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Opossum Removal in Shreveport

Last reviewed September 8, 2026 against LDWF published rules and federal statute. How we research this site.

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.

Shreveport specifically

Raised pier foundations in the older neighbourhoods leave a genuine crawlspace, and an opossum will use one that something else opened. They rarely make their own way in, which is why finding one usually means finding an older hole nobody sealed.

Opossums in Caddo Parish: who does what

The City of Shreveport publishes a short list of what it does not do, and it is unusually blunt: it does not pick up stray animals, does not spray for mosquitoes and does not supply rat poison. All of it goes to Caddo Parish Animal Services instead, and Caddo handles dogs and cats. Nothing in either remit covers an animal that has moved into a roof, so a squirrel in the eaves is a private expense from the first phone call.

Caddo Parish Animal Services describes the traps it handles as being for stray dogs and cats.

For identifying an animal or damage before anyone is paid to look, the LSU AgCenter, Caddo Parish office is at 2408 East 70th Street, Shreveport, LA 71105 (office page).

What Louisiana law says about opossums

Opossums are on Louisiana’s list of nuisance quadrupeds that a licensed property owner may trap or shoot year-round in daylight without a permit when proven to be causing damage, and there is no closed season. An operator who relocates one must release it at least five miles outside any city limit, with the landowner’s written permission. All Louisiana rules →

Sources: Caddo Parish, About Animal Services; Louisiana Administrative Code Title 76 (wildlife and fisheries); City of Shreveport, Animal/Pest Nuisance. Checked October 2026.

An opossum at a broken crawlspace access door
Illustrative Opossums use holes something else made.

Signs, and why they matter

  • 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
  • Heavy faecal accumulation in crawlspaces and under decks
  • Fleas, ticks and mites carried into the structure

How removal 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.

Cut-away of a one-way exclusion door fitted over an entry hole A wall in cross-section with the attic on the left and outside on the right. A hinged flap is fitted over the entry hole on the outer face. An animal pushes the flap open from inside and leaves; the flap falls shut behind it, and a stop below prevents it opening inwards, so the animal cannot get back in. INSIDE: ATTIC OR CRAWLSPACE OUTSIDE WALL STOP: IT ONLY SWINGS OUT HINGED AT THE TOP OUT: ONE WAY AND NEVER BACK IN
A one-way door lets the animal leave and not return, which is why sealing the hole is the last step, not the first.

Opossum questions

How much does opossum removal cost in Shreveport?

$250 – $500 typical, depending on access and whether young are present. After a long stay in an attic the cleanup is often the bigger bill (attic restoration).

Is there a wrong time of year to deal with opossums?

Active year-round in the Southeast. Females carry young in a pouch, so removal timing matters less than with attic-denning species.

Who handles opossums in Caddo Parish?

Caddo Parish Animal Services describes the traps it handles as being for stray dogs and cats.

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We read every request and pass it to a licensed wildlife operator covering Shreveport where one is available. We are still building our list of operators here, so we cannot promise one is available or say how quickly they will respond.

We are an information and referral service, not a licensed wildlife control operator, and we may be paid for the introduction. You are never charged.

Request a quote from a licensed Louisiana operator

Tell us what is in your house. We read every request and pass it to a licensed wildlife operator covering Shreveport where one is available. We are still building our list of operators here, so we cannot promise one is available or say how quickly they will respond.

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