Opossums are a favorite as a game animal and many lovers of the sport will tell you just how much fun it is hunting opossums. These animals can, however, become a nuisance if they make their way from the wild and into residential areas more so, in the suburbs. Their presence then requires the services of professional opossum control Fort Lauderdale experts to help get rid of. This has become a headache that a lot of homeowners are trying to deal with on a daily basis in this area of Fort Lauderdale.
Opossums may seem hard to control if you do not have any prior knowledge of their behavior and habitat. But once you take time to educate yourself on this, then opossum control Fort Lauderdale becomes an easy task to undertake. Opossums are marsupials, this is the first thing that you need to know about them. It, therefore, means that their young ones are nourished from their pouches just like those of the kangaroos, which are found in Australia and New Zealand. These are the closest relatives to the opossums which are the only marsupials that are native to North America. The opossums have an appearance like that of rats with a grey fur and numerous sharp teeth. They also have a long tail that helps them hang from trees and other structures. Opossums have an amazing climbing ability and will climb just about any other structure that they find around them. Normally, possums will access the attic of a house by jumping into it from any nearby tree or structure that they can climb. Opossums really make their own burrows and will in most cases, simply take over a burrow that was dug by another animal and make their home in it. They are solitary beings, but very good at colonizing an area that appeals to them.
Opossums cause nuisance in a variety of ways, the most common being stealing pet food in our homes. Opossums are omnivorous and thus will feed on almost all types of food. When you happen to feed your pets from outside the house, the opossums will scare away the pet and take over their food. Opossums due to their sharp teeth and loud hissing, easily scare away common pets like cats and dogs. The situation gets even worse if the opossum is a fully grown one. These ones will instill fear in the pet and it will scamper away leaving its food behind. If you notice this happening every now and then, it is time to take appropriate measures to prevent it from happening again. The most recommended opossum control Fort Lauderdale option in such a situation is to install motion detector water sprinklers in your garden. Opossums when shocked each and every time by a gush of water on their fur, will want to relocate to another area that is less hostile to them. This may take time but if done with patience, it is sure to yield good results in the long run for you.
Another nuisance that is caused by opossums that bring about the need to have opossum control Fort Lauderdale services is the rummaging of a garbage can contents. This leaves behind an ugly scene that is not pleasing to anyone’s eyes. If you are a business premises, this can be a turn off to your customers and may, in the long run, make you lose some of them. No one likes to buy goods or services from a business premise that is in a mess each and every morning. This gets even worse if the possum is spotted inside the business premises more so if it is a restaurant. You, therefore, need to have in place steps that will help you get rid of this nuisance before it becomes the downfall for you. Make arrangements to have the garbage can emptied as frequently as possible. Doing this helps to deter the possums from going through the trash can because they are sure that nothing can be found in it. Next, if possible, secure the garbage can by use of wire mesh. Making it impossible for the possums to access the garbage can does help since they will go looking for another source of food elsewhere. Lastly, cover the trash can by use of a cover top that cannot be easily knocked off by the possum.
Opossums can also be controlled through the use of traps and by shooting. For the use of traps, you need to know that there are different types of traps when it comes to possums. The first type of trap that is available is a kill trap, this one is efficient and kills the possum instantly. The only misgiving with this type of trap is that it may kill other animals that you had not intended. The second type of trap is a leg-hold trap which captures the possum by the leg and holds it in position until that time when the trapper comes and releases it. This trap is also likely to capture other animals, but if set up in an area that the possums have been seen to frequent, it can be very good. The third type of trap that we have is the cage trap, this one works in a similar fashion as the raccoon traps that we know of. The possum is baited into a trap and once it is inside, the door closes immediately behind it. Shooting is also a method of opossum control that is employed by homeowners, especially in the rural areas. In urban areas, this may prove to be a challenge due to the strict rules that govern the use of rifles in residential areas. Consult with your local animal department before deciding on any method of possum control in your home.
Opossums like we have been enlightened through this article, are not hard to get rid of. What is needed is a bit of skill to implement the right opossum control Fort Lauderdale method that will yield the most satisfactory results.