Got a possum under your deck or in your crawl space? Our opossum removal service in Dallas gets it out, seals every entry point, and puts the work in writing. Same-day booking available.
ð Dallas Housing SpecialistsPier-and-beam crawl space experts
ð·Full DocumentationPhotos for your insurance claim
ðĢBabies Handled SafelyMother and young removed together
ðExclusion IncludedNot a trap-and-leave service
ð7 Days a WeekMonday to Sunday, 8am to 8pm
We’ve heard this before
You Shouldn’t Have to Live With This Problem
Most Dallas homeowners dealing with an opossum problem put up with it longer than they should. The smell gets worse. The scratching keeps you up. You tried something and it came back. You are not sure if it is dangerous for your kids or your dog. That uncertainty wears on you. One call should fix all of it.
I waited two weeks hoping it would leave on its own. It didn’t. By the time we called, there was damage in the crawl space insulation and the smell had come through the floor. Don’t wait like I did.
â Dallas homeowner, Oak Cliff
ð°
Can’t Sleep Because of the Noise
That shuffling under the floor at night isn’t going away on its own once an animal has found a den. Every night it continues is another night of droppings and damage accumulating below you.
ðĪĒ
The Smell Is Getting Worse
A musky odour through the floor means the animal has been there long enough to leave a real mess. A dead one in the wall in Dallas summer heat is a crisis that moves fast.
ð
Worried About Your Pets and Kids
A cornered opossum will bite. Droppings carry pathogens. Not knowing whether your dog or children are at risk while the problem sits unresolved is the worst part.
ð
It Keeps Coming Back
You caught one. Or tried a repellent. Or patched a gap. And it is back, or a different one found the same way in. Nobody closed the entry point. That is the problem.
ð§ū
Worried About the Cost and Hidden Damage
Soiled insulation. Torn vapour barrier. Damaged ductwork. You do not know how bad it is until someone gets under there. You are worried about what they will find.
ðĪ
City Won’t Help, You’re on Your Own
Dallas Animal Services won’t come into your crawl space. Texas Parks and Wildlife doesn’t dispatch for residential opossum calls. That’s frustrating. It’s also why we exist.
Quick identification
“Possum” and “Opossum”: Same Animal in Texas
In Texas, both words refer to the Virginia opossum (Didelphis virginiana), North America’s only native marsupial. Locals say possum. Wildlife professionals say opossum. Same pointed white face, same naked tail, same problem.
If the animal is lying completely still right now, leave it alone. The Virginia opossum has an involuntary physical response to threat that mimics death. It recovers on its own after several minutes of quiet. Do not handle it.
If it is in your yard and acting normally, it may move on. Open yard sightings often clear up without any intervention. If you see clear signs of an occupied structure, droppings, smell, or nesting material, that is when to call.
Musky smell near the foundation or crawl space access
Shuffling or thumping sounds under the floor at night
Brown, tapered droppings near the foundation edge, 1 to 1.5 inches long
Gaps in deck skirting or lattice that look pushed through
Knocked-over bins or pet food disturbed overnight
Visible tracks: five-toed with an opposable thumb print
ðū Opossum droppings can carry leptospirosis and salmonella. Don’t handle them without gloves and a mask. Call us and we’ll assess the area during the free inspection.
Why Dallas specifically
Why Opossum Problems Are Common in Dallas Neighborhoods
Dallas has a specific combination of housing stock and geography that makes opossum denning more common here than in many other Texas cities. Knowing your neighborhood profile tells you a lot about what you are probably dealing with.
Older Neighborhoods: Pier-and-Beam Foundations
A large portion of pre-1960 Dallas homes sit on pier-and-beam foundations rather than concrete slabs. As documented by Green Scene Home Inspections, a Dallas-based inspection firm, pier-and-beam foundations create a crawl space of about two feet or less between the ground and the floor of the house.
That crawl space is dry, dark, protected, and close to ground level. It is exactly what a denning opossum looks for. Neighborhoods with heavy pier-and-beam stock include Oak Cliff, Lakewood, the M Streets, East Dallas, Junius Heights, Bishop Arts, and the streets running off Lower Greenville.
Newer suburbs like Frisco, McKinney, and Prosper tell a different story. Recent construction sometimes leaves small gaps in rooflines and soffits that workers have not fully sealed. Opossums find attic access in these homes that older properties closed off years ago.
Wildlife Corridors That Feed Activity Year-Round
White Rock Lake covers 1,254 acres in east Dallas. White Rock Creek runs approximately 30 miles from near Frisco southward through suburban Dallas before widening into the lake and continuing to the Trinity River. That green corridor moves wildlife through residential streets the entire length of its route. Homes near Garland Road, Buckner Boulevard, and Lawther Drive sit directly along this travel path.
The Trinity River Greenbelt runs through Oak Cliff in a similar way. The Great Trinity Forest holds approximately 6,000 acres of urban forest south of downtown Dallas. Opossums travel these corridors and settle wherever they find a suitable den site: under a porch three blocks from Mockingbird Lane, behind a shed in Preston Hollow, or inside the crawl space of a bungalow near the SMU campus.
Opossums are active year-round in North Texas. The mild winters here do not slow them the way sustained cold does further north. Any month is a reasonable time to call for an inspection.
Common question
Will the Opossum Just Leave on Its Own?
Sometimes yes, sometimes no. A possum spotted wandering the yard may well be gone within a day or two. Opossums travel regularly and change den locations. Open yard sightings often resolve without any intervention.
The situation is different when you see clear signs of an occupied structure. Droppings in a crawl space, a smell coming through the floor, or nesting material under a deck all point to an animal that has settled in rather than passed through. During breeding season, January through June in Texas, a female with young has a strong reason to stay.
The more practical point is the entry point itself. Whether or not this animal moves on, the gap in your foundation vent stays open. The same opening may attract the next animal. An inspection that identifies and closes those entry points resolves the structural problem regardless of what the current animal decides to do.
Our 5-Step Dallas Opossum Removal Process
Every job follows the same sequence. The written quote comes before any work starts. Nothing begins without your approval.
1
Free Property Inspection
We walk the full property: foundation perimeter, crawl space, deck edges, roofline, soffit, and pipe penetrations. We identify every active and potential entry point, assess damage, and check for young. We explain findings in plain language. Most Dallas property inspections finish within an hour.
2
Written Quote Before We Start
You get a written quote covering the full scope of work before a single trap goes down. The price you approve is the price you pay. We don’t start without your sign-off.
3
Humane Opossum Trapping
Live cage traps placed at confirmed entry points and active paths. Placement matters as much as bait. We check on a 24-hour cycle. Single animals are often caught within the first night or two. Females with young may take several days. No poison. No glue traps.
4
Exclusion & Entry Point Sealing
We seal every active and potential entry point with materials matched to the structure: steel mesh over foundation vents, hardware cloth over crawl space gaps, caulk and flashing at pipe penetrations, and one-way doors where animals may still be inside. Our 90-day return guarantee covers this work.
5
Cleanup & Remediation
We clear droppings and treat the area with enzymatic disinfectant that breaks down organic matter at the source. We assess soiled insulation and quote replacement separately where needed. We treat odour at the source rather than masking it.
What you actually get
Your Home: Before and After One Call
Most service pages tell you what they do. This one tells you what changes for you. Here’s the real difference between the situation you’re in right now and the one you’ll be in after the job is done.
ð
Before
Scratching and shuffling under the floor at night. You can’t sleep. Your dog keeps sniffing at the baseboards.
After
Quiet Nights Again
Animal out. Entry points sealed. No more noise, no more activity, no more second-guessing whether it’s still there.
ð
Before
Musky smell coming through the floor. You’re not sure what’s been happening down there or how bad it is.
After
Clean, Documented, and Treated
Droppings cleared, area treated with enzymatic disinfectant, damage photographed. You know exactly what was there and what was done about it.
ðĄïļ
Before
You don’t know if your dog or kids are at risk. You’re not sure whether to let them near the deck or the yard.
After
Your Family Is Safe
We remove the animal and treat contaminated areas. No more risk of bite exposure or droppings contact. We give you a vet referral if any contact occurred.
ð
Before
You caught one before and it came back. Or a different one showed up. You’re tired of the cycle.
After
The Entry Point Is Closed
Every gap found and sealed. The next opossum has nowhere to get in. 90-day return guarantee in writing if anything comes back through a sealed point.
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Before
You don’t know what it will cost. You’re worried about a big bill landing after the work is already done.
After
No Surprises on the Invoice
Written quote before work starts. The price you approved is the price you pay. Nothing starts without your sign-off.
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Before
You’re not sure if your homeowner insurance covers any of the damage. No documentation to show them.
After
A Full Paper Trail for Your Insurer
We photograph and document all damage during the inspection. You get a full record ready to submit to your insurance company for any applicable structural damage claim.
Before you try it yourself
Why DIY Opossum Removal Often Doesn’t Solve the Problem
Most people who call us have already tried something. That is not a failure. It is how most opossum problems go. Here is why the common approaches do not hold, and what actually makes the fix stick.
3rdMost people call us after the second or third opossum, not the first
ðŋTried it
Repellents
Peppermint oil, ammonia, predator urine spray, ultrasonic devices. A 2018 review in Human-Wildlife Interactions found no consistent evidence that chemical or sound-based repellents reliably deter nuisance wildlife from established den sites.
â May shift position temporarily. Does not close the entry point.
ð§Tried it
Hardware Cloth Patches
Can work when installed correctly and completely. The problem is finding every opening in an older Dallas pier-and-beam home: broken foundation vents, pipe gaps, deteriorated skirting. Miss one and the problem continues from a different entry point.
â Works only if every gap is found and sealed properly.
ðŠĪTried it
DIY Cage Traps
You can catch the animal. But relocation in Texas requires TPWD written authorization and landowner permission at the release site, steps that go beyond the trap itself. And without sealing the entry point, the next opossum finds the same gap.
â Catches this one. Doesn’t stop the next one.
ðŠThe real issue
No Exclusion After Removal
This is the single most common reason opossum problems repeat. The entry point stays open. A different opossum finds it, often within a few weeks. Trapping without exclusion is a temporary fix, not a solution.
â Exclusion is what makes the fix permanent.
Why acting fast matters
Opossum Damage and Health Risks
Property Damage
Torn vapor barrier in crawl spaces: expensive to replace and it creates ongoing moisture issues
Compressed insulation loses thermal resistance, which shows up as higher energy bills before you trace the cause
Damaged ductwork: opossums move through crawl spaces and displace or gnaw HVAC runs
Chewed wiring: less common than with raccoons but documented in attic scenarios with long-term infestations
Structural wear at entry points: gaps worsen over time and let other pests in once opened
Health Considerations
Leptospirosis: spreads through contact with surfaces contaminated with infected animal urine. The CDC advises avoiding direct contact with urine and droppings
Salmonella: present in opossum droppings. Do not touch them without protective gloves and a mask
Parasite transfer: opossums carry fleas and ticks that can infest areas your pets use
Pet safety: 50 teeth in a cornered opossum is a real bite risk for dogs in tight spaces under decks
If your dog has had contact with an opossum, tell your vet the nature of the exposure so they can advise appropriately.
The permanent fix
Opossum Exclusion That Keeps Them Out for Good
Trapping removes the animal that’s there today. Exclusion addresses the reason the next one would show up. These are two different steps, and most problems repeat because only the first one gets done.
Once we have confirmed the animals are out, we seal every entry point we identified during the inspection. Steel mesh. Hardware cloth. Caulk and flashing. The right material for each gap. One-way doors where an animal may still be inside.
Our 90-day return guarantee covers the exclusion work. If an opossum gets back in through a point we sealed within 90 days, we return and re-seal it at no labor charge.
We assess soiled crawl space insulation and replace it where needed
We repair or replace torn vapor barriers
We treat droppings and urine areas with enzymatic disinfectant
We neutralize odor at the source
We replace foundation vent covers with steel mesh
We document and photograph all work for insurance purposes
Prevention follow-up
Bring pet food indoors overnight: opossums gravitate strongly toward food left outside
Secure trash bin lids
Remove fallen fruit from the yard
Trim low-hanging branches that overhang the roofline
Urgent service
Dead Opossum Removal & Odor Control
A dead opossum inside a wall, under the floor, or in a crawl space builds up a strong odor that gets worse in warm conditions and will not go away until you remove the source. In Dallas summers, that happens faster than most homeowners expect.
We locate the animal using inspection tools and thermal imaging where needed. We remove it, treat the area with enzymatic disinfectant, and document the work. If we need to open a wall section or crawl space panel, we explain the scope before starting and quote it separately.
Dallas Animal Services at 214-670-6800 handles deceased animals on public streets and public property. For animals inside or under a private structure, call us.
We use thermal imaging to find the location and open only the access we need. We treat the area and document the work.
Under the deck or porch
We remove the animal directly, treat the area with enzymatic disinfectant, and clear the droppings.
In the crawl space
The most common scenario in pier-and-beam Dallas homes. We follow removal with a full crawl space inspection.
In the attic
Thermal imaging pinpoints the location. We remove the animal and do spot treatment, then quote full remediation separately.
Transparent pricing
How Much Does Opossum Removal Cost in Dallas?
According to HomeAdvisor cost research, the national average for opossum removal is $250, with a typical range of $150 to $350 for standard jobs and up to $600 for complex cases. These are general estimates, not guaranteed Dallas quotes. They cover animal removal only. We quote full exclusion, sanitation, and insulation replacement separately.
Typical opossum removal costs in Dallas by service
Service
Typical Cost Range
Notes
Outdoor removal (under deck / porch)
$150 â $250
Simpler access, fewer entry points
Indoor removal (crawl space / attic)
$250 â $500
More access work, cleanup likely needed
Dead opossum removal
$150 â $300
Depends on location and access
Full exclusion sealing
Quoted at inspection
Depends on number of entry points
Insulation assessment / replacement
Quoted separately
Based on extent of damage found
Initial inspection
Free
No charge, no obligation
What Affects Opossum Removal Cost in Dallas?
Location of the animal
Under a deck is simpler access than a pier-and-beam crawl space or attic. More confined locations involve more time and materials.
Number of entry points
One broken foundation vent is a short seal. Multiple damaged vents, deteriorated skirting, and pipe gaps is a different scope entirely.
Young present
A female with joeys requires additional handling time and care. Breeding season in Texas runs January through June.
Cleanup and insulation
Long-term infestations require remediation beyond just sealing. Quoted separately based on what the inspection finds.
Every job starts with a free inspection and a written quote. The price you approve is the price you pay. Nothing starts before you sign off. Most homeowner policies do not cover removal, but some cover resulting structural damage. We document all damage at inspection for your insurer.
Texas law
Is It Legal to Trap an Opossum in Texas?
Texas Parks and Wildlife Code Chapter 71 classifies the Virginia opossum as a furbearer. According to TPWD’s published outdoor annual regulations, landowners and their authorized agents may take nuisance fur-bearing animals by any means at any time on their own land without a hunting or trapping license.
Relocation is a separate matter. TPWD’s furbearer permit guidance requires written authorization from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, permission from the landowner at the release site, and monthly reporting. You can find the full current guidance at tpwd.texas.gov.
Licensed and insured Texas wildlife control operators carry out our work under appropriate TPWD authorization. They handle the relocation process, departmental authorization, and reporting so you do not need to deal with any of it.
City resources
Will Dallas Animal Services Remove an Opossum From My Property?
Short answer: not from inside or under your structure.
Dallas Animal Services at 214-670-6800 handles stray dogs, injured animals on public property, and deceased animals on public roads and sidewalks. An opossum in your crawl space or under your deck falls outside their scope. Confirm current service eligibility at dallascityhall.com or by calling Dallas 311.
Texas Parks and Wildlife at 512-389-8092 manages protected species and wildlife disease emergencies, not residential nuisance opossum calls.
For anything inside or under a private structure, call (945) 302-6828.
Why Jennie Wildlife
Most Companies Trap and Leave. We Don’t.
The difference between a call that fixes the problem and one that buys you three weeks of quiet before it starts again comes down to what happens after the animal is out. Here’s exactly how we compare to what most Dallas homeowners experience.
ð Pier-and-Beam Knowledge
Most companies
Generic wildlife removal approach: same process for every home, every city, every foundation type.
Jennie Wildlife
Built around Dallas housing stock. We know pier-and-beam crawl spaces, the M Streets, Oak Cliff mudsill gaps, and East Dallas rooflines.
ð After the Animal Is Out
Most companies
Trap, remove, invoice. Entry point stays open. New opossum finds the same gap in three weeks.
Jennie Wildlife
We identify and seal every active and potential entry point before we close the job. Exclusion is part of the service, not an upsell.
ð Pricing Transparency
Most companies
Vague estimates over the phone. Final bill arrives after work is done with charges you didn’t expect.
Jennie Wildlife
Written quote before a single trap goes down. The price you approve is the only price you pay.
ðĄïļ If It Comes Back
Most companies
No guarantee. Another call, another bill. The revolving door problem keeps repeating.
Jennie Wildlife
90-day return guarantee in writing. If it gets back in through a sealed point, we come back and re-seal it at no labor charge.
ðĢ Females With Young
Most companies
Trap the mother. Leave the young behind in the structure. Dead animals in the wall. The “fix” creates a second problem.
Jennie Wildlife
Mother and young handled together. Orphaned joeys referred to TPWD-permitted rehabilitators. No young left behind.
ð· Documentation
Most companies
A verbal summary at the end. No record of what we found, where, or what we did. Nothing your insurer can use.
Jennie Wildlife
We photograph all damage and document every entry point. You walk away with a full paper trail ready for your homeowner insurance claim.
Our promise to you
We Back Every Exclusion Job in Writing. 90 Days, No Exceptions.
Most wildlife companies hand you a verbal reassurance and a receipt. We hand you a written guarantee. We are confident enough in our exclusion work to put it in writing, and you deserve to know exactly what you are protected against before we start.
If an opossum gets back in through a point we sealed within 90 days, we return and re-seal it at no labor charge to you.
The guarantee covers every specific entry point we sealed, and we document each one in writing at the end of the job.
One call and we come back. No runaround, no charge for the return visit, no questions about the sealed points.
This is not a marketing phrase. It is a written commitment you receive at the end of every exclusion job.
ðĄïļ90-Day Written GuaranteeJennie Wildlife Removal Dallas, TXWe back exclusion work in writing on every job
What Dallas homeowners say
What Dallas Homeowners Say After We Solved Their Opossum Problem
â â â â â
“Had something living under our pier-and-beam in Lakewood for weeks. Called Jennie Wildlife, they found three entry points during the inspection, two I never would have found myself. Problem solved and no smell since.”
Sarah M.
Lakewood, Dallas TX
â â â â â
“My dog cornered one under the deck. Called that morning, they were out the same afternoon. Written quote before they touched anything. Worth every penny compared to the DIY attempt that didn’t work.”
James R.
Oak Cliff, Dallas TX
â â â â â
“Dead one in the crawl space in August. That smell moves fast in Texas heat. They found it, removed it, treated the area. Done in one visit. Wish I’d called earlier instead of trying to wait it out.”
Lisa K.
East Dallas, TX
FAQ
Common Opossum Removal Questions
What’s the difference between opossum trapping and opossum exclusion?
Trapping removes the animal that is currently there. Exclusion seals the entry points so the problem does not repeat. Trapping without exclusion leaves the access point open and a different animal may find it. Exclusion is the part that addresses the structural reason the problem started.
Do opossums come back after removal?
The removed animal will not return. But opossums travel and find available spaces. An unsealed foundation vent is an available space. A sealed one is not. We close every identified entry point, not just the one the current animal was using.
Is it legal to trap an opossum in Texas?
Yes, on your own property without a licence. The Virginia opossum is classified as a furbearer under Texas Parks and Wildlife Code Chapter 71, and landowners may take nuisance furbearers on their own land. Relocation requires separate TPWD authorisation and landowner permission at the release site. Licensed wildlife control operators handle this in compliance with state requirements.
What does the 90-day return guarantee cover?
If an opossum gets back in through an entry point we sealed within 90 days of completing the exclusion work, we return and re-seal it at no labour charge. The guarantee covers the specific points we sealed, not new gaps that were not present or accessible during the original work.
What should I do right now before calling?
Keep dogs and children away from the area. Do not try to corner the animal or block the only visible exit. If it is playing dead, leave it alone. It will recover on its own. Note the location, when you see activity, and whether you spotted young. If it is inside a living space, close interior doors, leave one exterior door open if safe, and call immediately for priority scheduling.
Does homeowners insurance cover opossum removal in Texas?
Most policies do not cover the removal itself. Some cover resulting structural damage such as chewed wiring, contaminated insulation, and duct repair. Coverage depends on your specific policy terms. We document and photograph all damage at inspection so you have a complete record for your insurer.
Get Opossum Removal in Dallas Today
Same-day booking available. Free inspection. Written quote before we start. 90-day
return guarantee on all exclusion work.
Serving Lakewood, Lake Highlands, Preston Hollow, East Dallas, Uptown,
Klyde Warren Park, the M-Streets, Casa Linda, Lower Greenville, Oak Lawn, and
surrounding Dallas areas.
