Backyard Marsupials: How to Coexist with Opossums During Their Active Season Aug 17, 2025

As urban and suburban landscapes expand, wildlife has learned to adapt and thrive alongside human activity. Opossums, often regarded as gentle marsupials, are one such creature that might be frequent visitors to your backyard, especially during their active season from late spring to early fall. While their appearance can be startling due to their nocturnal habits and distinctive appearance, learning how to coexist with opossums can contribute to a balanced ecosystem right outside your door.

Understanding Opossum Behavior

Opossums are North America's only native marsupial, and they play a beneficial role in the environment. They are opportunistic feeders, which means they will eat almost anything available, including pests such as insects and rodents, as well as fruits, overripe vegetables, and even carrion. Their presence can naturally reduce the population of unwanted pests in your backyard. Moreover, opossums have an extraordinary resistance to snake venom and can safely remove venomous snakes from your property, making them a beneficial presence to have around.

Creating a Welcoming Environment

If you've decided to embrace these visitors, there are several steps you can take to make your yard a more hospitable place for opossums. First, ensure that there is a source of fresh water available in your garden, as opossums, like all wildlife, need consistent access to water. Secondly, consider planting a variety of native plants, which attract bugs and provide opossums with a natural food source. Keeping bird feeders clean and securing trash cans with tight-fitting lids will help avoid creating a mess that unintentionally lures opossums into risky situations.

Safety Precautions for Harmonious Coexistence

Despite their timid nature, opossums can still pose a nuisance if they rummage through unsecured trash or take up residence in attics or under decks. To prevent this, ensure that your home is sealed with no openings that might invite opossums to take shelter indoors. Use screens or hardware cloth to block potential entry points, and keep your compost piles enclosed to avoid tempting smells.

If an opossum becomes a persistent concern or occupies an inconvenient area, it's crucial to avoid using any harmful or lethal methods. Instead, consider contacting professionals like Toppers Wildlife Removal, who specialize in humane wildlife and animal control services. They can offer advice or assist in relocating the animal safely without disrupting local wildlife dynamics.

Encouraging a Balanced Ecosystem

By welcoming opossums into your backyard, you are supporting a balanced ecosystem. Opossums help control unwanted pest populations and can even reduce breeding grounds for ticks, benefiting you and your pets. Observing these animals in their natural habits can be a rewarding experience, offering a firsthand glimpse into the fascinating lives of these often misunderstood creatures.

In conclusion, while opossums can appear alarming at first, they are beneficial animals that serve an essential ecological purpose. Coexisting with them requires little more than understanding their habits and preparing your space to either accommodate or gently deter them when necessary. With some proactive measures, such as securing food sources and protecting entry points around your home, you can coexist peacefully with opossums and appreciate the diverse wildlife that shares your environment. Remember, Toppers Wildlife Removal is always ready to assist with any complex wildlife concerns, ensuring you can enjoy your backyard with peace of mind.