Where do they live?

Opossums naturally make dens in anything from tree cavities to brush piles. Opossums are also very opportunistic and will make a home in another animal’s abandoned burrow.

Opossums will raid garbage cans in search of food. In cities and suburban areas, a chimney, attic, wall void and crawlspace may serve as a comfy substitute for a hollow tree as an opossum den site.

What do they eat?

Popular opossum food sources are trash cans and pet-food containers. Opossums are omnivorous, eating both plants and animals. Fruits, grains and insects are some popular opossum foods.

Opossums will hunt down rats and squirrels that may already be living in the attic, and then feed on the rodent’s existing food supply. United Wildlife’s opossum pest control will also get complaints from residents whose fish in their ponds are being eaten by opossums. Opossums truly will eat just about anything, though they prefer meats to vegetables.

What if they live in your home?

Not only can opossums wreak havoc on your garden and sod, the rat-tailed mammals may hit closer to home by causing damage to your house as they try to gain entry.

Once an opossum gets cozy in your attic, walls or under the deck or porch, it can make a mess and cause a lot of damage that can cost thousands of dollars to fix. Opossums will also return year after year, using your attic as a home base — they have no problem living alongside humans. call  Shumaker's Animal Control at    443-854-8072 to have them removed. The hole opossums use as entry will become a great place for leaks to form and a passageway for rodents, raccoons, birds and insects.

It’s easy to assume that opossums only live in the wild. This is untrue. Opossums will camp out in your parked RV, under decks and patios, in new or abandoned cars, and anywhere inside your home, garage or children’s playhouse.

Opossums are nocturnal, so you won’t see or hear much from them during the day. An opossum in your home may make thumping noises as it heads out for dinner at about 10 p.m. You may hear an opossum again when it returns at dawn.