Pest Control
How to Get Rid of Opossums in Yards, Gardens, and Under Decks
The Virginia opossum (Didelphis virginiana) is North America's only native marsupial. While they provide immense ecological value—a single opossum can consume up to 5,000 ticks in a season and frequently eats garden-destroying slugs and snails—they become a significant nuisance when they decide your property is their new home. They dig up lawns searching for grubs, raid trash cans, and establish dens under decks, sheds, and porches.
Because opossums are protected or regulated in many jurisdictions, lethal control is often illegal and ecologically counterproductive. Learning how to get rid of opossums requires a strategic approach focused on exclusion, habitat modification, and sensory deterrence rather than elimination. Below is a comprehensive, professional-grade framework for reclaiming your yard and garden from opossums.
The Attraction Triad: Why Opossums Invade Your Property
Opossums are opportunistic omnivores with a poor spatial memory but an excellent sense of smell. They do not randomly select properties; they are drawn by three specific resources. Eliminating these is the first step in any mammal deterrence protocol.
- High-Protein Food Sources: Opossums actively hunt Japanese beetle grubs and cicadas. If your lawn has a grub infestation, you will see shallow, 2-to-3-inch conical dig marks across your turf. They are also drawn to overripe fallen fruit (especially plums, apples, and persimmons) and outdoor pet food left out after dusk.
- Secure Shelter: Opossums do not dig their own burrows. They rely on existing cavities. The 12-to-18-inch clearance beneath standard wooden decks, open shed foundations, and crawlspace vents provide perfect, predator-proof nesting sites.
- Accessible Water: Leaking irrigation valves, unfenced koi ponds, and clogged gutters that create ground-level pooling will sustain an opossum population during dry summer months.
Physical Exclusion: Securing Decks and Sheds
When dealing with mammals, physical barriers are the only 100% effective long-term solution. Chicken wire is entirely useless against opossums; their dexterous, opposable thumbs on their hind feet allow them to easily pull it apart or climb it. Instead, you must use heavy-gauge wire and proper trenching techniques.
The L-Footer Trenching Method
To prevent opossums from digging under your deck or shed, install an 'L-footer' barrier using 19-gauge, 1/2-inch galvanized hardware cloth.
- Dig a Trench: Excavate a trench 12 inches deep and 6 inches wide around the entire perimeter of the structure.
- Attach the Mesh: Secure the hardware cloth to the bottom of the deck lattice or shed siding using heavy-duty galvanized staples or self-tapping screws with washers. Ensure the mesh extends down into the trench.
- Create the 'L' Bend: At the bottom of the 12-inch trench, bend the remaining 6 inches of wire outward, away from the structure, creating an 'L' shape. When an opossum digs at the base of the wall, their paws will hit the wire mesh instead of soil, and they will not possess the cognitive ability to back up 6 inches and dig behind the barrier.
- Backfill and Tamp: Cover the wire with soil and pack it tightly. Top with decorative river rock or mulch to hide the barrier.
Sensory Deterrents: What Actually Works
The pest control market is flooded with ultrasonic devices and chemical repellents that fail to deliver results. Based on field testing and wildlife damage management data, here is a realistic comparison of deterrent methods for yards and gardens.
| Deterrent Type | Specific Product / Method | Estimated Cost | Effectiveness | Best Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Motion-Activated Sprinklers | Orbit Motion-Activated Sprinkler / Havahart Spray Away | $40 - $65 | High | Protecting specific garden beds, koi ponds, and lawn patches from nocturnal foraging. |
| Ammonia Soaked Rags | Household ammonia in sealed coffee cans with holes punched in lids | $10 - $15 | Medium (Short-term) | Evicting an opossum from a localized den site (e.g., under a porch) before sealing the hole. |
| Predator Urine | Coyote or Fox urine granules (e.g., Shake-Away) | $20 - $30 | Low to Medium | Perimeter defense in rural areas. Loses effectiveness quickly after rain and opossums in urban areas often ignore it. |
| Ultrasonic Repellents | Battery-operated yard stakes emitting 20-40kHz frequencies | $25 - $50 | Very Low | Not recommended. Opossums quickly habituate to the noise, and foliage blocks the sound waves. |
| Bright LED Lighting | Motion-activated floodlights (minimum 2000 lumens) | $50 - $120 | Medium | Disrupting established travel paths along fence lines or near trash enclosures. |
Pro Tip: The Sprinkler Placement Strategy
If using a motion-activated sprinkler like the Orbit model, do not point it at the garden beds. Opossums have poor eyesight and may simply walk past the sensor. Point the infrared sensor directly at the travel corridor (like a fence line or the edge of a patio) where the opossum is walking toward the garden. The sudden blast of water and the mechanical 'click' of the valve will trigger their flight response.
Habitat Modification and Sanitation Protocols
According to the Internet Center for Wildlife Damage Management, modifying the habitat to remove food and shelter is the cornerstone of long-term mammal control. Implement these specific sanitation rules:
- Secure Trash Receptacles: Standard snap-lids are easily pried open by an opossum's weight. Upgrade to a gravity-locking can, such as the Toter 64-gallon Bear-Tough cart, or secure your existing lids with two 3/16-inch bungee cords crossed over the top and hooked to the side handles.
- Pet Food Management: Establish a strict 6:00 PM feeding curfew. Bring all kibble and water bowls indoors before dusk. If you must feed outdoor cats, use microchip-activated feeders that close automatically.
- Tree Pruning and Canopy Management: Opossums are surprisingly agile climbers. Trim all tree branches so they are at least 6 feet away from your roofline and fence tops to prevent them from using your roof as a highway to access attic vents.
- Grub Control: If your lawn is heavily damaged by opossum digging, treat the turf with beneficial nematodes (Heterorhabditis bacteriophora) in late summer to destroy the grub population, thereby removing the opossum's primary food source.
Eviction and Trapping: Legal and Ethical Considerations
Warning: Relocation is Often Illegal and Lethal
Trapping and relocating opossums is prohibited in many states (including California and New York) without special permits. Furthermore, relocating a territorial mammal into unfamiliar woods usually results in death from starvation, predation, or stress within two weeks. If an opossum is trapped under your deck, use harassment techniques (light, noise, and ammonia) to encourage them to leave on their own, then immediately install the L-footer barrier once they are gone.
If an opossum has entered your living space or attic, or if you are dealing with a mother and her young (typically born between February and June), it is highly recommended to hire a professional. Look for operators certified by the National Wildlife Control Operators Association (NWCOA). Expect to pay between $150 and $300 for an inspection and eviction, and $300 to $800 for full structural exclusion.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do opossums carry rabies?
While any mammal can theoretically contract rabies, it is exceptionally rare in opossums. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the opossum's unusually low body temperature (94°F to 97°F) inhibits the rabies virus from surviving and replicating. You are far more likely to encounter rabies in raccoons, skunks, or foxes.
Is it true that they 'play dead' when threatened?
Yes, but it is not a conscious bluff. When an opossum experiences extreme terror, it enters an involuntary, catatonic coma that can last anywhere from a few minutes to four hours. During this state, they secrete a foul-smelling green fluid from their anal glands that mimics the scent of a decaying carcass, deterring predators that prefer live prey. If you find an opossum in this state in your yard, leave it alone; it will wake up and wander off when its nervous system resets.
Can I use poison to get rid of opossums?
No. There are no legally registered rodenticides or toxic baits approved for use against opossums. Using rat poison outdoors poses a severe secondary poisoning risk to protected raptors like owls and hawks, as well as neighborhood pets. Furthermore, an opossum that consumes poison will likely crawl into an inaccessible void space under your home to die, creating a severe odor and fly problem.
Are opossums bad for my vegetable garden?
Generally, no. Unlike groundhogs or rabbits, opossums rarely eat living vegetable plants or ripening tomatoes. They are primarily scavengers and insectivores. In fact, many master gardeners tolerate opossums because they act as natural pest control, consuming slugs, snails, and beetle larvae that destroy crops. The damage they cause is usually limited to shallow digging in the soil while hunting for insects, which can be mitigated with motion-activated sprinklers.
