the hen house and will stink up the places that they occupy. The mess and the smell is more than enough of a reason to humanely get rid of an opossum resident. There are several different ways to get rid of these harmless but messy inhabitants without the need to dispose of a dead body.

Things You'll Need

• Garbage cans with tight lids
• Chicken wire or other blockage material
• Mothballs
• Ammonia
• Havahart opossum trap

Instructions

Different Methods

1. 

   Lock up woodpiles in a sealed woodshed to prevent opossums from taking shelter in them.

   Remove hiding spots. This means trimming messy bushes, removing wood or other piles and making sure that every outdoor structure has secure doors and windows.

2. 

   Don't leave bird feeders outside.

   Remove access to food. This means using garbage cans with secure lids, keeping the compost in a sealed container and picking up fallen fruit from any fruit trees. Do not leave food out for outdoor pets or strays and make sure to bring bird feeders in before dark.

3. 

   Coyote urine will work in place of ammonia.

   Put mothballs and ammonia soaked rags in any place that the opossum is likely to frequent or inhabit. Putting the mothballs and ammonia in only one location will just drive the opossum to another, nearby location. This strategy, among others, will not work in a high-occupancy neighborhood as the opossum will just go live in the neighbor's yard until the fumes dissipate.

4. 

   Chicken wire or tight fencing is good for blocking off opossum dens.

   Block off the opossum's den. Wait until after the opossum has left the den, likely at night, before blocking off the entrance as a dead opossum is a smelly opossum. Use chicken wire or other blocking material to prevent the animal from getting back into the den. Bury the material at least six inches down; otherwise, the opossum will just dig under it to get back in.

5. 

   Wildlife refugees, like the Wildlife Waystation, are great places to take the captured opossums.

   Use a Havahart or other humane opossum trap. Canned pet food, fruit or vegetables make good baits. Once the opossum has been trapped, take it to a local wildlife refugee or drive it at least 20 miles away from the location to ensure it doesn't come right back. A wildlife refugee is a good idea as they will release the opossum away from human neighborhoods.

6. 

   Hunting stores are a good place to get predator urine.

   Use an over-the-counter Opossum repellent. Store-bought repellents work perfectly fine and are a reasonable alternative to the steps in this article. The majority of the products on the market are some form of predator urine in powder form, such as fox, coyote or even bobcat. Hunting or outdoor-oriented stores carry sterile urine in several different types of forms, including granule, liquid and powder.

Tips & Warnings

• Using all of the steps at once will almost guarantee an opossum-free yard.

• If you catch an opossum in a humane trap and it appears dead, do not throw its body in the trash. Instead, take it to a wildlife rescue organization. Opossums play dead when cornered.

References

• Get Rid of Things: Get Rid of Opossum
• Professional Wildlife Removal: Opossum Control & Removal