How To Get Rid Of A Possum In Your Garage (Do This!)

We’ve grown to accept that we as homeowners will have to deal with unwanted guests from time to time. For the most part, our unwanted guests are on the smaller side like ants, cockroaches, and spiders. However, there may be times when your unwanted guest looks a bit different.

Possums stroll into neighborhoods every now and then and yes, they will also enter homes. It can be surprising to see a possum inside your garage, but you obviously cannot just ignore it.

You’ll need to trap the possum in your garage in order to get it out of there. Use a sturdy trap and place something sweet inside of it like fruit or some peanut butter on bread. After trapping the possum, contact animal control in your area so that it can be safely relocated.

Possums are not exactly dangerous animals, but they can still be pests around your property. If a possum wanders into your home, you need to deal with it properly. Feel free to continue with this article if you want to learn how to handle possums inside your garage.

Let’s first take the time to address an important question regarding possums. Are they dangerous? To be more specific, should you worry about them potentially being rabid?

According to the Wildlife Rescue League, the possums we’re familiar with can contract rabies, but that doesn’t happen often. That has something to do with how their bodies work.

Researchers believe that the naturally low body temperatures of possums make them less suitable to carry the aforementioned virus. You still don’t want to approach them carelessly, but they aren’t as threatening as some other critters that enter homes.

In order to catch the possum prowling on your property, you’ll need to gather a few items first. You’ll specifically need some gloves, a trap, and some bait.

The gloves are needed for handling both the trap and the bait. Possums may be able to detect your scent on the trap or the bait if you don’t use the gloves. You need the gloves to keep the possum from getting suspicious.

As for the trap, you need something with dimensions of 32” x 10” x 12” to contain the possum safely. A trap of that size can safely contain the possum without harming it. Moving on now to the bait, you have a few options to consider. Possums like sweet treats so mashed up bananas or grapes can lure them in. You can also spread some peanut butter on a piece of bread and place that inside the trap.

The next step is to put the trap in position. Open it up and place the bait inside. Go ahead and put in some extra so the possum won’t be able to resist it.

You should remember to leave the trap on an even surface. Upon being trapped, the possum may start to move around wildly and cause the cage to tip over. It’s not likely, but the trap could still open up after it falls to the ground.

After finding the right spot, simply set the trap with the bait inside. Refer to the manual when configuring the trap to ensure that it will spring after the possum enters it.

The last thing you have to do is to relocate the possum. Don’t just release the possum anywhere you please, however. You could be found in violation of the law if you released a trapped possum without permission. What you want to do after trapping the possum is to contact the local animal control. Tell them about the situation and request their assistance. They can tell you how to relocate the possum properly.

If you are going to release the possum yourself, you’ll need to get a big towel or shirt. Use that towel or shirt to cover the cage to avoid scaring the possum too much. The possum may get overly unruly if you frighten it.

When the time comes to release the possum, do so carefully. The possum is likely still agitated somewhat and it may attack you if it senses aggression. After opening the trap, you can watch the possum run free.

The possum is not on your property to take a tour of your home. It’s there because it’s looking for food and it may have sensed something edible nearby.

You may have left the dish your pet eats from outside and a possum may be interested in the leftovers. Garbage containers without lids are also enticing to hungry possums. They’ll go rummaging in there for anything they can seek their teeth into.

Homeowners who also maintain chicken coops may also get a visit from a possum at some point. Possums will eat the eggs along with your chickens as well. You need to make it hard for possums to find any food if you want them to stay away. Secure your garbage containers and your chicken coop so a wandering possum won’t be able to enter them. Also, remember not to leave any food out that the possums can get to.

Related Questions

Where Else Do Possums Hide aside from the Garage?

Apart from your garage, possums may also seek shelter in your attic, basement, or any available crawlspace. If it’s dark and quiet, the possum will feel comfortable staying there. Make those parts of your home harder to access in order to keep the possums away.

Are Possums and Opossums the Same Animal?

In the United States, the terms “possum” and “opossum” are interchangeable as they are generally used to refer to one animal. Technically though, the animals we know as possums here in the United States are actually opossums.The species officially known as possums look different from opossums and they are native to other countries like Australia. Possums also bear more of a resemblance to kangaroos.