Looking for the best way to deter opossums? Then you’ve come to the right place!
In this Pest Strategies product review you can expect to learn:
- Our top selections for opossum deterrents
- What opossum deterrents are (and what they aren’t)
- Deterrent types and how to get creative
- The difference between deterrents and repellents
Ed has been working in the pest control industry for years helping 1,000's of homeowners navigate the world of insect and rodent management. He manages Pest Strategies now helping homeowners around the world!
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Predator Guard Solar Powered Deterrent Light
Features
- Flickering light scares opossums away in the night
- Deters other nocturnal nuisance animals from entering your backyard or garden
- Solar powered and easy to use
Aspectek Solar Powered Animal Deterrent
Features
- Flashing red light which deters opossums from prowling a property
- All-weather protection
- Ships in a two-pack for extra protection
Abco Tech Bird Spikes
Features
- Prevents opossums from climbing guard walls and fences
- Versatile solution to a pesky problem
- More affordable than other deterrent methods
Magic Cat Animal Repeller
Features
- Works for large and small animals
- Automatic charging during daylight hours
- Solar powered and simple to sEasy to install
Table Of Contents
Top 4 Best Opossum Deterrents
Short on time? Take a look below for the top 5 in our list. Otherwise, check out our buying guide.
What Is An Opossum Deterrent?
If you’re not totally sure what a deterrent actuallydoes, we’re here to help.
We’ve got all the information you need to uncover the questions you have about what deterrents actually do and how they can help you with your opossum problem. Just keep reading!
Will a deterrent kill an opossum?
If you’ve read a little bit about opossums before, you’ll know that it’sillegal in many areasto release them into the wild after trapping them on your property. These animals are protected by wildlife laws, and killing themcanbring about serious consequences.
Each state varies in regards to its laws regarding opossums and it is a good idea to find out what the laws are wherever it is you live.
InDenver, CO,for example, is illegal to relocate an opossum without a permit, but it may be shot by any individual if it is causing damages.Birmingham AL,on the other hand, classifies opossums as game animals and has established annual hunting and trapping seasons.
Going hand-in-hand with this information, it’s also illegal to use rodenticide as a poison for opossums.
When shopping around for a deterrent, it’s good to be mindful of anything that may bring mortal danger to an opossum. The items we’ve listed in our buying guide will only frighten the animal or give it a mild jolt of pain, but will not kill it under any circumstances.
Is a deterrent inhumane?
In most cases, no.
Most deterrents utilize fear of predators and sound in order to evoke a natural desire to flee an area, but some people do tend to get creative with their deterrent methods.
In these cases, there could be danger or violence to the opossum. For example, some people install sharp-pointed, steel bird spikes in an attempt to deter opossums. The animal can impale itself on these spikes, which is both inhumane and deadly.
Why does an opossum come to my yard in the first place?
If you’re wondering why your yard is such a hotspot for these nuisance animals from the get-go, there are a few different reasons.
- Your garbagemay not be sealed properly, meaning that an opossum can smell it from a mile away
- There could be an underlyingpest problemon your property that acts as a food source for an opossum
- Perhaps there’s a dead animal rotting somewhere nearby, which is anothersource of foodfor the opossum
- The opossum istransient in natureand finds your home to be a cozy place to throw down a temporary den
What Are The Types of Opossum Deterrents?
各种负鼠威慑是一样的吗?
Unsurprisingly, the answer is no.
There are actually no deterrents made for just opossums. Each deterrent on the market is created to target a much wider range of nuisance animals, and opossums just happen to fit the bill.
Light and Sound
Because opossums (and many other creepy creatures you don’t want in your backyard)are nocturnal, manufacturers have designed deterrent devices that work with sound and light.
These devices (like many in our buying guide below) blast out signals to confuse and upset the opossum, mimicking danger signals and scaring them away. Sometimes, the deterrent devices are even designed in the shape of predators’ silhouettes in order to up the ante!
Getting Creative
If you use a deterrent marketed toward another species entirely, you’re bound to run into some luck for opossums.
For example: did you know thatopossums are excellent climbers? These little guys are adept at climbing trees and will regularly scoot up branches in order to escape from predators.
The same skill set that gives them their tree-climbing ability also affords them another valuable trait: a fence-climbing ability. By using the same sort of deterrent one might use against birds, you can combat an unexpected skill that not many people know the opossum possesses!
Is A Deterrent The Same As A Repellent?
If you’ve ever confused repellents and deterrents, we understand. It’s an easy mistake to make.
Here’s how you can differentiate between the two.
- Deterrentswork to keep pests and nuisance animals from infesting a property in the first place.
- Repellentswork to drive away pests and nuisance animals once they’re already there.
Generally, deterrents work through use of long-distance scare tactics like sensory awareness and light pinches of pain in order to snap an animal into realizing that a certain area isn’t a suitable place to live.
Repellents rely mostly on short-distance scare tactics such as predator urine and electromagnetic waves to accomplish this task.
Opossum Deterrents Reviewed
In the below section we break down each of our product recommendations in a little more detail.
Predator Guard Solar Powered Deterrent Light
The primary reason we chose the Predator Guard Solar Powered Predator Deterrent Light as our top pick for an opossum deterrent is its ease of use; after the initial setup, you don’t have to do anything!
The device works as it charges under the sun during the day. At night, the power harnessed by the sun’s rays are put to good use as it flashes and scares away shy opossums (among other animals lurking around). What we love the most is its pattern of flashing lights, which alternate and work to confuse the opossum.
这个设备有一个3 year warranty from the manufacturer, Predator Guard. One AAA battery is required to operate the device, and this battery is recharged by the solar panel installed on the device.
There are no frightening sounds or electromagnetic waves involved with this device, as is custom with an electromagnetic pest repeller. It’s totally safe to mount this machine in backyards where dogs, cats, and kids run around.
We endorse this device to those who are looking for a safe, green way to deter opossums and other nuisance animals from their backyards for the long-term.
The Good And The Bad
- Works to deter opossums and other nocturnal pests
- No electromagnetic waves
- Safe for use around pets and children
- Solar-powered and easy to use
- May frighten pet cats and dogs at night
- Did not work to deter deer in some cases
Aspectek Solar Powered Animal Deterrent
Like our top pick, the Aspectek Predator Eye Night Time Solar Powered Animal Deterrent utilizes a system of flashing lights to startle opossums and create a hostile environment in your yard.
This device is weatherproof and designed to work in all climates, rain or shine. The manufacturer claims that the machine is water-resistant, meaning that you won’t need to worry if you live in an area with heavy rainfall.
One aspect that we love about this particular device is that the flashing light mimics a home security system, which works to deter not just opossums, but trespassers as well.
The device is solar-powered and easy to set up. After mounting, you can rest assured that your device will begin working once the sun goes down! This deterrent ships in a two-pack, which means you can outfit your yard with double the power for half the price.
The Good And The Bad
- Deters opossums, other nuisance animals, and even trespassers
- Water-resistant and weather-proof
- More affordable than competitors
- Aspectek客户服务是没有响应me customers
- Urban animals are not always deterred by the flashing light
Abco Tech Bird Spikes
In contrast to the other deterrent methods on the list, we’re taking a bit of a turn with our next recommendation: Abco Tech Bird Spikes.
Even though these are marketed to prevent birds from landing and nesting on your fencing and ledges, we found that they can prevent opossums from coming into your yard!
How can this be? Well, because opossums aresuch skilled climbers, it’s not outside the realm of possibility for them to take a leap over a fence or a guard rail to get to your property, and Abco Tech Bird Spikes offer just the preventative solution.
We love these spikes because they are lightweight yet durable, affordable, and they ship to you in a package of 10 strips. You can line your fence with these strips in order to protect your yard, and rest assured knowing that you’ll remain opossum-free.
The Good And The Bad
- Multipurpose solution for birds, opossums, feral cats, and other stray animals
- Ships in a 10-pack
- Affordable deterrent solution
- Made from weather-resistant and durable material
- Some customers find that the strips are not wide enough
- The spikes sometimes do not properly deter squirrels or birds
Magic Cat Animal Repeller
The Magic Cat Animal Repeller uses the latest animal scare technology to deter opossums and other small animals from your yard or garden at night. It uses a bright, amber glow to simulate fire that all animals are afraid to go near.
This set comes with four animal repellers so you can place them throughout your yard. Once it gets dark, they start to blink an eerie red color to chase almost any animal off of your property. During the day, they solar-charge automatically.
The Magic Cat Animal Repeller is easy to install with one screw. It also comes with a 180-day replacement warranty.
The Good And The Bad
- Works for large and small animals
- Automatic charging during daylight hours
- Easy to install
- 180-day replacement warranty
- Nocturnal only, will not repel animals during the day