by TRIND Design
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Don’t Play Opossum, Call Go Pro and Protect Your Home!
Opossums are one of the most adaptable creatures on planet earth, thriving in different environments that most animals cannot. From forests and fields to your backyard, opossums can survive, even thrive in the wild or in domesticated areas like neighborhoods.
Opossums are also nocturnal animals, saving their activity for nighttime. This helps them avoid predators and locate food without being bothered or harmed. They are slow-moving animals, making their approach to moving around more methodical in nature. During the day, they find safe, quiet places to rest where they will not be disturbed.
Opossums are truly fascinating, known for “playing possum”, where they pretend to be dead when coming into contact with a predator. Their body goes limp, their breathing slows, and they occasionally release a foul-smelling liquid to convince the predator they are dead.
These creatures have unique habits that are unknown to most and could, unbeknownst you, be living in your backyard.
Nature’s Cleanup Crew
Opossums eat almost anything and are omnivores, eating both plants and animals. Their diet consists of insects, fruits, smaller animals, birds and eggs and even carrion (animal carcasses). This gives opossums their nickname, “nature’s cleanup crew”, often being found scavenging for food in trash cans and gardens.
Due to this diet, opossums help reduce insect populations and clean up carcasses, preventing potential spread of diseases. Opossums have adapted for hundreds of years, and their simple diet plays a big role in their adaptability.
Identifying and Preventing Opossum Access
While highly adaptable, opossums are not exempt from needing shelter. Opossums seek to avoid predators, such as hawks, foxes and house pets, further enticing them to find a way into your home. Opossums do not build their own shelter, meaning access to an attic or underneath a porch could be an ideal place to call home.
Identifying opossums early is key to preventing them from accessing your home. A few ways to identify opossum activity:
- Feces – Opossum feces resemble a small dog’s
- Footprints – Fingers on opossum’s rear footprints are positioned at a right angle away from the others
- Noises – Scratching, thumping and rustling in the night could mean opossums are in the attic or under the porch
Opossums are primarily harmless but are not welcome as house guests either. Conflict can be easily avoided by simply being prepared.
Take Preventive Measures and Be Prepared
Here are a few easy tips to prevent opossums from inhabiting the areas around your home:
- Secure your trash cans – This prevents opossums from rummaging through your garbage looking for food
- Remove potential food sources from your yard – Opossums are less likely to inhabit your yard if there is no accessible food, such as pet food and bird feeders
- Remove brush and wood piles from your yard – This decreases the number of places in your yard for opossums to seek shelter
- Secure openings under your deck and shed – This prevents opossums from using these openings as crawl spaces to enter from
If you do suspect opossums inhabiting the areas around your home, call Go Pro Wildlife Removal today at 334-744-0391 or contact us through our website for a free inspection.
Protect Your Home This Fall: The Importance of Clean and Covered Gutters
Fall season is here, leaves are falling and squirrels are building nests to prepare for winter. You may not realize it, but uncovered gutters can cause irreversible damage to your home. Keeping gutters clean and protected are essential to protecting your home this fall.
Contact Info
Contact Go Pro today! We offer wildlife removal solutions in Auburn, Opelika, Lake Martin, Valley, Montgomery, AL and Columbus, GA areas.
Phone: (334) 744-0391
Hours: Open 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
Fall season is here, leaves are falling and squirrels are building nests to prepare for winter. You may not realize it, but uncovered gutters can cause irreversible damage to your home. Keeping gutters clean and protected are essential to protecting your home this fall.
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