AAA Affordable Wildlife Control · Since 2008
Opossum Removal Toronto
Humane opossum removal from decks, sheds, garages and attics
An opossum living under the deck, in the garage or in the attic? We remove opossums humanely with one-way doors, make sure no babies are left behind, and seal the area so they can’t move back in.
$300+ one-way door removalBuried mesh deck barrierBaby season safe
🐾 Humane opossum removal
Opossum under your deck?
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Opossum Control Services in Toronto
Dealing with opossums on your property can be a challenging experience. The Virginia opossum is Canada’s only marsupial, and over the last few decades it has spread north into Toronto and the GTA. Opossums are good climbers with grasping tails, so they den under decks and sheds, in garages, crawl spaces and sometimes attics.
AAA Affordable Wildlife Control removes opossums humanely and effectively. We find where the opossum is living, let it leave through a one-way door, check for babies, and seal the area with heavy-gauge steel mesh so it can’t come back. We stand behind our work with guaranteed results.
Signs You Have an Opossum on Your Property
Opossums are nocturnal, so you’re more likely to see the signs than the animal:
Tipped garbage and green bins
Garbage, compost and pet food dragged around at night, often mistaken for raccoons.
A grey animal with a long bare tail
A cat-sized animal with a white face, pink nose, small black ears and a long, rat-like tail.
Tracks like little hands
Five-toed tracks with a thumb-like toe on the back feet, in mud, snow or dust.
Noise under the deck or in the garage
Shuffling, hissing or clicking at night under a deck, shed, porch or in a garage.
Droppings and a bad smell
Droppings near the den and a strong musky smell, especially if an opossum has “played dead”.
Pets reacting
Dogs barking at the deck at night, or an opossum lying still with its mouth open after a dog finds it.
🛡️ Deck screening
Opossum living under the deck?
We evict and screen it
Opossum Damage and Health Risks
- Under decks and sheds: opossums take over spaces dug by other animals and drag in leaves and grass for a nest.
- Garages and crawl spaces: they get in through open doors and gaps, and leave droppings and urine behind.
- Attics: opossums can climb trees and downspouts and use holes made by raccoons or squirrels to get into the attic.
- Garbage and gardens: they raid bins, compost, pet food, bird seed, fallen fruit and vegetables.
- Parasites and disease: opossums can carry fleas, ticks and mites, as well as leptospirosis and salmonella in their droppings.
- Pets: pet food left outside attracts opossums, and they can spread fleas to cats and dogs.
Do Opossums Carry Rabies?
Rabies in opossums is very rare. Their body temperature is lower than most mammals, which makes it hard for the virus to survive. That said, any wild animal can bite, and you should never handle an opossum.
When an opossum is scared, it hisses, drools and shows its 50 teeth, which can look alarming. If that doesn’t work, it may “play possum”: it falls over, goes stiff, and gives off a foul smell for minutes or even hours. It isn’t dead or sick, so leave it alone and keep pets away, and it will get up and leave.
Our Humane Opossum Removal Process
- Inspection. We find the den under the deck, shed, porch, garage or attic and every gap it uses.
- Baby check. From spring to summer we look for a mother carrying young in her pouch or on her back, and plan around them.
- One-way door. A one-way door goes over the active entrance. The opossum leaves at night to feed and can’t get back in.
- Seal and screen. We install heavy-gauge galvanized steel mesh buried at least 30 cm deep in an L shape around decks and sheds, and seal gaps in garages and rooflines.
- Clean up. We remove nest material and droppings and treat the area if needed.
- Prevention advice. We show you what’s attracting opossums and how to keep the next one away.
🪜 Full home inspection
Opossum in the attic or garage?
We find every entry point
Opossum Removal Cost in Toronto
| Opossum Service | Typical Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Opossum removal (one entry point) | $300 to $450 | Inspection, one-way door and sealing the entrance |
| Opossum under a deck, shed or porch | $300 to $450 + about $22 per foot | One-way door plus buried L-shaped mesh barrier |
| Opossum in the attic or garage | Quoted on inspection | Depends on entry points and repairs |
| Baby opossum removal | Quoted on inspection | The mother and young are kept together |
| Dead animal removal | $300 to $450 | Locating, removal and odour treatment |
Want an exact price for your home?
Call and describe what you’re seeing and where. We’ll give you a price range on the phone and confirm it on site before any work starts.
Opossum Baby Season in Ontario
Opossums have the shortest pregnancy of any mammal in North America, only about 12 to 13 days. The babies, called joeys, are born the size of a honeybee and crawl into their mother’s pouch, where they stay for about two months.
After leaving the pouch, the young ride on their mother’s back and stay with her until they are about 3 to 4 months old. In Ontario, most babies are born from February to June, and a mother may have a second litter in summer. A mother with young is the one time an opossum may stay in one den for weeks, so we time the removal so the whole family leaves together.
🐾 Attic den check
Opossum with babies?
We keep the family together
Opossum Control Calendar
Use this calendar to see what opossums are doing each month in Toronto and the best time to act.
January
Breeding can start late in the month.
Opossums don’t hibernate. They shelter in garages, sheds and under decks in the cold.
Close garage gaps and screen decks.
FebruaryBaby season
Mating, then a 12 to 13 day pregnancy.
Opossums look for warm dens. Frostbitten ears and tails are common.
Seal sheds and decks before babies arrive.
MarchBaby season
Joeys are in the pouch.
Mothers stay close to a safe den.
Check for babies before sealing.
AprilBaby season
Joeys grow in the pouch for about two months.
Activity increases as the weather warms.
Plan a baby-safe removal.
MayBaby season
Young leave the pouch and ride on the mother’s back.
Families forage together at night.
Best time to evict the whole family.
JuneBaby season
Some females have a second litter.
Young start foraging on their own.
Screen decks once the family is out.
July
Spring young become independent.
Garden and garbage raiding peaks.
Lock up bins and pet food.
August
Second-litter young are on the mother’s back.
Opossums wander widely for food.
Pick up fallen fruit.
September
Young become independent.
Young opossums disperse to new areas.
Seal gaps under decks and sheds.
October
No babies.
Opossums look for winter shelter.
Seal garages, sheds and crawl spaces.
November
No babies.
Opossums move into sheltered dens.
Finish screening before the ground freezes.
December
No babies.
Less active in deep cold, but they don’t hibernate.
Keep garage doors closed at night.
The Opossum Life Cycle
| Stage | Age or time | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Mating | Late winter to summer | Opossums can have one or two litters a year. |
| Pregnancy | 12 to 13 days | The shortest pregnancy of any North American mammal. |
| Birth | Day 0 | Up to 20 tiny babies are born. Only those that reach a teat in the pouch survive, usually 6 to 9. |
| In the pouch | About 2 months | Joeys grow and develop inside the pouch. |
| On mother’s back | 2 to 3 months | Young ride on the mother’s back while she forages. |
| Independent | 3 to 4 months | Young leave the mother and live on their own. |
| Adult | 6 to 12 months | Opossums can breed in their first year. |
How Long Do Opossums Live?
Opossums have one of the shortest lifespans of any mammal their size. In the wild, most live only 1 to 2 years because of cars, predators, disease and cold winters. In captivity, they can live up to about 4 years. That short life is why opossums breed so young and have so many babies.
Opossums don’t hibernate and don’t store much fat, so Ontario winters are hard on them. They often lose the tips of their ears and tail to frostbite, and they look for warm shelter in garages, sheds and under decks in cold weather.
Opossum Prevention Tips
- Screen under decks, porches and sheds with galvanized steel mesh buried at least 30 cm deep in an L shape.
- Keep garage doors closed at night and seal gaps under doors.
- Lock up garbage and green bins, and bring pet food and bowls inside.
- Pick up fallen fruit and keep compost in a closed bin.
- Trim branches back from the roof and seal roofline holes made by raccoons and squirrels.
- Remove brush and wood piles near the house where opossums can hide.
🛡️ Full-length deck screening
Keep opossums out for good
Ask about deck screening
Opossum Removal Near You
We provide opossum removal across Toronto and the GTA, including:
- Brampton
- Mississauga
- Markham
- Scarborough
- Thornhill
- Vaughan
- Etobicoke
- Rexdale
- Richmond Hill
- Pickering
- Caledon
- Milton
Other wildlife problems? We also handle:
- Raccoon removal
- Squirrel removal
- Skunk removal
- Groundhog removal
- Bat removal
- Bird removal
- Wasp nest removal
Opossum Removal FAQ
Will an opossum leave on its own?
Often, yes. Opossums move around a lot and may only use a den for a few days. But a mother with young, or an opossum in winter, can stay for weeks, and another animal will move into the same spot unless it’s sealed.
Are opossums dangerous?
Not usually. Opossums are shy and rarely bite unless cornered. They can carry fleas, ticks and some diseases, so don’t handle them or let pets near them.
Do opossums carry rabies?
Very rarely. Their low body temperature makes it hard for rabies to survive. Still, see a doctor if you’re ever bitten by a wild animal.
What does it mean when an opossum plays dead?
It’s a defence reflex. The opossum falls over, goes stiff and gives off a bad smell. Leave it alone and keep pets away, and it will get up and leave.
How long do opossums live?
Most wild opossums live only 1 to 2 years. In captivity they can live up to about 4 years.
When do opossums have babies?
In Ontario, mostly from February to June, sometimes with a second litter in summer. The young stay in the pouch for about two months and ride on the mother’s back after that.
Do opossums hibernate?
No. They stay active all winter, but slow down in deep cold and look for shelter in garages, sheds and under decks.
Can opossums climb into the attic?
Yes. Opossums are good climbers and can use trees, downspouts and holes made by other animals to get into the attic.
Is an opossum the same as a possum?
In Canada and the US, people say “possum” for the Virginia opossum. The possums of Australia are different animals.
How long does opossum removal take?
The inspection, one-way door and screening are usually done in one visit. Most opossums leave within a few nights, and we come back to remove the door and seal the last entrance.
Call Today for Opossum Removal
Call our friendly team for a fast, accurate estimate or a free quote, and find out how quickly we can make your property opossum-free.
Toronto & the GTA
Opossums out. Babies safe. Deck sealed.
Humane opossum removal with clear pricing before we start.