Help with Possum problem

reply to post by anxietydisorder


I was thinking more of a spit-roast but that looks scrumptious

reply to post by Kryties


lol I live in texas and we got possums and armadillos everywhere. we used to put rotten moldy fruits out if they came around.

It might smell nasty to us but its horrible to them! works like a charm if you dont mind alil mold.

CAUGHT IN THE ACT!!!





Little bastard came in while we were watching a movie in the next room! He managed to smash that blue bottle you see next to the fruitbowl on the way out

Sorry for the bad quality photo's, I grabbed the first camera I could find which happens to be an ancient phone.

[edit on 23/1/2009 by Kryties]

I'd recommend:

1) Build a custom set of window bars (can be as elaborate or cheap as you want here)
2) Leave room for one of those electronic cat doors....these doors have an electronic sensor. There is a collar for the cat, that allows only that cat to enter/leave the cat door. Without the collar, the cat door won't open. The doors go for about $50 or so....last time I looked.

The bars will allow you to still get the breeze while keeping the possum out, and the cat door will allow your cat to enter/exit.

Win/win....

[edit on 23-1-2009 by Gazrok]

Try spraying vinegar or ammonia around the window frame, especially on the outside. I once had a raccoon try to set up house in my laundry room. I used vinegar, bleach, ammonia soaked rags in the laundry room and in the path she used to get there and it worked, she didn't come back.

While there have been an abundance of ideas given (including a flaming possum wearing sticky traps like snowshoes) I think you've missed a simple one.
Catch it with a live trap and carry it out to the boonies far from your home and release it.

reply to post by badgerprints


That only works with badgers.

Badgers have an amazing ability to sense direction, distance and even can pay bus fare when they find themselves suddenly far from home.
They are very stubborn creatures.

How's that cat doin? Still in the box?

reply to post by badgerprints


lol

Cat's gone.
Schrodinger's gone.

SDog still ticking.

Thanks goodness for a minute I thought you were talking about an American possum,I deeply resent any talk of harming our possums ! I guess you can tell I'm somewhat fond of them! hahaha!

reply to post by invisiblewoman


No, I am talking about the Australian Possum which (I think) is much larger than the American opossum.

Originally posted by badgerprints
While there have been an abundance of ideas given (including a flaming possum wearing sticky traps like snowshoes) I think you've missed a simple one.
Catch it with a live trap and carry it out to the boonies far from your home and release it.

Unfortunately, The Aussie Possum is very territorial, so calling the RSPCA and having him removed wouldn't do much as Aussie law stipulates they must be released nearby to where they were caught...

en.wikipedia.org...

As a native species in Australia, possums are protected by Australian regulations, even when they reside in urban neighbourhoods, and cannot be baited. If captured, regulations stipulate that they must be released within a small radius of the capture site as they are territorial creatures.

So back to square 1. Last night he came back twice after I closed the window on him and was scratching and scraping trying to get in. I am afraid he might actually break the window if he determined enough.

I am looking into substances I can use to deter him, Wikipedia recommends trying cloves of garlic, camphor or naphthalene so I guess I'm off to the hardware store today to see what I can get.


[edit on 23/1/2009 by Kryties]

If you wanna get rid of it get a live trap, that way if he accidentally catch the cat you can let it go if not and you catch the possum you take it outback you shoot it and you use the recipe that was given
PROBLEM SOLVED

Why does every ATS/BTS thread has to end with someone killing something? :bnghd:

you must lock up your fruit and when the possum comes scare him with some kind of Jack in the Box! A bobbing clown head on a spring waving eerily and leering insanely would certainly do it for me !

use the simplest trap. a box with a stick, string tied to stick.. fruit under box. when the little bugger returns jerk the string and trap him.

take him for an hour long drive out in the country, im sure he'd like that.

i have a neighbour with a yapping dog.
while i would love to take it for an hour long drive out to the country i know i cant so ive found that one of them party air horns works fantastic for scaring the crap outta it... sure makes it shut up barking for a while anyway.

wait for possum to enter and give it a good blast.
a few scares and it wont be back



option 3 involves a super soaker, some accuracy, and an over curious possum.
squirt squirt. he wont like that either, and its harmless.. and if he likes the squirt of water or something smelly then you at least have had plenty of target practice for that .22 someone previously suggested.
[edit on 24/1/09 by Obliv_au]

[edit on 24/1/09 by Obliv_au]

Originally posted by Kryties
reply to post by invisiblewoman

 

No, I am talking about the Australian Possum which (I think) is much larger than the American opossum.

Unfortunately, The Aussie Possum is very territorial, so calling the RSPCA and having him removed wouldn't do much as Aussie law stipulates they must be released nearby to where they were caught...


[edit on 23/1/2009 by Kryties]

Well,
I didn't realize that your possums had better lawyers.

You could try fox urine.
Some hunters here use it as a cover scent when hunting but it works wonders for coons, possums and a few other varmints. Just spray it around the area in the approaches to the window. (Not under the window, you'll smell it all the time)

As far as who's got the biggest possum, I don't know. Most are small but the older males get pretty large.
We have a possum in the neighborhood about the size of a full grown bassett hound but he doesn't bother anybody around here.
He's like a night time janitor. He eats stuff that the other wildlife won't touch. (even the racoons)

So I promised an update, so here it is:

Last weekend did not go quite as planned because, in my old age, I totally forgot it was my birthday weekend and that we would be having a large BBQ - hence leaving more food scraps around the place for our favourite furry friend to partake of. That and the immense hangover I had yesterday kind of put me out of action for the day.

BUT...

Our neighbour appears to have recently bought a Staffie dog. He's a nice little thing with a very large voice/barkbox. He somehow managed to bail the possum up on a fence and give him a right barking-at for about 15 mins. Now while the possum was not in any danger, it appears to have done the job because I haven't seen him in a few days.

So, I am going to continue with clearing the kitchen out of all foodstuffs every night and see how it goes over the course of the next few nights. If the dog did his job right, Mr Possum has had the bollocks scared out of him and won't be back. If not, then I shall look into some of the other methods described above - how does one get a fox to pee in a cup?

I really don't know the intricacies of foxes giving urine samples.
We actually can purchase it in a bottle here in the states.
Weird. I know.



[edit on 26-1-2009 by badgerprints]

Originally posted by Kryties
If the dog did his job right ...

We always do!

Originally posted by schrodingers dog

Originally posted by Kryties
If the dog did his job right ...

We always do!

truely mans best friend indeed.

wanna beef schmacko , SD?