When an Opossum Moves In: What Kansas City Homeowners Need to Know
The best way to get rid of opossum activity on your property combines three steps: removing food sources, blocking access points, and using humane exclusion or live trapping.
Quick answer for most homeowners:
- Remove attractants – Secure trash, bring in pet food, clean up fallen fruit
- Eliminate shelter – Clear brush piles, woodpiles, and seal gaps under decks or sheds
- Install physical barriers – Use hardware cloth and L-footer designs around foundations
- Use a live trap – Bait with sweet foods and relocate at least 20 miles away
- Call a professional – For persistent problems, damage, or animals with young
You stepped outside one evening and froze. Something large was rummaging through your trash, or maybe your dog wouldn't stop barking at whatever was hiding under your deck. That unsettling encounter with a Virginia opossum is exactly why you're here.
Opossums are North America's only marsupial. They look alarming—pointy snout, beady eyes, hairless tail—but they're far less dangerous than most people think. Still, having one denning under your porch or raiding your garbage every night is a real problem.
Identifying Your Uninvited Guest
The Virginia opossum is distinct. They're roughly the size of a large housecat, measuring up to 40 inches long including that thick, hairless, prehensile tail. They have a white, pointed face, pink nose, and black beady eyes. One startling feature: an adult opossum has 50 teeth—the most of any land mammal in North America.
Marsupial Traits and "Playing Possum"
Females carry up to 13 babies (joeys) in a pouch. If an opossum has a "lumpy" back, she's carrying young.
"Playing possum" isn't a trick—it's an involuntary catatonic state. When extremely terrified, they fall over, breathing slows, and they emit a foul odor from their anal glands to mimic a rotting carcass. Give them a few hours and they'll "wake up" and waddle away.
The Benefits of Having Them Around
Opossums are "nature's garbage disposals." A single opossum can eat up to 4,000 ticks per week. They also hunt cockroaches, mice, rats, and venomous snakes (they have natural resistance to snake venom).
Due to their low body temperature, rabies is extremely rare in opossums. Most hissing and drooling is just a defensive bluff.
The Best Way to Get Rid of Opossum: Prevention and Habitat Modification
Opossums are nomadic scavengers. They don't build their own dens—they move into abandoned burrows or cozy spots under homes.
They can travel up to one mile per day and squeeze through any opening 12 inches in diameter (smaller if young). Signs of activity: distinctive droppings that look like cat feces with pointed ends, heavy scratching and thumping sounds at night.
Best Way to Get Rid of Opossum Food Sources
The #1 reason opossums choose your yard is food. They have an extremely keen sense of smell:
- Secure trash cans: Metal cans with tight-fitting lids; use bungee cords
- Pick up pet food: Never leave cat or dog food outside overnight
- Clean up the garden: Harvest fruits and vegetables promptly; clean fallen drops
- Birdseed management: Squirrel-proof feeders or clean spilled seed daily
Eliminating Backyard Shelters
Opossums love clutter—it provides safety from predators:
- Clear brush piles: Five-star hotel for marsupials
- Stack firewood tightly: Keep off the ground when possible, away from the house
- Trim overhanging branches: Opossums climb well—keep branches 10+ feet from rooflines
Humane Removal and Exclusion Techniques
Best Way to Get Rid of Opossum Nesting Sites
To stop opossums from denning under decks, crawl spaces, or sheds:
- Hardware cloth: 1/4 inch or 1/2 inch galvanized mesh (plastic netting won't work—they'll chew through)
- L-footer design: Dig trench 2–6 inches deep. Place mesh in trench, bend bottom 12 inches outward in an "L" shape. When opossum tries to dig under, it hits the mesh.
- One-way doors: Install if an animal is already inside—allows exit but prevents re-entry
Pro tip: Before sealing, sprinkle flour in front of the opening. If you don't see tracks for two or three nights, it's safe to seal.
Safe Trapping and Relocation Guidelines
The trap:
Large live-capture wire cage (roughly 10x12x32 inches)
The bait:
Avoid meat-based baits (attract neighborhood cats). Use sweet baits—marshmallows, apples, peanut butter. Opossums have a sweet tooth.
The 20-mile rule:
Release too close and they'll beat you back home. Relocate at least 20 miles away in a wooded area with water
The joey rule:
A baby opossum under 7 inches (not including tail) is too young to be on its own. If you trap a mother, ensure her pouch is empty or all babies are with her
Professional Intervention and Health Risks
Health Risks to Pets and Family
Opossums can carry:
- Leptospirosis and salmonella: Spread through urine and feces
- Parasites: Fleas, ticks, mites, and lice
- EPM (Equine Protozoal Myeloencephalitis): Serious neurological disease in horses. Critical concern for horse owners in Cass or Miami County
When to call: Animal in inaccessible area, aggressive cornered male, or babies involved.
Are opossums aggressive toward pets?
Generally, no. Opossums are shy and prefer "playing dead" to fighting. When cornered, they hiss, growl, and show their 50 teeth as a bluff. Most pet conflicts happen over shared food bowls—keep pet food indoors.
Do opossums carry rabies?
Extremely rare. Their body temperature (94–97°F) is too low for the virus to thrive. Drooling is usually part of "playing dead" or a defensive bluff.
Can opossums damage my home's foundation?
Opossums aren't great diggers, but they're experts at finding existing gaps. Once inside, they can expand holes in siding or eaves. Real damage comes from their waste—frequent defecation rots wood and ruins drywall.
Conclusion
Getting rid of opossums doesn't have to be a battle. Focus on removing attractants—food and shelter—and these nomadic marsupials will move along. A secured home perimeter is your best defense. At Frontier Trapper, we specialize in the "Frontier Method": thorough inspection, humane removal, and permanent exclusion repairs backed by a 100% satisfaction guarantee.