Is it “O-Possum” or “Possum” ? Either way, they shouldn’t be in your home!

Here at Clark’s Termite and Pest Control, we care about all wildlife…but they should be in the wild! Our skilled wildlife team has the means and the skills to safely remove opossums from your home. 

Opossums tend to look for warm shelters to fight off the cold weather. This shelter could be at YOUR house, like on the porch or in your garage.

We know that opossums are generally not on the brain, but they should be during the cooler months as they seek shelter to warmer areas! This is why it is important to have opossums safely removed from your home if you ever have an infestation.

Here are (a few) of the potential damages they cause to get you up to speed, courtesy of our Wildlife department and our

friends at PestWorld:

• These animals can survive in a wide range of conditions by having a flexible diet and reproductive habits. Opossums typically eat fruit, grains, and insects but can also dig into your trash can or pet food dishes.

• Opossums can be very destructive and can cause damage in your crawlspace, attic, or garage. These marsupials can rip down or soil your insulation at the drop of a hat.

• They can damage your lawn when digging for food. Their diet consists of fruit, grains, and insects but also have the means to destroy poultry, game birds, and their nests.

• Opossums can leave behind fecal matter and cause flea infestations.

• They can carry diseases such as leptospirosis, tularemia and tuberculosis.

• They “play possum” by acting like a dead animal and drawing back their lips, causing saliva to foam around their mouth and creating a terrible-smelling liquid from their anal glands. Although gross, this is an opossum’s natural defense mechanism.
  

DIY Possum Prevention

Store trash in animal-proof lids.

Bring pet food dishes inside at night.

Remove any food sources from your property, such as fallen berries/fruits and woodpiles/logs.

Look for broken vent covers, holes, and access points on the outside of the home, as they can enter crawlspaces around missing foundation vents and sometimes under HVAC units.

Trim tree branches. Opossums are high jumpers!

What to Do if You Have an O’Possum Problem

Your first instinct will be to shoo them away. However, to safely evict these unwanted house guests, your first call should be to Clark’s Wildlife Team to schedule an evaluation. Your Clark’s Wildlife Professional can eradicate these pesky animals safely.

How We Safely Eradicate O’Possums: The Clark’s Way

Once inside a home or business, marsupials work on the electrical wiring, PVC plumbing pipes, heating, air conditioning ducts, and anything else they can get sink their teeth in. Remember, you don’t have to live in the country to be bothered by wildlife – we deal with wildlife problems even in South Carolina’s, North Carolina’s, and Georgia’s largest cities. Rodents and wildlife can cause unwanted damage to your home and expose you and your family to harmful and deadly diseases. If you hear something that sounds like heavy scratching, you may have company

1. A Clark’s Wildlife Professional will conduct a proper and thorough inspection of the attic and crawlspace during each initial evaluation. This will help determine the main entry points so we can customize a plan to eradicate the problem.
2. Live Trapping & Eviction
3. Seal Off Entry Points
4. Clean Up & Disinfect

To learn more visit our wildlife page or click here to schedule a time for your wildlife evaluation. 

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