If you are asking whether opossums have diseases because one is under your deck, in your yard, or near pet food, the short answer is yes, they can carry disease. They are not among the worst wildlife disease risks, but they can spread germs through bites, scratches, droppings, and fleas, so a close encounter should be handled carefully. The real issue is not panic, it is keeping them out of places where people, pets, and food are exposed.
Do Opossums Have Diseases?
Yes, opossums can carry diseases, but the risk to homeowners is lower than many people expect. They are less likely to be rabid than raccoons, skunks, or bats, because their body temperature is lower and rabies does not take hold as easily. That does not mean they are clean animals. They can still harbor bacteria, parasites, and fleas that affect people, pets, and other wildlife.
If an opossum is healthy-looking, it still can contaminate surfaces with urine and feces. If one has been nesting under a deck or in a crawlspace, treat the area as contaminated until it has been cleaned and sealed.
What Disease Do Opossums Carry?
Common health risks from opossums
Opossums can carry leptospirosis, salmonella, and parasites such as fleas, mites, and ticks. Their droppings can also expose people to bacteria that cause gastrointestinal illness. In areas with heavy wildlife activity, those parasites can move from opossums to pets and into the home.
Rabies is the disease people ask about most, but it is rare in opossums. Even so, any wild mammal that is acting strangely, hissing without retreating, staggering, or biting should be treated as a hazard. Do not touch it or try to move it by hand.
How disease spreads from opossums
Opossums do not need to attack you to create a problem. Disease spreads through contact with saliva, feces, urine, and fleas. If they enter a garage, crawlspace, or shed, they can leave contamination on insulation, stored items, and floors. Pets are at risk when they investigate nests, eat dropped food, or roll where an animal has been sleeping.
Do Opossums Carry Disease to People and Pets?
Yes, they can spread disease to both people and pets. Human exposure usually comes from handling contaminated material, touching a trapped animal, or cleaning an area without protection. Pets are exposed more directly, especially if they chase, corner, or bite an opossum. A dog or cat can also pick up fleas after contact with a nest or den site.
Keep pets vaccinated, especially for rabies and core diseases, and do not let them roam near a known den. If your pet mouths or grabs an opossum, call your veterinarian and your local animal control office right away. Wash any exposed skin with soap and running water for 15 minutes.
What To Do If You Find an Opossum on Your Property
Do not corner, feed, or grab it. The safest response is to block access, remove attractants, and make the area less inviting. Opossums stay where food, shelter, and cover are easy to find, so a clean yard and sealed structure do more than any scare tactic.
- Take away pet food, fallen fruit, open trash, and outdoor feeding bowls at night.
- Close off entry points under decks, porches, sheds, and crawlspaces after confirming the animal is out.
- Use a bright light and motion-activated sprinkler near the den area for several nights.
- Wear gloves, long sleeves, and a respirator when cleaning droppings or nesting material.
- Disinfect hard surfaces with a bleach solution made from 1 part bleach to 10 parts water.
If you find babies, do not move them yourself. Adult opossums can return, and separating young animals from the mother creates a bigger problem. Call wildlife removal if the animal is trapped inside a structure.
How To Keep Opossums Out of Yards, Homes, and Under Decks
Seal the structure
Exclusion stops repeat problems. Use 1/4 inch hardware cloth, not chicken wire, to close gaps under decks and along foundation openings. Fasten it with galvanized screws and washers, then bury the bottom edge 8 to 12 inches into the ground or bend it outward in an apron to stop digging.
Check vents, crawlspace doors, broken soffits, and torn lattice. Any opening larger than 3 inches needs to be closed. Trim vegetation away from the structure so the animal has less cover when approaching it.
Make the yard less attractive
Store trash in lidded bins, pick up fallen bird seed, and bring in pet food before dusk. Remove brush piles, stacked lumber, and dense ground cover near the house. If you have a compost pile, use a closed bin with a secure lid.
For deterrence, use motion lights and sprinkler heads near the problem area. Repellent sprays help with short-term pressure, but they do not solve the problem without exclusion and sanitation.
When You Need Professional Help
Call a wildlife removal professional if the opossum is inside living space, stuck in a wall or crawlspace, injured, or acting aggressively. You also need help if there is a strong odor, heavy droppings, or a nest under a deck that cannot be reached safely. Those situations call for removal, cleanup, and exclusion in the right order.
If you were bitten or scratched, seek medical care the same day. If a pet was involved, contact a veterinarian and report the incident to animal control if required in your area. The safest long-term fix is a sealed structure and a yard with no food source.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do opossums have diseases that humans can catch?
Yes. Humans can be exposed to bacteria like leptospirosis and salmonella, plus parasites carried by opossums and their fleas. The main risk comes from contact with droppings, urine, saliva, and contaminated nesting material, not from seeing one in the yard.
Do opossums carry rabies?
Rabies in opossums is rare, but any wild mammal can create an emergency if it bites, scratches, or behaves abnormally. Treat a bite as a medical issue immediately and do not handle the animal yourself.
Do opossums spread disease under decks and in crawlspaces?
Yes. Those enclosed spaces are high-risk because droppings, urine, fleas, and nesting debris collect in one area. Clean only after the animal is gone, and seal the entry points so it does not return.
What disease do opossums carry that affects pets?
Pets are most exposed to parasites, intestinal bacteria, and contamination from dead animals or nesting areas. Fleas are the most common transfer problem, and they can move into your home after contact with an opossum den.