Top 3 Techniques for controlling Possums in Australia

Possums may look adorable and cuddly, but they are extremely destructive, particularly when they get into your yard and move into your home. There is not shortage of possums in Australia, and this makes it necessary for homeowners to try to make their homes possum proof so that they can keep these critters out of their attics and other areas in their home. So, what are the top techniques for controlling possums in Australia?

You may think that possums do not pose any problems for you or your family, but they can be a serious nuisance and that can affect your ability to have quiet enjoyment of your property. The key is to keep possums away from your home, away from your garden and out of your tree and yard. You do need to know that there are laws in Australia that protect possums, so you must know how to get rid of them without harming them.

Method #1 – Live Trapping

Possums need to be trapped by the building owner or manager, and not just any random person. You will need a live trap, which is a cage that can trap a possum and hold it safely without causing any injury to it. Once the possum has been trapped, it needs to be kept in a quiet and safe location out of the sun, rain or wind and away from domestic pets or anything else that can pose a danger to it. You will need to release the possum after sunset on the day you capture it away from your property.

Many homeowners think that any noise that they hear in their roof is going to lead to a possum problem. The truth is that it could be a rodent or some other type of creature – not always a possum. You can determine if your problem involves a possum when you determine when the noise is occurring. Possums will be quite at night because that is when they are heading out to hunt and forage. The noise you hear will be the possums returning early in the morning after they have been out all night and they will probably be tired and noisy. If you have a look at their droppings and can identify cylindrical shaped droppings, then those are of possum origin. The colour of those can vary depending upon what they have been eating.

Image: Possum Trap

Method #2 – Eliminate Ideal Denning Sites

When you are certain that the possums have gone out for the evening, you can block off the access points that they have been using to get into your home. This means cutting tree branches that they use to climb onto your roof and sealing up any holes that you can find whereby they are accessing your home. Block off any area that you can see where a possum can get into including under your home, in your roof, etc. Eaves are the most common ingress point.

Method #3 – Set up Motion-Activated Lights and Sprinklers

Possums will leave an area if they are frightened and the best way to do that is with motion activated lights and sprinklers. If you have already blocked off their access points into your home, then they will have no choice but to make a run for it and leave your property. Leave cat and dog hair around the perimeter of your home to create a scent of predators that will deter the possum from coming back. Possums do not like the smell of garlic, so you can crush it and spread it around your property which will deter the possums from coming around. They also do not like the smell of ammonia.

Avoid stacking bins or anything else that makes it easier for the possums to access your roof. Bright lights which cast a spot light on areas where possums may get into your home are ideal. Protect your garden by adding chicken wire around it to cover fruits and vegetables. When you eliminate a food source and a place where the possums can get fresh water, they will move on to places where those sources are more available.

Possums are messy, smelly and noisy and can create many problems around your home. They can chew wiring and will leave urine and droppings everywhere they frequent. It is important to discourage them from coming to your home and to remove them as soon as you know that they have arrived. Never make possums feel welcome on your property or they will continue to breed and raise families in your roof or any other area that they can find a nesting site.