Are Opossums Bad to Have Around?

Opossums can generate conflicting responses from homeowners. Despite their important function in controlling insects, opossums can cause a number of issues if they decide to live in your yard. Understanding the disadvantages of these critters will help determine if opossums are bad to have around your home or property.

Property Damage

Opossums scavenge through trash cans, compost piles, and gardens for food. This scavenging might result in shredded trash bags, strewn debris, and damaged plants. Their habit of digging for insects and grubs on lawns can leave unattractive holes and patches.

Disease Transmission

Opossums may spread diseases and parasites that are harmful to wildlife and humans. These diseases include leptospirosis, TB, and spotted fever. Furthermore, opossums are notorious carriers of fleas, ticks, and mites, which can infest your yard and potentially spread diseases to other critters.

Foul Odors

Opossums, like other wild creatures, can produce foul odors when threatened or alarmed. Their musky scent glands may get stimulated during interactions with other animals or when they feel cornered. The odor might linger in the area surrounding your yard, making outside activities unpleasant for you and your family.

Nesting and Sheltering

Opossums seek shelter in numerous places, such as attics, crawl spaces, and under decks or porches. When they live in these regions, they may build nests out of leaves, grass, and twigs, which can damage structures and insulation. Their presence in tight places can cause noisy disturbances and unpleasant surprises for homeowners.

Attraction of Other Wildlife

Opossums can attract predators like coyotes, foxes, and large birds of prey to your yard, despite not being at the top of the food chain themselves. This can cause a chain reaction, altering the balance of your local ecology and endangering other wildlife in the region.

Potential for Vehicle Collisions

Opossums are often involved in car incidents, particularly in urban and suburban regions where their habitats intersect with roads and highways. This is not only destructive to opossum populations, but it also poses a safety danger to drivers and passengers. A high opossum population in your yard may enhance the likelihood of such terrible situations.

In conclusion, while opossums help to maintain ecological balance by removing certain insects, their presence in yards can present a number of challenges and inconveniences that may suggest opossums are bad to have around. From property damage to health concerns, managing opossum populations takes careful thought and effective action. Implementing techniques such as securing garbage cans, reducing food sources, and sealing entrance points can help limit the negative effects of opossum activity in your yard while also providing a safer and more harmonious environment.

Are you in need of opossum removal? Our friendly operators at Dallas Fort Worth Wildlife Control are available now at (817) 606-7607. Find out more about our wildlife removal in Arlington and Fort Worth, TX.