Cobourg Pest Control & Wildlife Removal Services

There is also a low chance of rabies with opossums, but their colder body temperature makes them one of the less likely mammals to carry this disease. Many people mistake an opossum’s bared teeth and foaming mouth during “playing possum” for rabies infection. In reality, this is only their defense mechanism and the chance of disease, while possible, is extremely rare.

Are Opossums Hard to Get Rid Of?

The good news is that this is not a difficult animal to remove from your yard and keep out. The recommended method of dealing with an opossum in your yard is to let it be. Within two or three days, it will likely move elsewhere. If you have an opossum that seems to have set up permanent residence beneath your patio or you come out every morning to find your garden torn up, there are steps you can take to get rid of opossums. These include:

• Removal – An opossum inside your home should be immediately returned outdoors for the safety of your family and the animal. Depending on the location, this can mean ushering the opossum through an open door or a more complex trapping procedure. It is also possible to remove an opossum from a den on your property and relocate it to a more natural habitat.
• Prevention – Changing the habitat in your yard that draws opossums to the area and addressing the places where they enter will effectively keep opossums away from your property, instead of forcing them to go elsewhere to find food and shelter.

Preventing Termites/ Ants Infestation

• Avoid using mulch for landscaping near the exterior of the home. Mulch can create an entry way for termites to infest your home. All mulch needs to be 6-12 inches from the foundation. Pine straw and rocks are good alternatives to hardwood mulches.
• Inspect the outside of home for moisture problems. An area that commonly rots and acts as harborage for termites is masonite siding. The bottom 3 to 4 boards of masonite usually rot within 3 years of installation. It is not uncommon for wooden windows and doors to show signs of moisture within 4 to 5 years of installation, especially when a house has small eaves that provide little protection from direct rain. Caulk around all windows, particularly wooden windows and doors to prevent moisture. Water that drains adjacent to a structure will wick into the wall areas through bricks, mortar joints and weep holes.
• Keep surrounding dirt around your home moisture free. Rain and sprinkler water should drain away from the home. Remove or redirect sprinkler systems that wet within 8-12 inches of a structure. Gutters and downspouts should be maintained to prevent leaks and proper drainage. Water from rain and sprinkler systems will keep the dirt moist. The moisture that has wetted inside the structure from the dirt above grade can allow termites to live without ground contact.
• Keep all ivy and plants from growing next to or onto the exterior foundation - Ivy prohibits us from rendering an effective inspection. Ivy also commonly causes a moisture problem and creates a direct path for termites to infest a structure.
• Avoid stacking firewood or other wood type materials within 25 feet of a home unless it is stacked on a metal base. It is important not to create a bridge for termites with wood touching the ground near the exterior of your house.
• Digging or re-Iandscaping within 8 inches of your home can break the chemical barrier allowing termites an avenue to your home. It is important to contact ZOLO Pest Control for a retreatment to keep your home protected. Every 5 years, a complete ground barrier treatment should be applied to be effective. Termite renewals should be completed when due.