How to Get Rid of Possum?

Possum is furry and cuddling creatures and looks cute. Never take them lightly as they can create havoc at your place. They can even harm your pets while snatching the food from your pets. Possums are usually non-aggressive animals but it becomes difficult to handle by a homeowner as they like to live in unhygienic conditions. They are nocturnal which means they become active at night. To have a possum in or near your house in the middle of the night is seriously not a good thought. So how to get rid of possum? The biggest question ever!!

Types of Possum

There is not just a single possum, you can find many different species of possums. Some variety of them are:

Feathertail Gliding Possum

Feathertail gliding possum is just 6.5 – 8 cm in length. They weigh about 12 grams and look like a small mouse. Their fur is very soft and silky and has a greyish brown color on the upper side of the body and white on the underside. They have sweat glands on their feet so that they can easily stick on grass. These possums are found in the eastern seaboard of Australia.

Western Pygmy Possum

Western Pygmy Possum is also known as southwestern pygmy possum or mundarda. These tiny possums weigh about 8 – 15 grams. They don’t belong to grey relatives as they have fur over their bodies with bright cinnamon color and are pure white underside. These possums are solitary and nocturnal as during the day time they live in tree hollows and come out in search of food at night.

Yellow Bellied Glider Possum

Yellow Bellied Glider Possums are sometimes known as fluffy gliders. They are 30 cm long and weigh about 700 grams and generally have a size of a rabbit. It has grey-brown fur on the back of their body and buttermilk belly. They have a loud shriek that can be heard up to 500 m away and this is a growling call used for communication. They are generally found in native eucalyptus forests in eastern Australia. 

Brushtail Possum

Brushtail Possum is nocturnal. It has a body 32 – 58 cm in length and with a tail it is 24 – 40 cm and weighs about 1.2 – 4.5 Kg. It is found in garden sheds. They are mainly herbivores but know to eat small mammals such as rats. These common brushtail possums were introduced in New Zealand in the mid 19th century. They have a bushy tail and have forefeet with sharp claws and have a strong grasp.

Ringtail Possum

Ringtail Possums are almost 30 – 35 cm long and usually weigh around 500 – 1100 grams. It has grey or black fur on the upper side of the body and has a cream-colored belly. They have white patches behind the eyes and have pointy tails with visible white tips. These common ringtail possums are found on the east coast of Australia and they usually prefer forests with dense brush especially eucalyptus forests.

Signs of Having Possum at Your Place

Sometimes it’s pretty much sure that you are having pest infestation at your place but you don’t know what kind of pest has attacked your house. These possums are nocturnal like rodents but they are loud so they also become quietly visible sometimes during the day time. Maybe you must have a group of possums at your place if you notice the following signs.

✔ Disappearing of Pet Food

Possums usually like to feed on pet food, especially cat food. If you are having a pet at your place then never keep their food outdoors overnight as at that time, possums are most active and try to feed them indoors. You must have realized that the food disappears if you keep them outdoors. You must take care of your pet as possum can harm them while fighting for food.

✔ Damaged Exterior of the Building

Possums usually try to enter the house or building through walls. It will come into your notice that your exterior is being damaged which is the first sign that your premises are being infested by possums. They can also damage your other things like ceilings, gutter systems, etc.

✔ Scratching Noises

While making nests, possums make loud, ripping, scuttling, and scratching noises. They make similar noises as rodents but you can differentiate them because they are big animals and their movement can also be heard while they are moving. 

✔ Nasty Smells

As these possums are bigger in size, so accordingly their droppings are even larger and scattered all over the area and they get soaked in the building material, causing an unpleasant smell. There can also be chances that possums get trapped and die which generates a bad odor.

You can also watch this video in which we have explained how you can do it effectively and efficiently. 

Most Likely Hiding Spots For Possums:

Possums have some common locations of hiding themselves and making nests over there. To survive and grow possums also find the best places where they can live. So, here are some of their best locations where they are found: 

✔ House

An open door is a clear invitation for the possum to enter your house. House is their best place of shelter. You might find possums at your place especially when you are having pets inside the property. Doggy doors mostly attract possums as they can enter the premises through it easily. 

✔ Garage

We might sometimes invite uninvited guests while opening or closing the garage doors. Possum enters the garage and finds some dark place to hide where there will be easy access to food and water. 

✔ Attic

For possums, an attic is the best place to live as they find the attic dry and warm place. If you are living in or near the wooden area then you need to make sure that the property is completely possum free as living with possums can be very dangerous. 

✔ Deck

Possums find it easy to infest your house under the deck as there are much larger gaps to go through them and get shelter. You need to call for professional help because eliminating possums from the deck is the most difficult task. Because while removing the possums from the place makes them angry and they can even bite you.

✔ Roof

It’s quite clear that if you are having trees near your roof then you must have possums at your roof because they are good at climbing. You should go with deep testing of your premises if you are having possums inside the house because they can lead you to several health issues.

DIY Tips to Remove Possums

Having furry housemates that you don’t want to see? Do follow these gentle steps to move them away from the premises!!

1. First, sprinkle the manhole with flour and have a check on the footprints.
2. Make an alternative house for the possum. Just make a nesting box on your own.
3. Locate that possum’s nest with the scent of possum which will encourage them to enter their new home.
4. You can also put the fruits in or near the nesting box.
5. Try to keep that box in a secure place.
6.  Just observe how the possums get into that place when it leaves to forage.
7. After the possum moves to their new house, you can block their entry with wires or woods of the old nest.
8. You can do it well at night because possums leave their place in search of food.

These tips will help you to eliminate and block the entry of possums at your place.

Methods Followed to Stop the Possum

There are various ways to get rid of these possums. If other solutions don’t work then you can follow these following steps to get rid of them. You need to follow the following steps:

1. Possum Repellents:  You can use possum repellents in order to get rid of possums. There are many possum repellents that are available in the market to eliminate those animals. They will help you to some extent and use sprinklers systems which will frighten them off your property. 

2. Traps: You can use traps to catch the possums. It’s not hard to trap a possum in a cage but what to do further when it is caught is the question. Killing the animals in some states is not permitted. You can trap them using the natural baits with the help of fruits like melons, bananas, or grapes.

3. Fencing: The woven wires or electric fencing is used for controlling possums. You need to fence your garden areas up to 4 feet high. This will prevent them from entering your premises. The best way to prevent them is by making your place less appealing to the possum. First, you need to cut down the overgrown trees and shrubs which will not attract them to your premises. Remove the brush piles from there and the fallen fruits from the trees must be maintained clean. It’s better to block the entry points under or near your home such as porches, decks, etc.      

Prevention Tips To Remove Possums

There are many preventive measures that you can take to prevent the possums from entering the house. Here are some of the preventive measures:

1. Try to cover all the entry points from where the possums can enter. 
2. You can use wire mesh for large holes and cover the ventilation holes with vent covers.
3. Cut down the branches of the tree so that possums can’t get on the roofs with the help of hanging branches.
4. Use barriers to protect your lower deck from the entry of possums.
5. Never leave your outdoor bins open as it will not only attract possums but other animals will also get attracted.
6. Try to clean up the food leftovers as possums get attracted to food.

Note: Ask for Professional Help, If Required

You can follow these methods to get rid of possums but it is not guaranteed that they will complete work or not as it depends on the infestation. It is recommended that you should call a professional possum catcher for the service as these possums become aggressive sometimes. You can try these measures, but if you still can’t get rid of those possums then you need to call a professional expert for help. So, it is better to call for professional help. 

Get the best and effective results by calling the professionals of Ace Pest Control today!

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Conclusion

Living with possums under the same roof is not easy, just try to remove them from your premises by following these steps if you want to do it on your own. These methods will surely help you to get rid of possums effectively. But killing them is not permitted, therefore you need to remove them without harming them. So, if these preventive measures don’t work, then contact our experts the same day.