Do Opossums Make Noise at Night?

If you hear scratching, hissing, or thumping at night and suspect a masked visitor, the answer to whether opossums make noise is yes. Opossums are not silent animals, and when they are nesting under a deck, moving through a yard, or getting into a home, they can make a surprising range of sounds. Knowing what opossums sound like helps you tell them apart from raccoons, rats, skunks, or even a loose gutter.

What noises do opossums make?

Opossums make a mix of low, sharp, and unsettling sounds. The most common noises are hissing, growling, clicking, and coughing or sneezing sounds. They also make quiet scurrying noises when they move through leaves, crawlspaces, or attic insulation.

When people ask what opossums sound like, they are usually hearing defensive animal sounds, not loud vocal calls. Opossums do not roar or bark. Instead, they sound like a startled, irritated, or cornered animal trying to warn you away.

Common opossum sounds

• Hissing, a sharp warning sound when they feel threatened
• Growling, a low rumble during a face-to-face encounter
• Clicking or chirping, short vocal sounds from young or stressed animals
• Coughing, sneezing, or snorting, especially close to a den opening
• Scratching and shuffling, from movement under decks, in sheds, or inside walls

What do opossums sound like at night?

At night, opossums sound like a mix of quiet movement and sudden protest. If one is in your yard, you may hear leaves rustling, trash cans shifting, or dry debris being pushed aside. If it is under a deck or porch, the sounds can be muffled but rhythmic, like light scratching followed by pauses.

If an opossum feels trapped, the sound becomes much more obvious. It can hiss loudly, growl, and make a series of clicking noises. A mother with young can be especially vocal around a den site, and that is one reason homeowners notice the noise near midnight or just before dawn.

How their sounds compare to other pests

Opossums sound heavier and rougher than mice or rats. Rodents make fast, tiny scratching sounds. Opossums create slower movement, with occasional vocal bursts. Compared with raccoons, opossums are quieter overall, but they still make enough noise to wake someone in a nearby room.

If the sound comes with a musty odor, overturned compost, tipped trash, or a den under the deck, that combination points strongly toward an opossum.

Where the noise is coming from matters

Location is the fastest clue to identifying the animal. Opossum noise under a deck sounds different from opossum noise in an attic or garage because the structure changes how sound travels. Under decks, you hear dragging, rustling, and low huffs through the boards. In a garage or shed, their movement echoes and sounds heavier.

Homes with open crawlspaces, loose foundation vents, and unsealed gaps behind steps are prime entry points. If the sound is right against an exterior wall at night, the animal is probably using a void, crawlspace, or space under a structure as a den.

Signs the noise is an opossum den

• Repeated noise in the same spot after dark
• Scratching or shuffling with brief pauses
• Hissing when you approach the area
• Pet food disappearing from porches or garages
• Droppings, tracks, or disturbed insulation near the sound source

How to tell if it is an opossum or something else

Opossums are easy to confuse with raccoons because both are nocturnal and both raid food sources. The difference is in the pace and sound. Raccoons make louder banging, chattering, and strong climbing noises. Opossums move with a slower, dragging shuffle and sound less coordinated, especially on wood or gravel.

Skunks are quieter and usually announce themselves with odor before noise. Cats give off lighter movement and higher-pitched vocalizing. If the sound includes hissing plus slow rooting or shuffling around trash, compost, or pet food, opossums belong near the top of the suspect list.

Clues that point to an opossum

• Slow, deliberate movement instead of fast scurrying
• Hissing or growling when cornered
• Noisy feeding around pet bowls, bird seed, or fallen fruit
• Activity centered under decks, sheds, or low openings

What to do if an opossum is making noise near your home

Start by removing easy food and making the area less inviting. Bring pet food indoors at night, secure garbage cans with tight lids, and pick up fallen fruit. If the noise is under a deck or porch, shine a flashlight from a safe distance and look for entry gaps, paw prints, or nesting material.

Do not try to grab or corner the animal. An opossum that feels trapped will hiss, bite, or play dead. Focus on exclusion and cleanup after the animal leaves or after a removal service clears the den.

Step-by-step for a noisy opossum problem

1. Remove outdoor food sources, including pet bowls, spilled seed, and unsecured trash.
2. Check the noise location for an opening, loose lattice, broken vent, or gap under a deck.
3. Wait until the animal leaves at night before sealing anything closed.
4. Install durable exclusion materials over openings, such as 16-gauge hardware cloth or heavy wire mesh.
5. Bury or fasten the barrier so it blocks digging and side entry.
6. Clean the area and replace contaminated insulation or nesting material if needed.

How to keep opossums out of yards, homes, and under decks

Exclusion works best when you remove both food and shelter. Trim low brush, store wood off the ground, and close off crawlspace openings with secure mesh. Under decks, a full perimeter barrier is the long-term fix. The bottom edge should sit flush with the ground and extend downward far enough to stop access.

For homeowners dealing with repeat nighttime noise, motion-activated lights and a fence line barrier help, but they do not replace sealing entry points. If the space already contains a nest or young, removal comes first, then exclusion once the area is empty.

Best prevention habits

• Feed pets indoors or take bowls inside before dark
• Use latching trash cans with tight-fitting lids
• Pick up fallen fruit, acorns, and compost scraps
• Seal openings around decks, sheds, and foundations
• Store birdseed and livestock feed in sealed containers

Frequently Asked Questions

Do opossums make noise every night?

No. They make noise when they are feeding, moving, defending themselves, or nesting near your home. If you hear sound on multiple nights from the same spot, treat it as a sign that an opossum is using the area as shelter.

What sounds do opossums make when scared?

They hiss, growl, and can make sharp clicking or snorting sounds. A scared opossum sounds defensive and abrupt, not screechy or chatty. That sound is a warning to back away.

What do baby opossums sound like?

Young opossums make softer chirps, squeaks, and faint clicking noises. If you hear multiple tiny sounds from a den under a deck or in a wall void, there may be a mother with joeys nearby.

Can an opossum in the attic make scratching noises?

Yes. An opossum in an attic, crawlspace, or wall cavity makes scratching, shuffling, and dragging noises, especially after dark. If the sound is paired with hissing near a vent or gap, focus on exclusion around that opening.