Opossum under the deck: harmless or a problem?

by | Oct 24, 2026 | Wildlife Questions

Mostly harmless, but not always a guest you want to keep. An opossum is a slow, shy animal that would rather play dead than fight, and one passing through the yard at night is nothing to worry about. It becomes a problem when it moves in: raising young under the deck, getting into the garage or attic, tearing into trash and pet food, or dying in a spot you cannot reach. Michael Gerbino of Cypress Critters & Pests catches opossums alive and seals the space so they cannot move back in. Call 713-775-8799.

Is it really an opossum under there?

Before deciding anything, make sure of the animal. Several animals like the dark, dry space under a deck, and each one is handled differently.

What you notice Most likely animal
A gray-white animal with a pointed pink nose and a bare tail, walking slowly at night Opossum
A strong musky smell, and a black animal with white stripes at dusk Skunk
A masked face, a ringed tail, and things torn open rather than nosed around Raccoon
Small burrows along the slab or foundation, quick movement, small dark droppings Rats

If the noise is overhead in the attic and comes from small, fast feet, it is far more likely rats or squirrels than an opossum. That is worth sorting out, because the fix for each is different.

Why do opossums pick decks, sheds and garages?

An opossum does not dig much of a den on its own. It looks for a space that is already there: under a low deck, beneath a shed, in a gap in pier-and-beam skirting, behind stored boxes in a garage with the door left up. Around Spring and the north Houston suburbs, plenty of yards back up to trees, greenbelts and creeks, which gives opossums cover to travel at night. What keeps one coming back is food close by. Pet bowls left out, open trash cans, compost, fallen fruit and birdseed under a feeder all count.

When does an opossum become a real problem?

  • It has young. A mother carries her babies in a pouch and later on her back. One opossum under the deck can turn into a family.
  • It is inside a building. Opossums climb well, and some find their way into garages, crawl spaces and attics.
  • It is fighting with pets. Most trouble starts when a dog corners one under the deck after dark.
  • It dies where it lives. An opossum that dies under a deck or slab leaves a smell that can last a long time and is hard to reach.
  • It keeps the yard torn up. Trash pulled across the lawn night after night is a sign it is living close.

When it is cornered, an opossum may hiss, open its mouth wide to show its teeth, or go limp and lie still. That is a bluff, not an injury. Give it room, keep children and pets away, and do not try to pick it up.

Not sure what is living under the deck? Call Michael at 713-775-8799 and he will come look.

What does Texas say about trapping an opossum?

Texas Parks and Wildlife Code lists the opossum as a fur-bearing animal, along with the raccoon, skunk and fox. Texas Parks and Wildlife says that relocating a live nuisance fur-bearer requires authorization from the department and permission from the owner of the property where it would be released, with a monthly report. That is more than most homeowners expect. Opossums Michael catches are removed alive and handled following Texas rules.

How does Michael get an opossum out and keep it out?

He starts by looking at the whole space: where the opossum goes in and out, whether there is more than one opening, and whether there are young. Then he sets a cage trap where the animal travels and checks it often. Once the opossum is out, and he has checked that nothing is left behind, he closes the space. Deck and shed skirting gets heavy mesh that runs down below the soil line, so an animal cannot push under it or slip through a gap at the bottom.

That last step is what matters. Catching one opossum and leaving the deck open just makes room for the next one, and for skunks, rats and other animals looking for the same kind of shelter. Sealing the space is the heart of animal exclusion, and it is the step that closes the door behind the animal.

When to call

If an opossum has been under the deck for more than a few nights, has young with it or has found its way into the garage or attic, it is time to have it handled. The opossum removal page explains the work in more detail, and neighbors in Spring can read about opossum removal in Spring. Call or text Michael at 713-775-8799.

Questions people ask about opossums under the deck

Will an opossum under my deck hurt my dog?

An opossum would rather avoid a dog. When it is cornered it hisses, shows a mouth full of teeth or goes still and plays dead. Most trouble starts when a dog corners one under the deck at night. Keep the dog in after dark until the opossum is out, and do not try to pull the animal out yourself.

Should I just wait for the opossum to move on?

Sometimes an opossum is only passing through and leaves on its own after a night or two. If it keeps coming back to the same spot, has young with it, or is getting into the garage, attic or trash, it has made a home. At that point, waiting usually means a family under the deck instead of one animal.

Can I trap an opossum and let it go somewhere else?

Not freely. Texas Parks and Wildlife says relocating a live nuisance fur-bearing animal, which includes the opossum, takes authorization from the department and permission from the owner of the release property, plus a monthly report. Moving it also leaves the space under the deck open. Opossums Michael catches are removed alive and handled following Texas rules.

How do I keep opossums from coming back under the deck?

Close the space after the opossum is out. Michael seals deck and shed skirting with heavy mesh buried below the soil line, so the animal cannot push or dig under it, and he checks that nothing is left inside first. Bring in pet food and pick up fallen fruit at night too, so the yard is less inviting.

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