Melbourne’s Trusted Possum Removal Specialists
Frequently Asked Questions
Possums love to feed on leaves and fruits, so if they are ruining the plants in your garden then it is time for you to do the following, which would help them go away. These are also a few of the methods, which are used for Possum control
- Building a floppy fence around your garden with the help of chicken wire is a good idea; you can leave the ends open so that the Possums fear climbing them due to its sharpness.
- If you do not mind a possum visiting your garden frequently but are only concerned about the vegetation then you can use a collar to protect your trees.
- Repellents are being used since a very long time and nowadays new and more effective repellent are coming to use.
- Since law 1975 protects Possums, therefore it is a good idea to treat them gently by providing them with an alternative den by building in Possum nest boxes. Possum control in Melbourne has to follow very specific rules and regulation. These boxes are very easily available in the market or are quite easy to make with the help of sawn timber. It is ideal to place the box around 3 meters above the ground level and check it frequently for other animals such as birds, squirrels, etc.
How to get rid of possums from my yard
It can be a bit of trouble to get rid of a possum from the yard if it has a hard boundary however below are few of the way to get rid of them or tip to keep them away from your yard
- Maintain hygiene and clean your yard on a regular basis
- Cover the Vents so that the entry points are blocked
- Cut down Long Branches of Trees especially if they are fruit-bearing trees
- Either demolish the shelters or keep them tidy and locked at most times
- Building a fence around the yard, which has pointed edges
- Make Use Ammonia as a Deterrent
- Install a water sprinkler in your yard
- Grow some natural herbs such as chilies plants
- Make use of natural repellents
- Keep a pet such as a cat or a dog
Since possums are excellent climbers, thus it is best to remove branches, which reach till the roof.
- Making use of odour therapy is a great idea. There are many kinds of repellents, which are used such as the mothballs and camphor. You can also try some natural herbs and ingredients such as garlic and onion that has some strong aroma.
- Possums are nocturnal in nature and like to nest and rest during daytime. So by putting the bright lights on, can prove to be quite disturbing for them and force them to find some other place for residing.
- Once you are sure that there is a Possum in the roof, then you can make use of a trap with a bait something with a strong smell such as peanut butter.
- If you are sure that, there are no possums then it a good idea to block the entry and exit point so that there is no way for a possum to enter.
Attic can be a very relaxing place for possums to reside, as it is inherently warm during winters due to all the insulations and quite cool during summers. However, it can be very distressing for the homeowners as possums can destroy the fittings and can eat away the insulations. The best way to remove a possum from the attic is a trap. Possums are protected by law according to the act of 1975 however it is allowed to trap a possum residing in a property by the owner, or the manager of the building or a DELWP licensed Wildlife Controllers. Another thing, which needs to be kept in mind, is where to release the trapped possum as relocation is regarded as inhuman and is not legally permitted. Therefore, it is advisable to get in touch with a registered vet.
If the trap method does not work then it is prudent to get in touch with professional possum control Melbourne companies who are well experienced in catching a possum, they are experts in catching possums with hand or by a snare pole.
There are 23 species of possums in Australia, Out of these 23 species; the most common two species are common brushtail possum and common ringtail possums. Just like other species of Possums, the common brushtail possum is also nocturnal. It mainly feeds on fruits and flowers, but in a few cases, have been seen eating rats, etc. In Melbourne, they get an abundance of eucalyptus leaves which they are very fond of eating. The common brushtail Possum comes in colours of silver-grey, brown, black, and gold. Normally the brushtail possum loves to live in tree hollow and burrow, but when indoors, prefer to hide in roofs and dingy spaces. As the name suggests, they have a bushy tail, along with that they have a cute looking pointed face and a pink nose. The common ringtail possum most distinguishing feature is its size, which can range to as big as a cat. They are nocturnal as well but prefer to stay in the dense forest and feed on eucalyptus leaves. They are generally grey in color and have white fur on the belly with some orange streaks.
Common brushtail Possums Physical description:
- Big, pointed ears & face with a typically light or pinkish nose.
- Possum comes in colours of silver-grey, brown, black, and gold.
- Typical body measures 500mm, weight ranges from 3.5-4kg.
- Black bushy tail with daintier grey and velvety paws & underbelly tail is often used to grip tree branches
- Males Possums are heavier as compared to the female possums and are covered in heavy red colour fur from shoulders to belly.
Common ringtail possum’s Physical description:
- Colour variable; silver-grey, smoky-grey, dark grey-brown but more typically light grey or rich red on back and sides.
- Cream to grey underneath, with red or tan on the arms.
- Unlike the common bush tail possums, the common ringtail possums have short and rounded ears. White patches on the back is a predominant feature
- Regular body measures 300-350mm, weight ranges from 700-1.2kg.
- The tail is not bushy, rather quite slender, with white on the lower portion and is rounded which helps in providing grip to the tree branches
- First and foremost try to identify from where the possum is entering. Once found out, block its entry point to restrict them to enter again.
- Since possum mark their territory with the help of an odour which they secrete from a gland, therefore the best way is to eliminate the odour by sprinkling or splashing strong disinfectant
- If you are able to trap the possum then relocate it to hollow logs in the tree and hanging wooden boxes.
- Trim the overhanging tree branches if they are at a height of the roof.
- Block entry points to your house from which possums can enter.
- If you wish to conduct any repair, work then its best to conduct such work during dawn or toward the day end, possums are nocturnal and wish to come out from their nest in search of food.
- Keep the place lighted after dark, as possums do not like bright light especially during dark due to their nocturnal nature.