What if an opossum got inside my house?

So, it is a beautiful summer’s evening and you decide to open up your house for a little fresh air. Unbeknownst to you, while you were standing out at the bar-b- que pit, a nosy opossum has wandered into your house. At the end of the night, you close the house up and turn off the lights only to be startled by loud noises. SURPRISE! The lost and confused opossum wants outside NOW. You can try calling animal control, but if it is late at night, or a weekend, you are probably out of luck, so here are a few tips to help:



Stay Calm and act quickly — That opossum does not want to be inside any more than you want him to. He is more frightened of you than you are of him, and is completely out of his element. Do not chase it, or scream at it, a broom or other object swung at it will only panic it and make it aggressive.

Segregate your fur babies to keep them safe- If you have animals, lock them in another room, away from the danger zone. No one needs to get hurt!

Hands off! It is a wild animal. — Don’t touch it even if it looks cute and lovable. An opossum can and WILL bite if it feels threatened.

Contain the problem — Try to shut it in a room if you can. Then you can have a little breathing room to form a plan.

Give it an escape route — If you open windows or outside doors, it may find its own way to freedom.

Do not rush it — Your uninvited guest might be hiding until things quiet down, or until it gets dark. Give him some space and he will probably make a break for it.

Lay a dusting of flour or powder near the outside door— If you cannot see your guest leave, (because you shut the door, maybe?) Before you exit, the room, dust the doorway so you can see the exiting footprints. This way you can be sure he is gone.

If you need help, we service the entire USA! Click here for a wildlife removal specialist in your town!

Go back to the main Opossum Removal page for more information about What if an opossum got inside my house?.