Opossum Removal The Woodlands
Professional Wildlife services
Call or Text Michael
(713) 775-8799
Opossum Removal in The Woodlands, Texas
In The Woodlands, an opossum is usually living under a back deck that faces the trees, beneath a storage shed, or in the space under a porch. Michael Gerbino of Cypress Critters & Pests does opossum removal in The Woodlands by catching the animal alive, making sure no young are left behind, and closing the space with buried mesh so the next one cannot move in. Call Michael at 713-775-8799.
Why are opossums so common in The Woodlands?
Homes in The Woodlands sit inside a pine and hardwood forest, with green-belt paths and preserves running behind many backyards. That is ideal opossum country. They come out of the trees after dark to look for pet food, bird seed, fallen fruit and the beetles and grubs in thick pine straw beds. When the night is over they want a dark, dry place, and a deck built out over the slope behind a house is often the closest one.
Signs to watch for
- Pine straw dug up in small patches. Opossums root through beds for insects and grubs.
- A trail under the deck. Flattened straw or packed dirt at one corner of the skirting.
- Empty pet bowls by morning. On the patio, the porch or in the garage.
- Bird seed gone from the ground. Opossums clean up under feeders at night.
- A musky smell under the porch. Strongest after rain.
How Michael handles it in The Woodlands
He finds the den and confirms it is an opossum, since raccoons, skunks and rats also use the space under Woodlands decks. A cage trap goes on its path and is checked often. The opossum is removed alive and handled following Texas rules. In spring, a mother may carry young, so he makes sure the space is empty before he closes it.
Closing it is what lasts. Galvanized mesh runs down from the deck edge and turns outward under the soil, gaps in skirting and lattice are closed, and the work is done neatly so it sits well with the look of the house. The full approach is on the animal exclusion in The Woodlands page.
Nearby
The main opossum removal page covers opossum habits in more detail. Michael handles opossums in Spring and north Houston too, and raccoons from the same woods are covered under raccoon removal in The Woodlands. See The Woodlands, Texas page or call 713-775-8799.
What goes into the quote?
Michael quotes after he has seen the place. It depends on the size of the deck or porch, how long a run of edge needs buried mesh, how many sheds or other spots are involved, and whether more than one animal is living there.
Questions people ask about opossums in The Woodlands
Is it normal to see opossums in my Woodlands yard at night?
Yes. With forest and preserves all around, opossums pass through many Woodlands yards at night without causing trouble. The time to act is when one starts living on your property, under the deck, porch or shed, or getting into the garage. That is when Michael catches it and closes the space.
Will an opossum hurt my dog or cat?
Opossums avoid fights. Most will play dead or back away, but a cornered one will hiss and can bite a pet that keeps after it. They can carry fleas as well. Bring pet food in at night, keep pets in after dark if one is around, and let Michael catch it.
Why is my pine straw dug up in little holes?
Opossums, armadillos and raccoons all dig in pine straw for grubs and beetles. Opossum holes are small and shallow, scattered through the bed. If you also see a trail under the deck or empty pet bowls, an opossum is likely living close by. Michael can confirm it and close its den.
Does exclusion work under a deck on a sloped Woodlands lot?
Yes, though it takes more care. On a slope the space under the deck is taller on one side, so the mesh has to follow the ground and be buried along the whole edge. Michael fits it to the grade and turns it outward under the soil so animals cannot dig beneath any part of it.
Do I need HOA approval to close off the space under my deck?
Rules vary by village and by the type of work, so check with your association if you are unsure. Closing under a deck is usually done with mesh behind the existing skirting or lattice, so it changes little about how the deck looks. Michael can describe the work so you can ask before it starts.
How do you keep opossums from coming back to my Woodlands house?
By taking away the den and the food. Michael closes the space under decks, porches and sheds with buried mesh, and points out where pet food, bird seed or trash is feeding animals at night. With no dry place to sleep and little to eat, the next opossum moves on into the trees.
Keep Opossums Out for Good
Catching an opossum fixes today. Closing off the deck, shed or crawl space it used fixes next month. Read how Michael does animal exclusion and humane live trapping, or see animal exclusion in The Woodlands.
Contact Us Anytime
Michael handles raccoons, opossums, squirrels, rats and snakes day or night. He inspects the whole house to find every way in, catches the animals alive, and seals the openings so they cannot come back. He also repairs the damage they leave behind.
Call or Text Michael
(713) 775-8799
Cypress Critters & Pests
Cypress Critters & Pests is owner-operated by Michael Gerbino: humane wildlife exclusion, live trapping and pest control around Cypress, Spring, Tomball, The Woodlands, Klein and Houston.
