If you’re not used to opossums, your first though upon seeing one might be that you’ve just discovered the world’s largest rat. They do indeed look like giant rats, with their long, hairless tail and pointy snout. The opossum is actually a marsupial animal, meaning the female of the species carries its young in a pouch. The tail is used for gathering and carrying nesting material to their den, which is really quite clever. At night, this nocturnal animal forages for convenient food to eat, frequently around people’s homes and outbuildings. If you have frequent opossum visitors, you might want to consider having them removed by a professional wildlife removal company. Read on to learn the top three things to watch out for in opossums.
Opossums can be a health hazard to your animals. They carry parasites and diseases that can be harmful to pets and livestock. Equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM) is an example of a disease that effects the central nervous system of horses, which is caused by a parasite transmitted by opossum feces. External parasites, such as fleas, are also carried by opossums.
Opossums are undesirable house guests. If an opossum decides to make her den in your attic or crawl space, she can make a big stinky mess in a short amount of time. Opossum droppings are particularly smelly, due to their diet, and they generate a large quantity of them. You might also notice scratching sounds emanating from the den, which can be unnerving, especially when heard from one’s bed at night.
Opossums can be denied at your home. Like many issues, prevention is the key to keeping opossums from getting comfortable on your property. By not offering them food and shelter, you can stop the problem before it starts. Because they are opportunistic feeders, they will eat whatever they can find wherever they can find it. Do you leave cat food on the porch? Chances are a hungry opossum will take advantage of the free meal. Garbage left out in bags instead of secure containers is also a welcome source of sustenance for opossums. To prevent a nest or den from being built inside structures, seal up all holes and crevices securely. Consider enclosing the area under decks with wire or lattice to prevent them from going underneath and getting cozy.
Opossums are really quite cute when observed in nature, but they are not desirable animals to have on your property. If you have an opossum problem, it is best to hire a professional wildlife removal service. For more information about opossum removal in Garner, visit this website.
Opossums can be a health hazard to your animals. They carry parasites and diseases that can be harmful to pets and livestock. Equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM) is an example of a disease that effects the central nervous system of horses, which is caused by a parasite transmitted by opossum feces. External parasites, such as fleas, are also carried by opossums.
Opossums are undesirable house guests. If an opossum decides to make her den in your attic or crawl space, she can make a big stinky mess in a short amount of time. Opossum droppings are particularly smelly, due to their diet, and they generate a large quantity of them. You might also notice scratching sounds emanating from the den, which can be unnerving, especially when heard from one’s bed at night.
Opossums can be denied at your home. Like many issues, prevention is the key to keeping opossums from getting comfortable on your property. By not offering them food and shelter, you can stop the problem before it starts. Because they are opportunistic feeders, they will eat whatever they can find wherever they can find it. Do you leave cat food on the porch? Chances are a hungry opossum will take advantage of the free meal. Garbage left out in bags instead of secure containers is also a welcome source of sustenance for opossums. To prevent a nest or den from being built inside structures, seal up all holes and crevices securely. Consider enclosing the area under decks with wire or lattice to prevent them from going underneath and getting cozy.
Opossums are really quite cute when observed in nature, but they are not desirable animals to have on your property. If you have an opossum problem, it is best to hire a professional wildlife removal service. For more information about opossum removal in Garner, visit this website.