If there’s an opossum in your house, the fastest approach is to clear a path to an exterior door, close off all other rooms, and let it walk out on its own. Opossums are slow, non-aggressive, and probably more scared than you are. Most can be guided out within an hour or two with a little patience.
Create an Exit Path First
Before anything else, get your pets and children into a closed room away from the opossum. Then open the nearest exterior door, whether that’s a front door, back door, or garage. Close every interior door between the opossum and the rest of your house so the only option left is the way out. Turn off bright overhead lights along the exit route and, if possible, place a light outside the door. Opossums are nocturnal and will naturally move toward darker, quieter spaces, so a dim interior and a visible outdoor opening gives them a clear signal.
You can gently shoo them toward the exit the way you’d guide a cat, but keep your distance. Wear heavy gloves as a precaution. Opossums rarely bite or attack, but a cornered animal can be unpredictable. If the opossum freezes, hisses, or opens its mouth wide and drools, that’s a bluff display meant to look intimidating. It’s not a sign of rabies. Just back off, give it space, and wait. These are slow creatures that need time to figure out the situation.
Where Opossums Hide Indoors
If you can hear something but can’t see the opossum, it’s likely tucked into a tight, dark space. The most common indoor hiding spots are attics, crawlspaces, wall voids, and areas under porches or decks that connect to the house interior. Opossums are drawn to confined spaces, especially females looking for a safe place to nest and give birth. They’ll use insulation, fabric, or other soft material to build a nest if they’ve been inside long enough.
The telltale signs: scratching and thumping sounds at night, a musky odor from scent glands they use to mark territory, and the unmistakable smell of droppings and urine. If the sounds are coming from inside your walls, the opossum likely entered through the attic or crawlspace and explored into wall voids. At that point, getting it out yourself becomes much harder, and calling a wildlife professional is the practical choice.
Using a Live Trap
If the opossum won’t leave on its own and you can see where it’s hiding, a live cage trap is an effective next step. These are wire enclosures with a trigger plate inside that closes the door when the animal steps on it. You can find them at most hardware stores.
Wear gloves when handling the trap. If an opossum picks up human scent on the metal, it may avoid the trap entirely. Place it on a flat, even surface near where the opossum has been hiding, and put a brick or weight on top. Opossums will sometimes push or knock over a trap to reach the bait without entering.
For bait, opossums prefer sweet foods. Half a mashed banana or a sweet pastry works well. Place the bait near the back of the trap so the opossum has to walk fully inside and step on the trigger plate to reach it. Set the trap in the evening, since opossums are most active at night.
Check the trap twice a day, once in the morning and once at night, to refill bait if needed and to make sure you don’t leave a trapped animal inside for more than 24 hours. If you catch the opossum, drape a towel over the cage to keep it calm, speak in a low voice, and move slowly.
Releasing or Relocating
Here’s where things get legally tricky. In many states, it is illegal to relocate a trapped wild animal off your property. New York, for example, prohibits releasing a live-trapped animal in a park, on state land, or anywhere other than the property where it was caught. The reasoning is that moving wildlife spreads diseases and puts unnecessary stress on the animal. Violating these rules can result in fines.
Regulations vary significantly by state and even by county. Some areas require a permit from the state wildlife agency before you can trap an opossum at all, even on your own property. Others allow homeowners to trap and release animals that are actively damaging property but require the animal to be buried or cremated if caught outside of hunting or trapping season. Before you set a trap, check your local wildlife agency’s website or call them directly. If the rules are complicated or restrictive, a licensed nuisance wildlife control operator can handle the removal legally and safely.
Opossums and Rabies Risk
One of the most common fears about finding a wild opossum indoors is rabies, but opossums are among the least likely mammals to carry the virus. Their body temperature runs around 94°F, several degrees lower than most mammals. The rabies virus struggles to survive at that temperature, making infection rare. An opossum drooling with its mouth open is almost certainly performing its defensive bluff, not showing symptoms of disease.
That said, opossums can carry other parasites and bacteria in their droppings. If an opossum has been nesting in your attic or crawlspace, clean the area thoroughly once it’s gone. Wear gloves and a mask, remove any nesting material, and disinfect surfaces. This is especially important if droppings have accumulated over days or weeks.
Keeping Opossums From Coming Back
Once the opossum is out, figure out how it got in. Check for gaps along the roofline, damaged soffit vents, uncovered dryer vents, and openings around pipes or utility lines entering your home. Opossums don’t need a large hole. If you can fit your fist through a gap, an opossum can squeeze through it. Seal openings with hardware cloth, metal flashing, or steel mesh. Avoid using expanding foam alone, since animals can chew through it.
Outside, reduce what attracts them. Keep trash cans sealed with lids that lock or latch. Bring pet food and water bowls inside at night. Pick up fallen fruit from trees. Trim branches that overhang your roof, since opossums are decent climbers and often access attics by walking along tree limbs to the roofline. Removing easy food sources and closing entry points makes your home far less appealing as a den site.