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Opossum Removal in Lafayette
Opossums are less destructive than raccoons but they den in the same places, and they are much harder to smell out until the mess is substantial.
This is the crawlspace animal, and Lafayette has more crawlspace than most southern cities because so much of it is still pier and beam. An opossum takes an opening that already exists, so the job is nearly always older than the animal.
How you know it is opossums
- Shuffling or dragging sounds under a deck, shed or porch at night
- A strong, musty animal odour near a crawlspace vent
- Droppings and a matted den area under decking
- Raided bins and pet food bowls left outside
Why it matters
- Heavy faecal accumulation in crawlspaces and under decks
- Fleas, ticks and mites carried into the structure
- Occasionally they die in an inaccessible spot, which becomes a dead-animal call
Somebody has to look at the property to answer that. How many entry points or burrows there are, how hard they are to get at, and whether young are present is what sets the price, and none of it can be judged from a description. Send us your address and licensed local operators will quote the inspection and the work. Request free quotes →
How removal actually works
Trapping and removal, then exclusion fencing dug in along the deck or shed skirt so they cannot re-enter: opossums will simply move back in if the gap stays open.
Timing
Active year-round in the Southeast. Females carry young in a pouch, so removal timing matters less than with attic-denning species.
What it costs
Removal is only part of it. Where an animal has been in an attic for a while, the contaminated insulation and droppings are usually the larger bill: what attic restoration involves →
What Louisiana law requires
Louisiana runs the most demanding regime of the states we cover. Every NWCO must carry a valid LDWF permit while working, and permits are issued to individuals only: each person doing the work needs one in their own name, so a company permit does not cover an unlicensed employee. Operators must be 18 or over, must hold both a valid Louisiana trapping licence and a valid Louisiana basic hunting licence while working, and must score at least 80 percent on the LDWF NWCO examination covering wildlife biology and behaviour, control methods, and the law. Permits run on a calendar year and must be renewed annually. Full Louisiana rules →
Opossum questions
How much does Opossum removal cost in Lafayette?
$250 – $500 typical. The spread comes down to how many entry points there are, how hard the roof or crawlspace is to reach, and whether young are present. Anyone quoting a firm price before seeing the property is guessing.
How quickly can someone come out?
Most opossums calls in Lafayette are handled within a day or two. If an animal is loose inside your living space, or there is a bite or scratch involved, say so when you make contact; that changes the priority.
Can I just do it myself?
Sometimes, legally speaking. But the two things that go wrong are sealing an entry point while young are still inside, and handling an animal that turns out to be a rabies vector. Both are expensive mistakes, and one is dangerous.
Is there a wrong time of year for this?
Active year-round in the Southeast. Females carry young in a pouch, so removal timing matters less than with attic-denning species.
Request free quotes
Licensed wildlife operators covering Lafayette will contact you directly. There is no charge and no obligation.