If you are seeing opossums on your property, you may be asking yourself why they have chosen your yard to set up housekeeping. There are several things that opossums find attractive and, if you make a few changes, you may be able to deter these, and other wild animals, from plaguing you.

Opossums have whitish-gray fur with a long, narrow face that is lighter than the rest of their body, which is often mangy looking, due to their habit of climbing around in dumpsters. Opossums feet, like raccoons, look like tiny human hands, and their tails are long and hairless, like a rat. They sometimes use this tails to hang upside down from tree branches.

What Attracts Opossums to Your Property?

If you are encountering opossums on your property, chances are good you are providing them with a source of food. Available trash is one source of food. And if they score once at your trash cans, you can be assured that they will be back for more. Another thing that will draw in opossums is pet food that has been left outside. If you keep feeding Fido but he is still always hungry, consider he may not be getting his meals! Opossums are also happy to eat fruits and veggies right off trees and out of gardens. They aren't picky.

What Damages Can Opossums Cause?

Opossums will break into just about anything in order to get a bite to eat. If you have unsecured trash cans, they will be happy to take off the covers and strew trash all over the place looking for a tasty morsel. They will also dig up lawns and gardens looking for grubs. And if a female is protecting her young, she can be dangerous to have lurking around your property.

Like this isn't enough, sometimes they chew their way into wall voids, garages, sheds, and more. They can chew through anything from wood, drywall, and electrical wiring. They also tend to tear up insulation, which creates a biohazard. Furthermore, if they leave their droppings around, they may contain parasites which your pets may eat.

Prevention Techniques

To keep opossums from invading in the first place, implement the following:

• Make sure trash has secure lids.

• Remove pet food and other food sources from outside.

• Pick up any leftover fruit or vegetables from trees or gardens.

• Build a fence around your yard, or just around your house or garden.

If you are dealing with opossums already on your property, reach out to us today. It is dangerous to try to handle wild animals on your own without proper equipment and training. Rottler Pest & Lawn Solutions is standing by to help with your opossum problem.