You hear a thump in the garage at 2 a.m. By morning the cat food bowl is empty, the garbage lid is off, and something has dragged leaves and shredded paper into the corner of the shed.
Residential opossum control London homeowners need comes down to three jobs: find where the animal lives, remove it humanely, and close the gap it used to get in. Opossums are not aggressive, but once one settles in, it rarely leaves for good. This guide from The BS Pest Control explains what to look for and what to do next.
The Virginia opossum is Canada’s only marsupial, and its range keeps moving north as it adapts to towns and cities. That means more backyard visits, not fewer.
Key Takeaways
- Opossums are about the size of a house cat, slow, and not aggressive. They den in garages, sheds, crawl spaces, and under decks, especially when the weather turns cold.
- The damage comes from nests, droppings, torn insulation, and raided garbage or pet food. Opossums do not gnaw or tunnel like rats and squirrels.
- Rabies is uncommon in opossums, but they can carry parasites. Never handle one, even if it looks dead.
- Professional removal means inspection, humane removal, cleanup, and sealing the entry point. Skip the sealing and another animal moves in.
- Ontario rules require live animals to be released within 24 hours and within 1 km of where they were caught, so closing the gap matters more than moving the animal.
- Opossum removal London costs depend on where the den is, how many animals are involved, and how much sealing is needed. A free inspection gives you a firm quote.
Table of Contents
- What Do Opossums Do to a Home and Garden?
- How Can You Tell Whether It Is an Opossum, a Raccoon, or a Skunk?
- Are Opossums Dangerous to People and Pets?
- How Does Professional Opossum Removal Work?
- How Can You Protect Your Home and Garden From Opossums?
- How Much Does Residential Opossum Control in London Cost?
- FAQs
- Conclusion
What Do Opossums Do to a Home and Garden?
Opossums look for warm, dark, quiet spaces and eat almost anything. Inside a building the damage is mostly mess. Outside, they raid.
Here is what that looks like on a real property:
- Nests: They drag leaves, paper, and insulation into garages, sheds, and crawl spaces.
- Droppings and smell: A den left alone builds up waste and a musty odour.
- Torn insulation: Loose insulation under a deck or in a crawl space gets pulled apart for bedding.
- Raided food: Garbage, compost, pet food, and bird seed are easy meals.
- Garden damage: Fallen fruit and ripe vegetables get eaten, and plants get trampled along the way.
A typical story goes like this. The first cold snap hits in November, and an opossum finds a gap under the shed. It brings in bedding, eats the cat’s food on the porch every night, and stays all winter. By spring the shed floor is a mess and there may be young in the nest.
How Can You Tell Whether It Is an Opossum, a Raccoon, or a Skunk?
Check the look of the animal and the kind of damage. Opossums are grey-white with a pointed pink nose and a bare tail. Raccoons have a black mask. Skunks have a black and white stripe.
| Clue | Opossum | Raccoon | Skunk |
| Look | Grey-white fur, pink nose, bare tail | Black mask, ringed tail | Black and white stripe |
| Typical damage | Nests, droppings, raided food, little digging | Torn vents, shingles, and garbage lids | Holes in the lawn, dens under decks |
| When cornered | Hisses, shows teeth, or plays dead | Fights back | Sprays |
Other signs of an opossum include noises in the garage at night, empty pet bowls, knocked-over garbage lids, and a nest of leaves in a sheltered spot. Opossums mostly come out at night, but they sometimes forage in daylight in winter.
If your clues point to another animal, we also handle raccoon control, skunk removal, and squirrel removal.
Are Opossums Dangerous to People and Pets?
Not very. Opossums are shy and would rather run, hide, or freeze than fight. Still, a cornered one will hiss and show its teeth, and it has plenty of them: 50, the most of any North American land mammal.
Here is what to know:
- Rabies: It is uncommon for opossums to carry the rabies virus. Their low body temperature is thought to be one reason.
- Parasites: They can carry fleas and other parasites, which can reach your pets.
- Droppings: Waste in a den can spread germs, so cleanup needs gloves and the right products.
- Playing dead: An opossum that freezes, drools, and goes limp is not dead. It is a reflex, and it can wake up in minutes or hours. Do not pick it up.
Keep pets inside and stay back. If you are bitten or scratched, wash the wound well and call a doctor or your local public health unit.
How Does Professional Opossum Removal Work?
A professional inspects the property, removes the animal humanely, cleans the area, and seals the entry point. Each step matters, and skipping one is how opossums come back.
- Inspect. A technician looks for the den and the way in. Gaps in siding, loose vents, and spaces under sheds and decks are common entry points.
- Remove humanely. The team uses live traps or one-way doors set in the right spot. They also check for young. Opossums have one or two litters a year and sometimes a third, so a nest in spring or summer may hold babies.
- Clean and sanitize. Nesting material and droppings are removed, and the area is treated to reduce smell and germs.
- Seal and protect. Entry points are closed with proper materials so the next animal cannot use the same gap.
Good opossum control London work always includes that last step. Our opossum removal service follows this plan, and our wildlife removal team can check for other animals using the same space.
What are Ontario’s rules for removing opossums?
You may capture wildlife on your own property if it is damaging that property, or you may hire a wildlife agent. Under Ontario’s rules, you must:
- Release live animals within 24 hours
- Release them within 1 kilometre of where they were caught
- Release on private property only with the landowner’s permission
- Stay on your own property and not capture more animals than needed
- Treat the animal humanely
Check the rules on dens before you seal any burrow, especially if young may be inside. That is one more reason to bring in a professional.
How Can You Protect Your Home and Garden From Opossums?
Remove the food and shelter first, then close the gaps. An opossum has no reason to stay where there is nothing to eat and nowhere warm to sleep.
- Feed pets indoors, or pick up the bowls before dark.
- Use garbage and compost bins with tight, locking lids.
- Pick up fallen fruit and clean up spilled bird seed.
- Close gaps under sheds, decks, and porches with sturdy mesh.
- Shut the garage door at night and repair damaged vents.
- Trim branches that touch the roof.
- Clear brush piles and stacked boards where animals can hide.
Skip poison and mothballs. They are unsafe for kids and pets, and poison is not an allowed way to deal with wildlife in Ontario.
Residential opossum control London services add the part most homeowners skip: sealing with the right materials and checking that nothing is still inside first.
Why is fall the right time to act?
Opossums do not hibernate, and their bare ears and tails can get frostbitten in cold weather. So they look for warm shelter when the temperature drops. Late fall is a smart time to close gaps, as long as you confirm nothing is inside before you seal.
How Much Does Residential Opossum Control in London Cost?
There is no flat price, because every property is different. Most companies quote after an inspection. These factors set the cost:
- Where the den is and how hard it is to reach
- Number of animals, and whether young are present
- Amount of sealing and repair needed
- Cleanup and sanitizing
- Follow-up visits
Ask three questions before you agree to a price. Is the sealing included? Is there a guarantee? Are there extra fees for return visits?
Doing nothing also has a cost. Torn insulation, soiled materials, and repeat visits add up faster than one proper removal.
What should you look for in a company?
- License and insurance. Ask for proof.
- Humane methods. Ask how they handle young.
- Sealing included. Removal without sealing is only a pause.
- Cleanup. Ask whether they remove waste and treat the area.
- Clear pricing and a guarantee. Get both in writing.
- Fast response. An animal in the garage at night should not wait a week.
A search for opossum pest control London returns plenty of results, so also ask whether wildlife is the company’s regular work, not a side job.
The BS Pest Control is licensed and insured, uses eco-friendly and humane methods, offers same-day or next-day service in most areas it serves, and stands behind its work with a satisfaction guarantee. Inspections and quotes are free.
FAQs
Is an opossum the same as a possum?
No. In Canada and the United States the animal is the opossum. Many people shorten it to “possum,” but possums are a different group of animals found in Australia.
Will an opossum leave on its own?
Sometimes, within a few days. If it has a warm den and an easy food source, it may stay for weeks, and cold weather makes that more likely. Taking away the food and closing the gap is what ends the visit.
Do opossums carry rabies?
It is uncommon. Their low body temperature is thought to make it hard for the virus to survive. They can still carry parasites and bite when cornered, so do not handle one.
How do I know if an opossum is dead or playing dead?
Leave it alone for a few hours and keep pets away. A frozen, drooling opossum is likely playing dead and will walk off when it feels safe. If it is still there after several hours, call a professional or your local animal services.
Can I trap an opossum myself in London?
Yes, on your own property if it is damaging it, but you must follow Ontario’s rules. Release it within 24 hours and within 1 km of the capture spot. A professional opossum removal London team also handles the sealing, which stops the next one.
Conclusion
An opossum in your shed does not stay a small problem. By winter it has a nest, by spring it may have young, and your garden is the buffet. Residential opossum control London homeowners can trust stops the problem at the source: the gap.
Do not wait for the next cold snap. Call The BS Pest Control at +1 (437) 329-4500, message us on WhatsApp, or book your free inspection and quote today.
