How to Keep Possums Away From Your Home

If you’ve ever had a possum sneak under your deck, crawlspace, or shed, you already know, it’s not cute for long. While they’re not aggressive by nature, possums can cause some real problems around the home. They tear up insulation, damage ductwork, leave behind strong odors, and can carry fleas or other parasites.

You might’ve heard they eat ticks and help the environment. Truth is, while possums will eat just about anything, their impact on tick populations is pretty minimal. What they do impact is your home … and not in a good way.

Let’s walk through what you can do to help keep possums out, and why a professional wildlife control operator might be your best call if one’s already moved in.

Why Possums Are a Problem

Possums are opportunists. They’re not trying to move in with you forever, but if your property gives them easy access to food and shelter, they’ll gladly overstay their welcome.

Common signs of possum activity:

• Scratching, thumping, or rustling at night
• Trash cans rummaged through or tipped over
• Droppings around your crawlspace or foundation
• Torn ductwork or insulation under the home
• Sudden flea problems (even without pets)

Possums tend to move low and slow. That means areas like crawlspace vents, sheds, mobile home skirting, and under porches are prime real estate. Once inside, they can leave behind a trail of mess that’s not only unpleasant, but can attract other animals too.

How to Prevent Possums from Moving In

If you want to keep possums off your property, your best bet is to make your home as unwelcoming as possible, without making it uncomfortable for you. Here’s what helps:

Eliminate Easy Meals

Possums will eat almost anything. Keep pet food inside, clean up fallen fruit, secure trash cans with tight-fitting lids, and don’t leave compost piles exposed. A clean yard is your first line of defense.

Block Off Their Favorite Hideouts 

Possums love dark, quiet spaces. Crawlspaces with damaged vents, open shed foundations, and low decks are all high-risk zones. That’s where professionally installed exclusion products shine. Wildlife operators can install crawlspace vent guards, deck screening, and one-way doors that allow animals to leave but not return.

Trim Back Vegetation

Overgrown shrubs and low-hanging limbs can act like on-ramps to your roof or attic. Trim them back to remove access points and open up sight lines.

Use Motion Lights as a Deterrent

Possums are shy and mostly nocturnal. Motion-activated lights can startle them before they get too comfortable, especially near entry points like crawlspaces or trash bins.

What to Do if a Possum Is Already Living on Your Property

If a possum has already moved in, don’t panic … but don’t ignore it either. Possums aren’t aggressive, but they can cause long-term damage if left alone.

Confirm the Animal

Possums are often mistaken for raccoons, skunks, or even groundhogs. A wildlife control operator can identify the species quickly and come up with the right plan.

Use a Professional for Safe, Humane Removal 

While it’s legal in many areas to trap possums yourself, doing it wrong can create bigger problems … including separating a female from her young or violating local relocation laws. A trained wildlife control operator has the tools and experience to handle the removal safely and legally.

Seal Up the Entry Point

This is where most homeowners fall short. Even if the possum leaves or gets removed, that opening stays behind, and it’s only a matter of time before something else moves in. Professionals use chew-proof materials like steel screening and flashing to seal off access. At HY-C, we design products like Foundation Vent Screens and Pest Armor exclusion mesh to help licensed operators do this part right.

Clean and Sanitize

Possums can leave behind strong odors, waste, fleas, and damaged insulation. A good cleanup restores your space and removes any scent markers that might attract more wildlife. Some wildlife operators offer attic or crawlspace sanitation as part of their service.

Final Thoughts

Possums aren’t the worst guests a home can have, but that doesn’t mean they’re harmless. Left alone, they can create messes, invite fleas, and cost you big money in repairs.

If you’re seeing signs of possum activity, your best move is to reach out to a local wildlife control professional. They’ll inspect your property, humanely remove any animals, and help you seal up your home using professional-grade materials designed to keep critters out for good.

And if your technician uses HY-GUARD EXCLUSION products from HY-C, even better … you’ll know the work was done with tough, field-tested materials that last.

Because when it comes to protecting your home, the goal isn’t just to evict the problem. It’s to keep the next one from ever showing up.