🐾 Opossum Removal in Clarke County

Opossum Removal in Clarke County, Georgia

Virginia opossums (Didelphis virginiana) — North America's only marsupial — den under decks, porches, sheds, and in crawlspaces across Clarke County. Most Clarke opossum work concentrates in mid-century Five Points and Normaltown housing where elevated wood decks and unsealed crawlspaces are common, plus eastern Clarke rural-residential properties where outbuilding crawlspaces function as long-term den sites. Opossums are nocturnal and generally beneficial (they eat ticks, slugs, beetles, and small rodents), but den sites under residential structures are still a legitimate exclusion situation — and with kits in the pouch from February through October, timing matters.

Why Opossums Den Under Clarke County Homes

Virginia opossums are habitat generalists — they'll den anywhere that's dark, dry, and protected. Under elevated wood decks is the single most common Clarke residential den site, particularly across Five Points, Normaltown, and the older mid-century neighborhoods between downtown Athens and the South Athens schools. Crawlspaces with damaged or missing foundation vent screens are second-most-common. Eastern Clarke rural-residential properties along the Oglethorpe County boundary add outbuilding crawlspaces and pasture-edge structures to the den-site mix.

Unlike raccoons, opossums are not aggressive — when threatened, they typically play dead (catatonic stress response) or display teeth without actually biting. They're not a typical rabies vector because their body temperature is too low to support the virus efficiently. The case for exclusion is structural — opossum droppings under decks accumulate, opossums can damage insulation in crawlspaces, and they bring secondary pests (fleas, ticks).

The Opossum Pouch Calendar — Why Timing Matters

Female opossums in Georgia carry kits in the pouch from February through October, with most active reproductive periods in spring and summer. Performing exclusion when a mother is denning with pouch-young or just-emerged juveniles separates the family — the mother exits to forage and can't return, and the kits are left to die. The right approach during reproductive season is one-way exclusion devices that allow the mother and any mobile kits to exit but prevent re-entry, deployed only after confirming no immobile pouch-young are present.

Standard residential opossum jobs in Clarke run $300-$800+ for trapping and relocation. Under-deck or crawlspace exclusion (sealing the den-site access plus screening foundation vents) adds $300-$900+. Eastern Clarke rural-residential multi-structure work trends higher because of multi-building inspection scope.

Identifying Opossum Activity vs Raccoon Activity

• Opossum droppings: smaller than raccoon, usually in concentrated piles near the den entry, often with visible insect parts
• Raccoon droppings: larger, often in elevated latrine sites, with visible plant material
• Opossum activity: silent and slow — homeowners rarely hear them moving
• Raccoon activity: heavy thumping, chittering, and clear sound from above ceilings
• Opossum tracks: distinct opposable thumb pattern visible in soft soil; raccoon tracks have clearly separated finger pads

Opossum Removal in Clarke County — Service Area Map

Our licensed contractor handles opossum removal across the full Clarke County footprint. Tap the map to open directions in Google Maps.

📅 Summer Activity

Opossums raise their second litter of the year through summer. Juvenile opossums dispersing from their mother are frequently found in unexpected places, including inside garages, under appliances, and in crawlspaces.

Opossum Removal Cost in Georgia

$150–$400+

Trapping and relocation. Cleanup and entry point sealing are additional services. Pricing varies by contractor, location, and severity. Call for an estimate specific to your situation.

Frequently Asked Questions — Opossum Removal in Clarke County