Opossums aren’t necessarily dangerous and they are great for reducing insect populations, but that doesn’t mean you want them lurking around your yard at night. In addition, opossums are known to eat pet food, trample plants and dig through garbage. If you are experiencing an opossum problem, here are some steps you can take.
Make Your Yard Less Attractive to Opossums
Make sure that garbage cans are sealed with tight-fitting lids. Put any pet food away at night and keep the yard well pruned and free of debris. You especially want to be diligent about cleaning up any fallen fruit from trees. Taking these steps will make it less likely for opossums to enter your yard in the first place.
Install a Fence
A fence that is about four feet tall can also be helpful in keeping opossums out of gardens where they may damage plants.
Apply a Repellent
You can purchase a repellent at your local hardware store. Oftentimes, they contain the urine of opossum predators, which helps deter these rodents. Keep in mind that repellents have a powerful smell and will need to be applied often to see results.
Install Motion-Activated Sprinklers
This is an easy and humane way to scare opossums away. When an opossum gets near, the electronic device will be triggered and the sprinkler will spray water, which is enough to send the opossum running. As a bonus, your yard will get some added watering.
Build a Nesting Box Nearby
One way to get rid of opossums is to give them a better home. A simple nesting box can be placed in nearby trees and provide them with an alternative home.
Professional Trapping
Safe and humane traps can be used by professionals to trap and safely relocate opossums. While this is something you can do on your own, your best bet is to leave it up to the professionals.
For more tips about how to get rid of opossums in your yard or to have one of our professionals trap an opossum, contact PMi Pest Management today. We are here to meet all your pest control needs.
