A possum inside your house is almost always looking for warmth, shelter, or food, not trying to cause trouble. These animals are surprisingly timid, and most will leave on their own if you give them a clear exit and a reason to go. Whether you’ve spotted one waddling through your kitchen or heard scratching in the attic, here’s how to handle it safely and keep it from coming back.
What to Do Right Now
If a possum is in your living space (not the attic or crawlspace, but an actual room), your first move is to clear a path to the outside. Open the nearest exterior door or window, then leave the room. Turn off lights along the escape route since possums are nocturnal and prefer moving through dark spaces. Close doors to other rooms so the animal doesn’t wander deeper into the house.
Do not try to grab, corner, or touch the possum. Even a docile animal can bite or scratch when frightened. A threatened possum will open its mouth wide, showing all 50 teeth in a display that looks aggressive but is mostly bluff. If the fear escalates, it may enter a catatonic state, going completely limp and unresponsive. This “playing dead” reaction is involuntary, triggered by extreme fear, and it can last minutes or longer. The possum isn’t dead or sick. Its body will snap out of it once the perceived danger passes.
If the possum won’t leave on its own after an hour or two, call your local animal control or a licensed wildlife control operator. In many states, handling or trapping wildlife without a permit is restricted or outright illegal.
Possums in the Attic or Crawlspace
A possum in your living room is a one-time event. A possum in your attic or crawlspace is a tenant. This is the more common scenario: you hear thumping or scratching overhead at night, find droppings, or notice a musky smell. Possums are excellent climbers. They scale siding, walk along tree branches, and squeeze through gaps you wouldn’t expect.
The most common entry points are foundation vents (especially broken ones), uncapped chimneys, gaps along the roofline, and openings where utility lines enter the house. Pet doors are another easy access point. To figure out exactly where the possum is getting in, watch the roofline at dusk when it leaves to forage. You can also sprinkle flour near suspected entry points and check for footprints the next morning. Possum prints are roughly the size of a cat’s paw, which also helps you confirm you’re not dealing with rats or mice.
Once you know where the entry point is, stuff it loosely with newspaper during the day while the possum is resting inside. After dark, the possum will push through the paper on its way out, leaving you a clear sign of which openings are active. This simple trick saves you from sealing a hole the possum never actually uses.
Sealing Entry Points for Good
Timing matters here. Seal entry points around 8 to 10 p.m., after the possum has left to feed. If you seal them during the day, you’ll trap the animal inside your walls or attic, which creates a much bigger problem.
For permanent exclusion, use strong materials. Quarter-inch hardware cloth or galvanized metal mesh works well over vents and other openings that need airflow. Metal flashing can cover gaps along the roofline or fascia boards. Avoid relying on wood repairs alone in vulnerable spots since possums (and raccoons) can chew through fresh wood quickly. If aesthetics matter, you can paint metal coverings to match your siding.
After sealing, wipe down the old entry points with a strong-smelling substance like peppermint oil or household disinfectant. Possums mark their den entrances with scent glands, and if that scent remains, they’ll keep trying to get back in. Trim any tree branches that hang within reach of your roof to cut off their climbing route.
Giving the Possum Somewhere Else to Go
Possums chose your house because it offered a warm, dry, enclosed space. If you evict them without providing an alternative, they’re more likely to try breaking back in or settling under your porch instead. Hanging a wooden nesting box in a nearby tree, at least four meters off the ground, gives the possum a ready-made option. If you can access the possum’s old nest material from your attic, place it inside the box. The familiar scent encourages the animal to move in. A few pieces of fresh fruit near the box can help draw its attention.
Live Trapping: When and How
If the possum keeps returning or you can’t identify its entry point, live trapping may be necessary. A standard cage trap for possums measures roughly 32 by 10 by 13 inches, made from 12-gauge galvanized steel wire with 1-by-2-inch mesh. These are widely available at hardware stores. Bait the trap with fruit, canned cat food, or peanut butter.
Here’s the critical part: in many places, it is illegal to relocate a trapped possum off your property. In New York, for example, you cannot live-trap an animal and release it in a park, on state land, or anywhere other than the property where it was caught. A permit from the Department of Environmental Conservation is required to trap possums at all, and during closed hunting or trapping seasons, any animal taken must be buried or cremated immediately. These rules exist because relocating wildlife spreads diseases and puts extreme stress on the animal, which often dies anyway in unfamiliar territory.
The safest legal route is to hire a licensed nuisance wildlife control operator. They have the permits, the equipment, and the knowledge of local regulations. Before hiring anyone, confirm they hold a current wildlife control license.
Are Possums Dangerous?
Less than you’d think. The biggest concern people have is rabies, but possums rarely carry it. As marsupials, their body temperature runs lower than most mammals, which makes their bodies a poor environment for the rabies virus. They’re not completely immune, but transmission from a possum is exceptionally uncommon.
That said, possums can carry other pathogens. Their droppings and urine may harbor bacteria that cause leptospirosis, and they can bring fleas and ticks into your home. Once you’ve evicted a possum from an attic or crawlspace, clean the area thoroughly. Wear gloves and a dust mask when handling old nesting material or droppings.
If You’re in Australia
Australian possums (brushtail and ringtail species) are a completely different animal from the North American opossum, and the rules are stricter. Possums in Australia are protected under state biodiversity laws. In New South Wales, it is illegal to kill, relocate, or even trap and release a possum without a specific license. A possum removed under a catch-and-release license must be let go at dusk, no more than 150 meters from where it was caught, near a tree or tall fence it can immediately climb.
The recommended approach in Australia involves driving the possum out rather than physically removing it. Sprinkling quassia chips (available at hardware stores) throughout the roof cavity and leaving a bright light on up there for three consecutive days and nights can push the possum to leave voluntarily. Once it’s out, block access with chicken wire, wood, or metal sheeting, but only after confirming the possum has left for its nightly foraging. If none of this works, you can apply for a landholder’s license to have the possum professionally removed, but hiring a licensed catch-and-release operator is usually the simpler option.