Opossums in the Pacific Northwest: What You Need to Know
At Sasquatch Pest Control, we’ve seen firsthand how sneaky and destructive opossums can be once they decide your home or yard is the perfect place to settle. Native to the Americas and now widespread across North America—including right here in Whatcom and Skagit County—opossums have adapted well to living alongside humans.
These nocturnal scavengers are about the size of a large house cat, with a white face, brownish-gray fur, and a long, hairless tail. While they might look harmless at first glance, opossums can cause significant damage and pose health risks to your family and pets.
Why Are Opossums a Problem for Homeowners?
Opossums are opportunistic feeders and expert foragers. Once they discover your property provides food or shelter, they’ll keep coming back.
Here’s what makes your home attractive to them:
Accessible Trash & Pet Food: Opossums will dig through unsecured garbage, eat pet food left outside, and raid compost piles.
Warm Shelter: Attics, crawlspaces, garages, and areas under porches or decks offer safe places to nest.
Easy Entry Points: These critters can climb, chew, and dig their way through even the smallest structural gaps.
Once inside, they’re known to tear up insulation, chew wires, damage vents, and even die in hard-to-reach spaces—leading to serious sanitation and odor problems.
Signs of an Opossum Infestation
Opossums may be quiet, but they leave behind clear signs:
Strange Noises at Night: Clicking, growling, hissing, or rustling in walls or ceilings.
Musky Odor: Opossums secrete a distinct smell to mark territory.
Chewed Wood or Wiring: Look for gnaw marks around entry points or inside sheds and attics.
Feces: About 1–2 inches long, smooth sides, often curled on the ends—older droppings may grow mold.
Scattered Trash & Missing Pet Food: Classic signs of nighttime foraging.
Human-like Tracks: Five toes on each foot make opossum tracks look oddly similar to small handprints.
The Dangers of DIY Opossum Removal
Opossums aren’t naturally aggressive, but cornering one can lead to bites or scratches. They carry parasites and diseases, including leptospirosis, toxoplasmosis, and potentially rabies—putting your family and pets at risk.
Don’t go it alone. At Sasquatch Pest Control, our licensed wildlife team has the training and tools to remove opossums safely and legally under Washington State wildlife regulations.
How Sasquatch Handles Opossum Control
We don’t just remove the problem—we prevent it from returning. Our opossum control process includes:
Professional Inspection We locate entry points, damage, and nesting areas.
Humane Trapping & Removal All animals are handled in accordance with local and state laws
Exclusion Services Once the opossum is removed, we seal access points to stop future intrusions.
Habitat Modification We help you reduce attractants around your home, including pet food, open garbage, brush piles, and more.
Tips to Keep Opossums Off Your Property
Simple changes can make a big difference:
Seal trash cans tightly with locking lids
Bring pet food and water dishes inside at night
Clear fallen fruit and yard debris
Install mesh barriers under decks and sheds
Scrub down grills after use
Fence in vulnerable gardens or compost areas
Trusted Opossum Control for Whatcom & Skagit County
Whether they’re hiding under your deck or causing chaos in your attic, Sasquatch Pest Control is here to help. We’re a family-owned local business, committed to delivering fast, effective, and humane wildlife control services that put your safety first.
No matter your wildlife problems—We Squatch your back! Contact Sasquatch Pest Control today for a wildlife inspection and reclaim your space from unwanted guests.
Why Choose Sasquatch Pest Control
We’re passionate about helping people just like you get rid of unwanted pest problems. Dont ask yourself if you need of pest control services. We are proud to be the only pest control in Houston, Texas promising excellence in value, service, and trust. And honesty above all. We will do whats best for you 100% of the time!
Trust
We know you are putting a lot of trust in our hands. So we promise to treat you and your home with respect.
Value
After your pest inspection, we’ll provide you with a quote that makes sense for your budget and unique needs.
Service
We’re not happy unless you are. So if you’re not satisfied with your most recent service, we’ll make it right.
Refer your Family & Friends, Get $25 OFF Your Next Service
Marcus with Sasquatch Pest Control is absolutely fantastic. From the moment he arrived, he was professional, knowledgeable, and genuinely cared about making sure everything was handled properly. He took the time to explain what he was doing, answered all of my questions, and made me feel completely at ease.Not only did he solve the issue quickly and thoroughly, but he also went above and beyond to make sure it wouldn’t come back. It’s rare to find someone who takes this much pride in their work.I highly recommend Marcus and his services to anyone needing reliable and effective pest control. You won’t be disappointed!
– AJ Ashlie James Spring, Texas
The owner definitely knows his stuff! Very knowledgeable and aware of all the pests in the area. Great service for an exceptional price! Shows up on time, solved our pest issues, and answered all our questions! Will definitely use again.– Oran W Houston, Texas
Great experience. Worked with my hectic schedule. Very knowledgeable. Answered all my curious questions regarding different pest issues. Highly recommend.
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About Opossums in the Houston Area
Opossums are common wildlife visitors across the Houston area, drawn to neighborhoods by easy food and shelter. North America’s only marsupial, the opossum is a slow-moving, nocturnal scavenger that will happily den under a deck, shed, or porch, in a crawl space, or even in an attic. While they are not aggressive and actually eat ticks, roaches, and other pests, an opossum living on your property causes real problems.
Opossums damage insulation and structures when they den in attics and crawl spaces, tear into trash and pet food, and leave droppings that can carry parasites and disease. They can also bring fleas and ticks onto your property. A mother opossum denning in your home may also have young, complicating removal.
Because wildlife removal involves safety and often local regulations, it is not a DIY job. Sasquatch Pest Control removes opossums and, just as importantly, seals the entry points and removes the attractants that brought them in.
Signs of a Opossum Problem
Opossums are nocturnal, so watch for these signs:
Nighttime sightings of a grayish, cat-sized animal with a pointed snout and hairless tail.
Knocked-over trash cans and disturbed pet food or garden produce.
Denning under decks, sheds, porches, or in crawl spaces and attics.
Droppings along fences, decks, or in the attic.
Scratching or shuffling noises at night in the attic or under the house.
Damage to insulation, screens, or vents where they enter.
Why Opossum Control Matters
Opossums are generally not aggressive, but they cause property damage and health concerns. In attics and crawl spaces they tear insulation and can damage wiring and ductwork, and their droppings may carry parasites and diseases such as leptospirosis. They also transport fleas and ticks, and a cornered opossum can bite or scratch if threatened.
Simply chasing an opossum away rarely works — if the food and shelter remain, another animal moves in. Effective control combines removal with exclusion and habitat modification.
How Sasquatch Pest Control Gets Rid of Opossums
Sasquatch Pest Control handles opossums safely and humanely:
Free Inspection. We locate den sites and entry points, look for signs of young, and identify the attractants drawing opossums in.
Custom Plan. We build a removal and exclusion plan appropriate for your property and any wildlife regulations.
Removal & Exclusion. We remove the animal (and any young) and seal the entry points so opossums cannot return.
Cleanup & Prevention. We address droppings and damage where needed and recommend steps to keep wildlife away, backed by our 100% guarantee.
How to Prevent Opossums
Make your property less inviting to opossums:
Secure trash cans with tight-fitting or locking lids.
Do not leave pet food or water outdoors overnight.
Seal openings under decks, sheds, porches, and into crawl spaces and attics.
Trim tree branches away from the roof and keep the yard free of debris piles.
Pick up fallen fruit and secure garden produce and compost.
Install screening over vents and other roofline openings.
Frequently Asked Questions About Opossums
Are opossums dangerous?
Opossums are not aggressive and rarely attack, but they can bite or scratch if cornered, they damage attics and insulation, and their droppings can carry parasites and disease. They also bring fleas and ticks onto your property.
How do I get an opossum out of my attic or from under my deck?
Removal should be handled by a professional, especially if young are present. Sasquatch Pest Control removes the animal safely, then seals entry points so it cannot return.
Will the opossum leave on its own?
It may wander, but if the food and shelter remain, another opossum usually moves in. Lasting control requires removing the attractants and sealing entry points.
Are opossums not beneficial because they eat ticks and pests?
They do eat ticks, roaches, and other pests, which is why we focus on humane removal and exclusion — but an opossum living in your attic or under your home still causes damage and health concerns.
How did an opossum get into my house?
They enter through gaps under decks and porches, damaged vents and screens, and openings around the roofline and crawl space. Sasquatch Pest Control finds and seals these during exclusion.
How much does opossum removal cost?
It depends on the situation and how much exclusion work is needed. Sasquatch Pest Control provides a free inspection and honest, up-front pricing.
Related Pest Control Services
Sasquatch Pest Control handles the full range of household and commercial pests. Explore our other services:
Ready to solve your opossum problem for good? Call or text 281-627-4810 or contact us online for a free inspection — no contracts, no scare tactics, and a 100% service guarantee behind every treatment.
