🐾 Opossum Removal in Douglas County

Opossum Removal in Douglas County, Georgia

Virginia opossums (Didelphis virginiana) are the most common medium-mammal residential nuisance species in Douglas County after raccoons and gray squirrels. They den under decks, porches, sheds, and in crawlspaces with foundation gaps — and the older Historic Downtown Douglasville housing and Lithia Springs mid-century stock provide especially hospitable structural conditions. Opossums are nocturnal, slow-moving, generally non-aggressive, and resistant to rabies because of low body temperature, but they carry leptospirosis and external parasites that pets can pick up. Females carry up to 13 young in the pouch from February through May. Typical Douglas opossum removal runs $250 to $700+ with same-day humane trapping and exclusion across all six Douglas cities.

How to Tell if You Have Opossums Under Your Douglas County Deck

Opossum signs are distinct from raccoons or skunks:

• Slow, lumbering nighttime movement — opossums waddle. Raccoons walk deliberately; skunks shuffle. Sightings of a slow-moving gray-and-white animal at dusk or after dark are almost certainly opossums.
• Droppings 2-3 inches long, dark brown, often with hair, seeds, or insect parts — found near den entries.
• No skunk smell — if you smell skunk, it's not an opossum.
• Tracks with five toes on front and back feet, and an opposable "thumb" on the hind foot — distinctive.
• Disturbed pet food bowls left outside — opossums are opportunistic scavengers and will repeatedly visit yards with accessible pet food.

Why Opossums Are Less Dangerous Than They Look

Opossums look fearsome — they hiss, drool, and bare 50 sharp teeth — but they're among the least dangerous medium-mammal nuisance species:

• Rabies resistance. Opossum body temperature (94-97°F) is too low to support rabies virus replication. Rabies cases in opossums are extremely rare.
• Beneficial behavior. Opossums eat ticks (consuming thousands per season per individual), small rodents, snails, slugs, fallen fruit, and carrion. They are functionally a yard-pest-control species.
• Defensive, not aggressive. The hissing-and-drooling display is a bluff. Opossums can't sustain prolonged aggression and will play dead ("playing possum") or flee given the chance.

That said: opossums carry leptospirosis, tularemia, and external parasites (fleas, ticks, mites) that can transfer to pets. Persistent denning under a deck or in a crawlspace introduces these risks to a household.

Where Opossums Den in Douglas Housing

• Under decks and porches with unscreened lattice or open access — typical in Historic Downtown Douglasville and older Lithia Springs mid-century housing.
• Inside crawlspaces through foundation gaps, warped crawlspace doors, or unscreened foundation vents — common in pre-WWII housing throughout the county.
• Under sheds and outbuildings — common in semi-rural Winston, Mount Carmel, and Villa Rica properties.
• In garages with gaps under doors or at sill plates.
• In attics rarely — opossums prefer ground-level dens.

What Opossum Removal Costs in Douglas County

• $250-$400+ — single opossum removal, no exclusion. Trap-and-remove for a one-time intrusion (garage, porch, cleared crawlspace). Includes humane relocation under Georgia DNR guidelines.
• $400-$700+ — removal plus deck/porch/crawlspace exclusion. Standard Douglas job. Includes hardware-cloth skirting, foundation-gap sealing, and crawlspace door repair.
• $700-$1,500+ — multi-structure or attic-establishment work. Rural Winston, Mount Carmel, and Villa Rica properties with multiple outbuildings hosting denning, or attic work where opossums have established. Includes contamination assessment and any decontamination.

The contractor is licensed under Georgia DNR Wildlife Resources Division Region 1. Same-day inspection usually available.

Opossum Removal in Douglas County — Service Area Map

Our licensed contractor handles opossum removal across the full Douglas 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 Douglas County