Opossum & Skunk Removal in Southern Maryland

Unwanted neighbors under the deck

Opossums and skunks look for dark, sheltered spots to rest and raise their young. Crawl spaces, the area under decks and porches, sheds and even garages all qualify. Skunks bring the obvious odor risk to people and pets, and both animals can dig, damage insulation and ductwork in crawl spaces, and get into trash and pet food.

How Home Fixer handles it

• Inspect. We confirm which animal is present and find where it is getting under the structure.
• Humane removal. We remove the animals using humane methods that follow Maryland wildlife regulations, with care to avoid spraying incidents.
• Exclude. We install buried barriers and close gaps around decks, porches, sheds and crawl space vents.
• Repair. We fix damaged crawl space vents, lattice, skirting and other entry points under our Maryland Home Improvement Contractor license.

Keeping them from coming back

Food is a big draw. Securing trash, feeding pets indoors and cleaning up fallen fruit and birdseed makes your property less attractive. Combined with exclusion, that keeps opossums and skunks moving on.

Opossums and skunks are different

Opossums are North America's only marsupial. They are mostly harmless, eat insects, ticks and carrion, and tend to wander from place to place, though they will settle under a deck or in a crawl space if it is available. Skunks are more likely to stay put and raise young in a den, and their spray can make a home unlivable for days.

Both are active mostly at night and are attracted by easy food. Skunks also dig for grubs, which can damage lawns. Our approach for both is humane removal followed by exclusion so the space cannot be reused.

If a pet has been sprayed by a skunk, keep it outside, rinse its eyes with water if they are irritated and call your veterinarian with any concerns.

What to do now

Keep pets inside or on a leash at night and do not try to corner or chase the animal. Request an inspection or call or text (301) 659-0300.