Naturally everyone’s backyard is filled with different pests and insects that are to be eliminated. Luckily most of them aren’t very dangerous or hard to kill, but there are also those ones that come by and become the source of diseases and danger for your family and pets.
Possums belong to this type. And that’s why knowing how to eliminate them becomes a burning topic for most garden owners.
Here we will provide some thorough answers to the questions you have. Read and learn about the treatment options safe for you, but dangerous for them.
Make sure you take control over the situation before possums do it.
What Does the Process of Getting Rid of Possums Include?
When there are any risks for their appearance around your property, you should think about preventive measures. Agree that prevention is a much better solution than searching for the answer how fast to get rid of nasty possums in the yard.
Keep the territory clean, buildings sealed shut and foods indoors. This will encourage possums not to enter your house, attic, etc.
However, the main problem is that most preventive techniques fail, as these creatures are too obtrusive and have many reasons to use your place as their home.
So, let’s see how to get rid of dangerous possums in your yard effectively:
- Possum-proofing the territory.
What does this step include? You are to start eliminating unnecessary debris like deep leaf litter, fallen trees, unused equipment or unused cars. It is essential to keep the grass cut short, trim bushes up from the soil, etc. Make sure you’ve trimmed all tree branches that hang over your house or touch it. Cover all possible accessible areas under porches, sheds, and outbuildings. Fill them with rocks and use hardware cloth to block them. -
Getting rid of shelters.
Rake up all brush piles that are around your property. This is one of the easiest alternatives for how to get rid of several possums in your yard. If there are any wood piles, you’d better keep them in a shed or tight shelter.
Make sure all garages, woodsheds and boathouses are properly closed.
Possums hide out under low decks. So they should also be protected with a metal barrier. - Proper fencing.
Electric and woven wire fencing is pretty often used for possum control.
How do you get rid of possums fast? Use fencing that is 4 feet high. Its top foot must face outwards and away from the garden for preventing animals from climbing over. When you choose electric fencing, its height should be 3-4 inches over the top. - Eliminating open spaces.
Check not only your garden but also your home, where possums may hide. An inviting crack or hole should be covered with ¼ -inch grid screening. Sometimes insect screening is used over the vents. Repair holes in window screens, door screens and deck lattices.
How Effective Are Possum Repellents?
As for today, most repellent products have too little effect and must be applied in very high concentrations, which is rather dangerous.
Their smell is very strong, besides some types are really expensive.
Here is the list of cheap and effective ones that can be freely tried out in your backyard:
Mothballs. Place them around your garden. They work keeping possums away. In many cases this solution is very effective.- D-Ter and Scat. They are special powders diluted in water. When mixed they make a special liquid spray. Such solutions work on the sense of smell and taste of nasty animals and can be applied around the area or to the plants.
- Ammonia. Pour some of it into a coffee can with an old rag in it. Soon the rag will start working as a wick dispersing the fumes. We suggest placing as many cans as possible to eliminate possums in your garden.
- Spikes. This is another popular way of elimination. Many spikes are made of clear polycarbonate. Their length is 600 mm, so they can be attached to surfaces with glue, screws, cable ties or nails.
How to Use Possum Traps?
When it comes to possums’ elimination, setting traps is the best way to do it.
After being trapped and removed, they never come back, so there is no chance you’re going to have any problem with the same animal once again. Though there are risks that others will come.
As for today, there are three basic types of traps that help those, who want to learn how to get rid of numerous possums under your house or around it:
- Live Capture Traps. These are live capture cage traps that are available in most supply stores. Traditionally they are used in urban areas with high risks of possums.
Just leave traps outside for several days before you start using them. Then set traps near the plants that were damaged by these animals or beside their runs. It is recommended to place a trap on the firm ground.
The trap should face the direction that the possums are likely to approach from.
Attach the bait (carrot, apple, kiwifruit) to the trigger and set the trap lifting the door and then holding it open. Insert a trip pin far enough in order to prevent releasing the door. - Leg-Hold Traps. They are set where the animals travel, rarely beside trees. Rub the lure behind that rap in order to attract the possums. Make sure that the chain is connected to a firm object with as short a length as it is possible. Place it on the ground and clear away the area around the trap to prevent the injuries of struggling animals.
- Kill Traps. They are rarely used. These are lightweight cages, cheap, but easy to set and use. They are created for pretty effective control of possums in a moderate-sized area like backyards and gardens.
Very popular examples of this sort of trap are Timms kill traps. They are set on the solid ground and secured by been pegged to it.
If there are pets around and you don’t want them to be injured, attach the cage to a tree, roof or fence. For this purpose, you can drill a hole into the trap’s sides, thread a cord through and tie the cage to a branch.
While choosing a trap, opt for a live capture one. When the animal gets caught, it should be removed immediately.
Just take a trap by truck or car at least 5-6 miles away from your house and garden, and open a cage there.
The animal will leave the trap after it is opened and be sure that you will never see it again. This is a humane way of eliminating the animals from your life, but saving theirs.
How to Catch a Possum: the Bait
As you see, there are several popular techniques that allow controlling possums. Though these animals run away, soon they can come back, after the work of repellent is done. This is when trapping becomes handy. So, how to catch these nasty creatures?
They are easy to catch. Set a 10x12x32 cage trap or a simple raccoon-sized trap in the place, where you’ve noticed any damage or the animal itself. Remember that it is impossible to bait it with pretty much anything. These are opportunistic scavengers and feeders. But still, there are some baits that work better than others and prevent the catch of a home pet.
Re-read the section above to make sure you know what possums are attracted by most of all.
How to Trap a Possum: Relocation
Where to set the trap? Just in front of those places, where you’ve already seen possums’ activity.
If you are looking for a proper cage, choose possum traps at Home Depot. They suggest different variants. Make sure you’ve chosen the right possum trap bait.
After the animal is trapped follow all local laws regarding the release of the animal in any other locations. Today there are many specific laws on relocating wildlife in your area. Make sure that the area is away from those places where the animal can become a problem again. However, this should be a place where it can find resources in order to sustain itself.
Now you know that elimination of possums from your place can become a pretty hard task if you apply no efforts, or an easy-to-do task, if you consider our tips.
Choose the solution that is optimal for you and try it out to discourage these animals from penetrating your property one more time.
Although I don’t mind trapping and relocating opossums but I read its illegal to relocate wildlife? Its my property seems ridiculous just wondering if true.
Hi Amanda
We are also facing the same issue. How did you manage to get them removed from your property? And how to get rid of the foul smell which they created, as it keeps on increasing and hard to survive in such conditions.
Thanks
Sheenu
Yes its true,illegal in ny to relocate any wild animal,dec will confirm this.You end up with an animal that can no longer be trapped and you may bring a diseased animal to an area that does not,have .indigenous to the other location.As per dec you should dispatch the problem on your location.
A possum just ate 4 wild baby rabbits 8 days old in my back yard. I have a motion senser out there i hope that fucker likes lead up its ass. I dont care what the law is that possum is the walking dead. Fuck possums. The little rabbits were so cute and harmless
i am at war with possums i hate them.
I almost got bit by one too I was scared
we have a couple in our backyard, and a dog who wants to investigate. She almost got attacked 2 times. I think we are going to try mothballs, then traps…
Hi Katrina
Did you ever get rid them? If so how ? Please I don’t no what to do , don’t have money for a professional.
Get a trap from tractor supply or Home Depot. They are $30. Load that thing with fruit. Come back in the morning and if it is in the trap. Then Use a trash can. Fill it with water and put cage in trash can and drown it. Cheap and effective. Or if you live outside city limits. Shoot Possum(22lr) in cage. I assume you do not have gun.
Hired 4 different professional trappers which was a waste of money. I realized it was up to me to get the job done. I have begged and pleaded for help to rid my property of these awful creatures. Damage is unreal. I hate them.
I agree with you. I hate those evil-looking little monsters.
Shit me and u borh every night I come have a cigarette the same one always is on the wall looking at me
Lol I have three children so I understand how you feel
What does having children have to do with your hatred? Possums are totally non-aggressive. They carry NO diseases, including rabies, and they are very beneficial depending on how you feel about slugs,snails,grubs,mice,rats, etc. anybody who tells you different is ignorant or after your money to kill a totally harmless animal.
You apparently dont have chickens. Another harmless creature they kill
I just lost 4 hens and a rooster since Christmas and we have shot 3. My poor hens are tramatized
Moth balls really did help. That and a box trap. Good luck. I had to get new hens because mine stopped laying.
Opposum’s don’t kill hens.
Yes they do..
Yes they do. A opossum killed my hen. Caught it red handed with the chickens head in is mouth.
My husband shore 2 under my house and he can’t find them to get them out now we have 1 maybe 2 dead blossoms under the house how can I get rid of the odor before it gets in the house? Please help
You are wrong about disease. Possums carry a disease that when passed on to horses, it attacks their nervous system and kills them.
That is true it’s in their poo , we relocate them
Your sadly mistaken !!
EPM….Google it
A fatal disease from possum feces.
Don’t be so ignorant!
You are so wrong ! They carry alot of deseaces. I for onewill kill eeveryone I see.
Maybe you should learn how to spell, and do research. Cheryl is right. Possums are non-aggressive unless provoked (Like any animal that is cornered), they get rid of pests like mice, and they do not carry rabies. What they do carry is tuberculosis and other non-threatening diseases. Before you release your horrible spelling rant upon people, make sure you know what you’re talking about.
TB is hardly non threatening it can be lethal and can be passed to others before diagnosis is confirmed.
Also possums carry typhus and no-one wants to catch that plus they destroy attic spaces costing thousands in repairs from their urine and feces which stinks so bad and is impossible to get rid of.
Opossums very rarely carry rabies because of their unusually low (for mammals) body temperatures. However, they are known to carry diseases like leptospirosis, tuberculosis, relapsing fever, tularemia, spotted fever, toxoplasmosis, coccidiosis, and trichomoniasis. This information can be verified by Googling “Diseases carried by possums” with the local wiki. Possums DO carry diseases and they will attack other animals as well as humans – even when NOT cornered! Animals who’ve lived in the same environment for any length of time become territorial. My apologies for any mis-spellings or typos. I’m on my cell and do not feel the need for an official “document review.” Good Day.
They dont like protective dogs who will bark and bark… our dog has almost gotten bitten 2 times now….
My neighbour’s horse that was killed from their disease can’t spell either. Spelling really does not matter here.
TB is life threatening.
You are correct, they do carry many diseases.
Thank you. It’s sad about the bunnies, but opossums are one of the cleanest and harmless wild animals. People should really do more research.
Be that as it may, my cat is a bad motor scooter, she kills everything. But this possum is HUGE and she wont go out if he’s in the yard! He is bold. I was looking at the full moon and I look to the right and there he is. I couldnt scare him off. I said, “Really dude?” I had to toss something at him and I found out he’s living under my shed…..
Your right you should really do research
You are as WRONG as WRONG gets!
They carry a disease which gets passed when they defecate that is a death sentence to many horses. Look up EPM (Equine protozoal myeloencephalitis).
You are entirely wrong in stating that possums do not carry diseases. Google it please! Not only could they (and likely do) diseases but their feces are lethal to humans!
Opossums carry diseases such as leptospirosis, tuberculosis, relapsing fever, tularemia, spotted fever, toxoplasmosis, coccidiosis, trichomoniasis, and Chagas disease. They may also be infested with fleas, ticks, mites, and lice.
You are wrong regarding diseases. They carry EPM…,equine protozoan myelitis. It is spread in possum piss when they climb on the haybales, it affects horses’ nerve system, and there’s no vaccine, no cure. I am a horse owner. When I find possums, shoot their ugly asses.
You are wrong in that opposums do not carry disease and are totally harmless. They carry a protozoa which is excreted through their feces and is deadly to horses. The protozoa attack the central nervous system. The disease is called Equine Protozoal Myeloencephalitis (EPM). It can only be contracted through opposum feces, which can be in the hay, grain, or even water. The horse becomes neurologic and suffers a slow, debilitating, painful death. The only way to diagnose EPM is either through a very expense blood test, a spinal tap, or a necropsy after the horse is dead. How do I know this? Because we just had to put down my daughter’s horse. We tried everything to cure him. Spent $1,000’s on treatments and tests, but nothing worked. He was her best friend. They had been together for 10 years. He raised her, took care of her every time she rode him, and she loved him more than anything. Losing him has ripped a hole in her heart so big it will take a very long time to heal. So why don’t you tell my daughter that opposums are harmless and carry no diseases. You don’t have the first clue what you’re talking about, lady.
I owned a gorgeous horse and she lived in my 5 acre back yard near Tampa. I had to put her down because of old age. Truly it was the worse day of my life. But, you are absolutely right about opposums, they are from “HELL”. Along with raccoons they kill a lot of rabbits, etc. The horse ranches around me would not hesitate to shoot them. We have to protect the ourselves and the nature that can’t help themselves. I have seen them kill beautiful innocent birds and baby egrets. Truly heartbreaking. I know with to much city and developing they are forced but, we have to protect our horses, cats, birds, rabbits and all other innocent nature. So sorry about your daughters beautiful horse. I hope she can eventually get another one.
Hey, didn’t this article start out with this, “:ones that come by and become the source of diseases and danger for your family and pets.
Possums belong to this type.”
Just sayin
RATS?? I think you mean mice and baby rats and yes that’s good. Harmless?? Far from it love. I have a wooden privacy fence which they love and use as a gateway to a neighbors yard hoping to find a spot to enter their attic. As far as children are concerned I am certain they would be attacked by possums if cornered.
Check out “possums attack” on YouTube.
What children has to do with it is these nasty things carry disease and are very destructive. Sorry but gtfo of my house and my 2 year old child! And kwpt me awake all week scratching and chewing around my house. I catch him in drowning the fucker!
Cheryl, if I knew where you lived I would bring the possums we have caught and bring them to you to live in your yard since you sound like a possum lover.
Really I live in a trailer and one already died under it . That smell came up and ruin a beautiful sofa I had to have distroyed! Also they are tearing up my home under it. Not to mention tons of fleas that come in becuase of them ! And yes they do carry some deases
they do carry disease do some research…they just have a very low chance of rabies
Rob can you come to Livermore and shoot mine?
I’m bout ready to buy me a bb gun. I hate them nasty things. I have out door cats and one of them had babies. The possums ate the kittens. They have died under my house and the smell is the worst I have ever had. Omg. It was terrible. My son would have to crawl under and rake them out with the shovel. If it weren’t for the cats I would put poison out. But my luck they would die under my house. I have seen 3 out on my deck tonight. Bout to go crazy!
Buy a live trap put peanuts in it make sure peanut dosent get under trip plate catch it take it a ride good by critter
I would rather have the opossums in the yard then a bunch of half wild cats. Be responsible and spay your damn cat! Stop populating your neighborhood with stray cats already.
There are over 15 million homeless dogs and cats on the streets and another 15 million and euthanized yearly because of people like you who do not spay their animals. Your cat had kittens under your porch and you did not bring them inside? If the possums ate the kittens, you would not have a smell. More likely the kittens died from neglect, starvation, or dehydration. You only have yourself and your ignorance to blame.
Mine too please.
I had $5000 worth of damage from them getting into insulation took a year to get rid of the smell. See a possum kill a possum is my policy. But use a.22 at minimum they can withstand several hunting pellets unless it’s a head shot. Lite them up. By the way they can get out of traps very easy. They don’t see well unless you a close but can hear u or smell u. I use 22ga number 4 shot very effective in in rural area.
Dude! Marry me! I hate possums, too. I can’t seem to get rid of one that starts chewing under my house just when I fall asleep. I don’t know how it gets in because I’ve got everything sealed off.
I too hate the ugly critters but unlike you all up here in Canada guns are against the law except for long barrels & only for permitted hunting. But after reading most of these posts, a lot of you recommend rat poison & the like but what those people don’t understand is eagles, hawks, owls as well as many other animals (including cats & dogs) will eat the poisoned pest and die themselves. Live traps are best, then get animal welfare agencies to relocate it.
Some laws wete made to be broken
We have killed off lions and tigers and bears in most areas we love, as well as dinosaurs in most all areas. A few, have killed off possums; oh well, I am going to try the moth balls and ammonia separately. All the best, msonnyt
Don’t forget anti-feeeze. I have been experiencing a problem with some type of Rodent, and I NEVER had this problem, but I will do what has to be done.
Does antifreeze get rid of possums and raccoons?
Antifreeze kills animals. It’s sweet tasting and smelling to them. Not a good alternative to use as you may kill your own or neighbouring pets.
Don’t do that you may accidentally kill someone’s cat instead. And that is a painful horrible slow death.
Thats a pretty horrible way to get rid of them or any living creature Maybe try mothballs…but trapping is a for sure way to get rid if them…just relocate to some wild area with a water source…cover the trap while trasporting to help their stress level…
Don’t use anti-freeze! Dogs and cats will eat it as well (especially dogs) and it will kill them, too!
Against the law thank god
Anti-freeze? What if a dog gets into it? That is horrible. I had a dog get loose and get poisoned by anti-freeze.
I don’t believe that antifreeze still has the taste and smell, that attract the animals, like it use to.
I think you are mistaken. We didn’t live with dinosaurs in the same time period, mankind were just small rodents at that time.
We were guilty of overhunting and exterminating animals to pursue our own gains, be it luxury or economy, but we also used to put lead in everything. Lead is poison. So yea, we’ve made some dumb moves.
Fact is, a coyote or even a large cat can kill these critters no problem. However, if they’re hiding in a manmade structure which offers better protection than the nests they instinctively make, then we have tampered with the natural selection process. It’s a case of they MAY become extinct is more important than the fact that we’re giving these creatures an advantage they never would have had in a natural ecosystem.
Kill the friggin’ opossum and be done with it. It’s not like this is a civil rights issue ffs.
I have a large bromeliad business, and the plants are expensive. The possum under my deck is eating them from the root up……dozens every day, I am in tears.
I woke up to a baby possum crawling across my head board needless to say I freaked out. How the hell do I get rid of them can’t catch the dam thing and I have to leave for work.
Ok so, i’m reading all of these replies and some are funny some are not, some are helpful some are not. This is my thought on the subject. If you like possums GREAT! Keep them. If you hate them kill them. But insulting each other because you LOVE or HATE them!!! Please. we all have different opinions learn how to live and let live. Me, personally I hate them, and I have a mama possum and a baby possum that are really getting on my nerves and I’m going to kill them. I don’t care if they carry diseases or not just simply tired of coming or going and getting frightened by them because they’re too close for comfort for me.
THANK YOU!
That’s exactly how I feel! Why do people have to make digs all of the time?!?!
Life is too short!
I sincerely hope that problem possums can be trapped and relocated. I have never read a blog more filled with hatred and violence toward a gentle, nocturnal creature as this one. What is wrong with the world is intolerance. The refusal to modify human behavior/environment in a way that might actually make a difference in the possum’s behavior and result in its voluntarily going away is evident by all the gleeful talk of shooting, drowning etc. Big tough guys with a destructive view of the world reveling in the death of wildlife as though they were being deliberately cruel instead of just trying to live their lives as best they can and find something to eat. Calling any living thing ugly is the trait of an insecure personality. Probably were the class bullies, and God forbid if someone was not attractive enough to meet their approval. And yes, I know of a local possum who hangs around sometimes and runs the minute he senses anyone else is there. A little “live and let live” attitude (especially for animals who are running out of habitat and food sources) wouldn’t hurt us. I figure if I leave out a bit of food and the possum eats it, it is probably helping preserve the chickens, rabbits, and kittens, as the possum won’t be so hungry. (And yes, cats should be spayed, and neutered, and be inside.)
I live close to a wash that apparently is home for all the momma possums and their babies. Usually not a problem until they go hunt for food and come up close to my back yard and the babies actually come into the yard even tho my property has wire fencing around it. They find no food and go away. Except I have 2 dogs that sit and bark at them and yes the middle of the nite. Problem is they just sit there and don’t move resulting in me getting out of bed to get the dogs before they wake up everyone in the neighborhood.
Has anyone tried the garlic or moth balls around their yard/fence and if so. Does it work? Thnx
Has anyone answered your question about garlic as a repellent for possums? Cuz I got a cat and dont want her hurt but hate the possum.
this site is full of malarky! possums are not agressive animals. they are cowards when confronted by anything with a larger body. their incredible immune system makes them the mammal least likely to contract rabies. when full grown they are immune to pit viper venom and kill and eat those snakes. possums get along well with cats and raccoons.
You are correct Reggie, possums visit my deck almost nightly and cause no problems at all. The cats, of which I have several, don’t mind the visitors at all. The chipmunks that dwell in my backyard are probably more of a danger with their burrowing habits but I am happy to share the planet with animals other than humans. Actually other humans probably conflict more with my well being than possums do. Humans carry many types of diseases, steal from each other, and can be loud and annoying. Perhaps I should welcome the possums and put traps out for humans.
Message me for my address…you can send me a check. $15 for the cat food container he broke twice, and after repairing once, could not repair a second time. $30 worth of cat and dog food eaten or ruined, so far…$200 for the reinforced wood screen door he’s torn apart. $500 for sleepless nights and aggravation he’s caused my family and for pets. That’s to date. Everything we’ve tried to deter, short of killing him has simply made him more aggressive. My dog can run him off, but, that’s all. I love animals, and believe live and let live, but he’s not doing his part, so, next step is murder.
Kill them all. Possums are vulchers. A possum just ate 4 8 day old baby rabbits in my yard. I got a bullet with his name on it. I dont give a dam what the law is.
I feel you Rob. I was shooting them until lectures and admonishments from friends and relatives got to my conscience and I promised I wouldn’t kill any more. So now I’m trying to learn to tolerate them looking in my back door and hanging out all friendly like on the porch with my cats. I’m just afraid the night they follow a cat in my house is the night I go back on my promise.
I know how you feel, shoot them. One just killed a beautiful baby egret, I live in Florida and they are being either hit by cars or to much development the egrets, I am referring to. Also, had my handyman pull out a dead one under my house. My heart broke when I heard the screams from that little baby. So sorry about your baby rabbits.
I feel you Denise he can send me a check too for all of the duct repair I have had to do!!!
Well I don’t know what kind of possums you have …but the one thats trying to live at my house is going under my house destroying my duct costing me from $300-$400 everytime he finds a way to get under my house. I thought I had gotten ride of him … I covered every hole leading under my house but he has found another one this week . I tried rat poison, moth balls and i fixed him a snack this morning before going to work hopefully he will get full and sick and find another home I’m tired of repairing my duct under my house and I’m tired of the noise also …… I aint mad at the guy that wants to shoot them….. if the state don’t want you to kill them then they should make sure they arent in anybodys yard!!!!!
I’m just discovering this site and I’M SO MAD!! This is such BS! I have befriended a couple of possums and they are THE SWEETEST, most gentle-natured wild animals I could ever imagine! And they DO NOT CARRY most diseases that DOGS can carry! Who is responsible for this site? It needs to COME DOWN!
Hi Molly, possums got in my attic and the urine started running down the wall in my bedroom. Not a good thing. There is a small feral cat that claimed us and we put a small covered bed for him outside. It is in the 20s and the little cat was getting in the little house and then we realized he stopped going inside the house because the possums were going in there. Any ideas? Randy
Hey Molly what’s your address so we can all send you the possums we catch, already killed 4 of them getting in my attic, about to get a trap so I can drown the fuckers unless you want more friends .no address they drown.
I totally agree. What’s wrong with these people? Possums are harmless! Get a life people!!
I is all well and good to have sympathy for these creatures — until they crawl up under the house and die! The smell permeates into the house making it unbearable inside. The “cleaning” techniques mentioned above is stupid. I live in Florida’s woods and clearing leaves and wood around is an impossible task. Every effort to stop them from going under the house is met by another obstacle. Next effort is chicken wire, possibly dug about a foot into the ground. I don’t know how deep possums will dig but every effort to keep the area closed off did not work because they just dug under.
Put the chicken wire up in an L shape, with the bottom of the L a few inches under the ground. When he tries to dig under the upper portion of the L, he is greeted with wire that he can’t dig through.
Ate my newborn kittens whose mother thought would be a safe place to give birth.
Plus they’re just plain ugly.
Possums are not harmless they sit on the fence and annoy dogs so they bark all night long you’re not allowed to kill them but we want to, one attacked my son’s pet chicken. Shotgun, bird shot, dead opossum 🙂
You obviously don’t own chickens. Possums are far from harmless. They kill and eat chickens – traumatizing the remaining birds. I will do what is necessary (legally) to keep them off my 9 acres and keep my birds safe.
Right on , for all the comments to destroy them ugly possums.Why should you allow a freakin rodent destroy your investment , you worked hard for your money to invest in your property, so tell me this,,
we get up early in the morning to go to work , come back home to let some ugly little thing spoil our investment , I really don’t think so. Protect what’s yours , if you don’t the possums will put holes all in your property for breakfast lunch and dinner if you let them
They are NOT RODENTS. Educate yourself. If you don’t like them under your house, close up the crawlspace. If you don’t want them to eat your chickens, do something about your fencing; other animals, such as HAWKS, will eat chickens, too.
Hi molly but we aren’t talking about a hawk problem here. Just like anything in this country if you like and want the possums in your life then enjoy them, but don’t come down on others cause they don’t
Opossums can carry a number of infectious diseases including, leptospirosis, tuberculosis, relapsing fever, tularemia, spotted fever, toxoplasmosis, coccidiosis, and Chagas disease. Two variants of the rabies virus (bat and skunk) are found in California but all mammals are susceptible to rabies infection. they are not harmless.
I read this idea about mice. I read that take Nestle’s Chocolate Quick in a bowl, and let them go and eat it. Then they need water to get it down. After drinking water, the mice blow up. I read this, I don’t know how true it is. Sounds good to me. I just saw 2 Possums where I live, and they are nasty creatures. These creatures do not need to live in my opinion!
Exploding mice? I have a nice bridge for sell in New York if you’re interested. So you think only the beautiful should be allowed to live? How sad.
Wow… I have never seen a site spreading so much fear and superstition. Possums are great animals to have in your yard. Kill ticks, kill bugs, eat dead animals, help control snake numbers, and only come out at night so you rarely know they are there. If you have a cat or dog that keeps interacting with them via barking at night it’s cause you as a pet owner are doing a bad job allowing the pet out at night or to sit there looking out the window barking. I have dozens of these little guys running around the yard at night and they clean up the yard, keep bugs at bay, keep ticks to a min so I don’t see them on me or my cats. People enjoy nature and quit trying to destroy everything.
you obviously dont live near any trees or have any property. why does your dog bark out the window at the possums! doesnt it have a yard?
While I tend to agree that possums have their benefits, they also have their downsides. I don’t go out of my way to kill these creatures. I grew up in South Carolina and have had many instances where I have interacted with and relocated them. I’ve even bottle fed baby ones who’s mom was hit by a car. My dad found them with maggots on them and rescued them. Once we were sure they were going to live we found an organization to rehabilitate them. While I do not fear these beasts and enjoy the occasional sightings of a mother walking across the top of my fence with a baby clinging to her. I have recently become rather angry towards them because twice now they have chewed on and nearly through the wire that supplies the internet and cable to my house. The first time I had unknowingly trapped them under the house when I blocked up an opening. Comcast came out to replace it, then this morning I heard what I can only describe as a kind of chirping noise this morning a few minutes after I saw an adult possum walk across my fence. Looked through my living room window and saw the adult on the side walk there. So I went out and around and when I got over there she was gone but I could here her baby calling to her from under the house. So apparently her baby was still under the house and has yet again chewed my cable down to the bare copper. I thought they had left but apparently only mom did. I have no intentions on killing the baby, I’ve set a live trap under the house and hopefully it will take the bait and is heavy enough to set it off. I want to reunite mom and baby and hopefully they’ll be on their way.
You’ve obviously never dealt with a mice infestation.
I would recommend Anyone who has opossum around who don’t want them to invest in a good dog. Mine is a purebred Anatolian shepherd. She keeps them away!
Lol, that doesn’t always work. My dad has a Boxer that likes to catch the ones that enter his backyard. He’ll carry them around for hours as they play dead, won’t let my dad take them from him and when he’s tired of playing with them he buries them alive in the sandbox that’s back there. Dad uncovers them, carries them down to the river several yards from our house on the property and lets them go. They still come back. So do the skunks even though Pete killed one of them cause it fought back.
They CAN TOO be aggressive!!! When my son was little we lived in an old farmhouse and there was 1 opossum that would run towards him everytime he used the back door, trying to bite him!! My husband had to shoot it 3 times (and he’s a good shot) to kill that damn thing!
If you or any of your neighbors have horses, possums are the WORST thing you can have around – get rid of them, whatever it takes!!!
Finally someone who understands! One of my horses has already had EPM!!
Sorry to disappoint you, Reggie, but an opossum maimed my neighbor’s cat recently. It was in the middle of the night. He said it sounded like a bad cat fight. He went out to investigate and the opossum was killing his cat. His dog got the opossum, he took his cat to the vet, who said that if he saved the cat, it would lose its leg. The cat’s back end was in shreds.
The cat’s owner is to blame for ignoring the leash law and yes, it applies to cats as well as dogs. If people love their cats they need to keep them indoors or on a leash.D
Really Lady,
not all counties have a leash law. As a matter of fact I live 15 miles outside of the city; there is no leash law here. If keeping a domesticated animal imprisoned in your home is the only way of proving you love your cat then I guess millions of people are bad owners according to your high standards. I don’t even own a cat; but wanna be know it all’s are annoying.
Bullshit! I caught two last night in a live cage and the nasty thing tried to attack me wen I tried to open the cage to get rid it! It was fast striking too!!! They HATE the sound of plastic bags though, so just scrunch up a bag and they run right out of the cage!
Yes i know they hang out late at night on my porch.i need them to move
Wow. I have the same issue u do/did? I live by a wash also. A chain link fence separates the wash from the backyard. They live in the wash but come looking for food hoping the fence etc. I have 2 dogs that sit there and bark at them because possums don’t move when confronted. I was wondering if u tried the moth balls or ammonia and if anything worked. I don’t want anything harsh that will hurt my dogs do I’m hoping to try the mothballs/ammonia along the outside rim of the fence!
Let me know. Thx
I use coffee cans with rags and ammonia and moth balls. Works great
Omg this is exactly my problem. My dog had one cornered last night and I got a net and caught it. Well the little bastard kept crawling out and my dog wouldn’t stop attacking it in the net. I tried to hit it into a tree and thought I killed it. The next morning the little bastard was gone. The possum was playing possum!!
Your info: was very helpful” thank you! !
THE CUTEST BABY POSSUM HAS BEEN VISITING MY PORCH AND EATING ALL THE LEFTOVER CAT FOOD. I SAW IT ONE NIGHT WHEN I WAS UP LATE. A FERAL CAT THAT I HAVE BEEN FEEDING FOR ABOUT 6 YEARS COMES AND GOES, FEEDS AND LEAVES, COMES BACK TO SLEEP. I WOULD THINK THAT THE CAT WOULD SCARE THE POSSUM AWAY, BUT I THINK THE OPPOSITE IS HAPPENING. B U T N O W….THIS LITTLE CRITTER HAS BEEN JOINED WITH ANOTHER, AS THERE WERE TWO PILES OF POOP ON MY PORCH. I AM GOING TO TRY PICKING UP ALL THE FOOD BEFORE I RETIRE EACH NIGHT AND HOPE THEY GET DISCOURAGED. IF NOT, I WILL HAVE TO TRAP AND RELEASE. I DON’T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT….I JUST DO NOT WANT TO KILL THEM AND….I WANT MY FERAL TO FEEL AT HOME ONCE AGAIN!
I FORGOT TO THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR INFO. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH!
wow. whats with all the YELLING? opossums are the worst. just kill them with a shovel and fertilize your plants.
I remember the day my “non-aggressive” world turned. I was feeling pretty proud & gathering my hard earned garden veggies when I was surprised by a waddling, lazy, non-weed-pulling possum shopping my rows for dinner. I hit it in the head with a gardening spade… not a little tap — a full over-the-fence home run swing with a skull fracturing echo — and the damned thing just looked at me like I was crazy and walked back under my barn. I thought, well it’s just one little old possum, no big deal. Now I wish I’d had a machete in my hand instead. Since that day I have learned a lot about myself & possums. The same traits I love in people, I abhor in possums. They Love to Eat… gardens, scuppernongs, figs, wiring, cat food, good leather. They’re Private… having an affinity for indoor nooks for their bodily functions. They’re Fiercely Loyal & Patient & love a good Joke… waiting to surprise me in the dark while I fumble keys & groceries never gets old for them, yet my neighbors have spotted Elvis & UFOs more often. I guess they DO get rid of mice though, because there are none in the barn — THEY’ve recently relocated to the attic & crawl space of my HOUSE, which I so industriously sealed so nasty possums couldn’t go there. I can’t poison the mice because my (yes, spayed) barn cats eat the poisoned mice and die. So now I’m spending a lot of time daily setting/checking traps for dead mice and their stinking mess, in and under my house. Gee, I love that little chore! And to think, in the past I’ve just wasted that time relaxing with a good book in my hammock — when I could’ve been sweating my ass off in gloves, dust mask, and mouse shit. Oh, the joy !! Some of you mentioned possums keeping venomous snakes and vermin away… for that, I’ll take a good king snake over a possum any day. So, if one of the “live and let live” “possums are cute and cuddly” clan will send me their NW Ga address, I’ll buy a humane possum trap. Otherwise, I think I’ll buy my previously-oblivious-self a .22 and practice my aim on some “should be roadkill”.
If you look it up cats and possums get along well together
Kill it….um im not looking to relocate a cockroach investigation. …possums will use you dishes for a latrine…jump on you while you sleep…and ? Play thier mama’s revenge for smucking with them….tearing out new bathroom floor before finished….9? To a litter…..year 3…..the possums gonna eat the cat…
have a possum that seems to hide out right outside of my sun room, My dog has been trying to get at it thru the wall. I think he goes right under the side of the house. Not sure if he can make it to the basement or not. Needs suggestions don’t really want to kill it, but will if this is my last resort.
had a possum problem here in pa. It finally got caught under the dishwasher & died – yuck – but found out that pouring amonia heavily around the premimeter of the house repells the rest of the family. Keeps away the mice also. Used in openings around nearby shed & critters were gone in 24-36 hours
Thanks…I will try that! I doubt that would hurt other animals! Thanks again!!!
Wow, are you sure it wasn’t a raccoon or a squirrel? Lucky for you, your husband is a real he-man. It does sound like you could have killed the animal yourself, however, by just looking at him/her.
Possums are my phobia ! I absouloutly can’t stand them I’m so terrified of them ! I seen one on our back yard fence and literly refused to go outside I was so scared my aunt threw a ball at it and it went Into this little shed that is half a foot from our house but isn’t our property ! So we can’t do anything about it and I’m so scared and it crosses over to our yard all the time I don’t know what to do
Ivan, I am terrified of them too!!…I have used mothballs and they work…I always throw a bunch throughout my yard…try it. …but if it’s the same one, get a trap from the animal control…you won’t see it again!…Good luck!
Opossums are physically harmless to humans. If you are worried about disease or them eating your garbage or garden that is legitimate. If you are worried about an attack or bite worry no more. They don’t attack and their natural defense is to hiss while showing their gnarly teeth. If the danger persists the will play dead (also know as playing possum). Rest assured, they may be ugly but they’re not physically dangerous.
Opossums very rarely carry rabies because of their unusually low (for mammals) body temperatures. However, they are known to carry diseases like leptospirosis, tuberculosis, relapsing fever, tularemia, spotted fever, toxoplasmosis, coccidiosis, and trichomoniasis.
Try not to be terrified of the possums they are so gentle, They try and look tough, but their not…
Opossums are generally not aggressive animals. Unfortunately they aren’t cute and cuddly so people tend to be afraid of them. Using terms like “nasty” in the above ad don’t help . Also they don’t carry rabies. You can easily search online and will find people very fond of them. They have a rough life , don’t make it any harder. We have to share the earth 🙂
They suck, I hate them so much for getting into my attic where can i find traps that will kill them, I dont want to dump them somewhere else so they can get into another person’s property, they are useless and disgusting waste of spaces.
God creates nothing useless. And your space was theirs first
Exactly, they’re natures garbage men. They eat dead animals, bugs and even ticks. How can anything that eats ticks be completely bad.
True god did create them, but if your house was infested with other animals, would you be saying the same thing, after all they were there before you
A very nice comment which mirrors my feelings exactly. Even a possum deserves a good life and I coexist with them quite readily. They are part of the big picture.
They can have a good life in your yard, what is your address.
Thanks a million.
Bring them to Cumberland County Tennessee and turn them loose. They frequently dine on rattlesnakes and copperheads which are less beloved animals. They are immune to the venom of pit vipers and work as wonderful control agents. They’re kinda cute too.
Amen! That was funny Pat!
Sharing the Earth is fine, but not my house! They stink and carry a lot of fleas…. Thus, while under your house, the fleas will find a way into your residence. I found this out, and the babies dug holes through the walls. My home is not for possums, but rather for me! It is extremely necessary to rid your home of these rodents. Rabies, maybe not so much, but quite a few other diseases that are troubling to humans… Use the ammonia and mothballs to run them off, then close any holes they may be able to access! For the fleas they will leave behind, use ammonia and lemon juice! You’re welcome!!!
Opossums aren’t Rodents and are far less harmful and destructive than Mice. They aren’t comparable. I would kill Mice anytime I had them, I wouldn’t do so with Opossums, and i’ve had to deal with them many times. There are ways to do it without killing them.
Thank everyone for the wonderful advice lucky for me he or she moved neighbors had a chicken coop the eggs were the big draw so he made enclosed possum proof so they left to greener pastures
There’s a possum that comes on my porch at night searching for food from my cat’s bowel. My cat is afraid of it and when I open the door to shot it … it gets away and then too, I would hate to wound it and it go in die under my house. I was told to leave rat poison out for it but, my cat lives outside. Therefore, I need another way to get rid of it. Help
Oh my! Please don’t put rat poison! What a terrible way to kill an animal. Possums have a right to live. Many cats get along fine with possums. Just an FYI. They don’t carry rabies and are usually not aggressive. They will hiss and show teeth but prefer to run away (unless cornered of course). Otherwise their defense is to “play possum ” until the threat leaves.
Who cares? They should stay in the wild and off my property then I wouldn’t want them dead. They are useless and nasty, they chew up your instillation and leave huge piles of crap everywhere, I hate their guts, stupid, useless animals that should stay out of people’s houses.
Your property? You realize it used to be their property! if it wasn’t for more and more land being destroyed to build houses, stores, hotels, etc. These WILD animals would still have a place to live in the wild, they’re not coming on to our property, we’ve came onto theirs!
When their habitats are destroyed, where should they go? they have no where to go, except what they’ve always known as their homes – our yards!
Opossums are one of the least evasive critters, they do not knock the trash cans over, other animals do (such as raccoon, or dogs running through a neighborhood) yes they will eat what ever is on the ground, they’ll eat fruits that have fallen out of fruit trees, they’ll eat pet food left outside, bird food on the ground etc. However, they also eat bugs and small mice!
They do NOT carry rabies (it’s extremely rare for a opossum to have rabies). they may carry other types of diseases, but it also extremely rare for them to attack a human or an animal
In actuality they are more scared of us, than we should be of them!
They scare me too but your right let’s be real, we invaded their space…just scare the he’ll outta me. Gonna try the mothballs. Don’t want to kill them that’s just cruel…just don’t want to see them 🙁
If Opossum come out the woods can they die I don’t care
total bs, my dog was killed by a possum (my dog pounced on one playing dead and it bit through his throat), they constantly knock over my trash(I’ve personally seen it as well as recorded it with a game camra), they chew holes in the siding on my home, and leave totally disgusting scatt all over my property. although they don’t carry rabies they do carry many other diseases such as TB, can carry plubonic plague, and a few other nasty ones. they multiply like like rabbits, and will overrun your property if you leave anything in your trash or have food out for pets or livestock. You really seem misinformed. I usually just shoot the disgusting things.
They aren’t conscious while playing dead. You’re lying.
Patrick, you are of course right, as in all things.
thank you for your info on possums. some people are so ignorant. I have one under my house as we speak and I’m trying to move him to another area but you are correct, they were here first!
Finally, a voice of reason! Most of these people are so full of hatred that it’s scary! There are probably
far more people in the world that are “useless and nasty” than opossums!
Does that include you Jennifer?
They kill and eat chickens, and any eggs they lay. If you have them under your house for any length of time, get ready to spend a few bucks on new HVAC ducting. These are not pets (to be fed like a cat) and not animals that you want to live with on your property.
So right! I just want them from under my house. They have destroyed all my duct work and it is freezing outside and I HAVE NO HEAT!
I have to pay to get the duct work back together to heat my house. I understand they are harmless physically but the damage they can cause otherwise is costly. I can’t afford it!
It would be a dead possum if I had my way!
Chipmunks or gophers are probably destroying the duct work under your house and not opossums. Opossums don’t dig into soil to get under the house.
Yeah tell that to the one I killed last night. It did in fact dig under our chicken coop in an attempt to kill more of our chickens.
same here Tina I am having the same problem …. i have replaced my duct and installation @ 3X’S it aint cheap either!
People leave huge piles of crap everywhere. So your fence is what separates the “wild” from what? Your yard? I feel sorry for you.
They don’t have a right to live! They are evil! Just this morning I went out on the porch to check on my 4 two week old baby kittens and there was a opossum in their box it looked like a blood bomb had went off in the box and all four of my babies were dead and that Damned thing was just sitting there proud. It got away before we could shoot it!
Why on earth did you leave new born kittens outside anyway? Must not care too much about those babies, anything could of gotten them, including raccoon, hawks, stray dogs, a stray cat especially if its male, rats, just to name a few!
If you truly cared about those babies and their mama you would of found a place in your home or at least a garage to keep them in.
Amen to that Jennifer. Glad some of you realize that opossums, raccoons have become “urbanized” now. Even deer have come to NYC, don’t forget about the coyotes you saw on the evening news. Opossums and raccoons and I’m sure even a deer or to are becoming acclimated to humans and cats. Dogs are a different story. My own cat who is highly protective of the house, property and me has chased out of the yard every colony cat that comes to dine here. Yes I do help feed them. The left over cat food is consumed by who ever gets to it first, even the bluejays I’ve seen have stolen cat nuggets here and there. Squirrels too. So who ever gets here first, the raccoons or opossums. I bet only you “likers” have gotten a chance or two to watch these mammals behaving naturally. I have. I have seen mother raccoons help their young Kitts “eliminate” by means of what looks just like the heimlic maneuver but just lower down on the belly. I have watched mating rituals of the opossums which in case you didn’t know are North America’s only marsupial. I have a particular young female opossum that after she eats and drinks goes between the extensions of the back of the house that are constructed brick walls that are obviously warmed by the use of the chimneys to take a food induced coma nap. They are only exercising Gods right to life and safety. By no means should they be in your home from some way that their smart little minds have figured out but guess whose fault it is that they got in-yours! You obviously don’t monitor and repair such areas of the home before they became in such a state of disrepair and now you want to blame it on them. Take a look in the mirror would you please. You too are also Gods creations both big and the small. Oh yes, one more thing. Do cats and raccoons get along. From what I’ve seen with my own cat-he vocalizes at them and I can see they figure something out and off they go without any physical confrontation.
Wow shut up. Youve never had to deal with them in your house in your bedroom in the middle of the night. Btw trailers are easy for them to get into and I dont leave food sources anywhere bc ive had mice. One was attracted to the mice bait and came right in! Sorry but they are destructive and a nuisance and they do carry disease. I have a 2 year old sorry all bets are off…I dont want disease ridden rodents around my child, if its them or my child they are dead…
Whyin the world were baby kittens outside in a box? You obviously didn’t care too much about them to leave them outside. No sympathy for you!
Where in the constitution is it written that oppossums have rights?
What an asinine response.
Why in the world is your cat outside, especially at night? A coyote could kill your cat as well as a large dog or a car. If you cared about your cat, you would keep her indoors or find her a home where the new owners would keep her indoors. Cat owners like yourself are my biggest pet-peeve.
We have a possums that come and eat pecans in the engine of my Yukon don’t know how to get rid of it.
Don’t keep pecans in your engine compartment.
do they live under your house? I have noises under my house it’s not mice or birds next door have possums boxes in her trees so they live in them they have never come to my house before so I didn’t know if they live under houses would some feed back please
Yes they live under your house and tear up your ac duck work they eat bug baby kittens and lizards I had one under mine it cost over 10,000.00 to fix but the bad things after a year I have another one under there I caught 2 out side but the pee smell is back under my house they are hard to get rid of. by all means Don’t feed them good luck
I’m with you they suck and cause tons of damage! Can anybody tell me one thing this useless yucky animal is good for? Nothing thats what, they just cause smells, damage and have more and more of their disgusting, ugly babies to continue on the cycle. If they keep coming to my house they will be dealt with, humane or not.
yes they do …trying to stay warm in the winter time and cool in the summer …. i have one thats trying to live under my i got a trick for him if he aint paying rent he gotta go!!!! check around your house to see where hes coming in at and block it or he will do more than visit they will tear up whatevers under your house like your duct and installation! belive me i have had mine replaced soooo many times!
Do they live under the house
Possum’s live EVERYWHERE and ANYWHERE and they LOVE sleeping under homes. They REALLY love to live under houses because the temp is very stable. Not too hot and not too cold. But these guy’s are REALLY stupid. They have horrible hearing and even worse eye sight. If you put a trap where they can smell the bait and put just about kind of food your dog or cat will eat they will gladly go in a trap to get it. It’s what to do after you catch the little buggers (and in some cases HUGE) I am having trouble with. Took them to a park 2 miles away and they seem to come back within a week. They do have a good sense of smell so food will REALLY attract them.
Use a live catch trap. Then put the trap with the possum in a large garbage bag. Start car, put the opening of the bag over the exhaust pipe for 1 minute and seal around the pipe. Instant dead possum.
This plan is right up my alley. Why waste time taking them off if they are just gonna keep coming back, pest like these need a permanent solution!
We have possums live under our house they make noise at all the time is any one know how can I get rid of them
Possums got under my house and chewed my Security System wire into at my bedroom window. I called the sheriff because at the time I did not know it was a possum. They drive me bananas because they drink out of my 6 cats water and leave the water dirty. They come in my garage all of the time at night looking for food. Sometime they poop or sit in my cat’s bed and pee. They are the most aggravating animal there is. Sometimes the female possums bring in the garage the babies on top of her or in her pouch. Not scared of my six cats. I can smell them the minute I open the door. Wish so much I could get rid of them.I live in a housing development with large lots,(mine is 1 3/4 ac and between my house and next door neighbor is a large wood pile on my neighbors land. I see stray Tom cats coming from there, as well as the possums.
Animal pro will come caught it and clean up they cause histplasmoses in your lung get rid of them fast
I have a family of possums living in my attic… I originally thought it was raccoons, so 2 years I set out to catch raccoons and we patched up all the holes.. the 1st year we caught 2 raccoons on the roof then nothing. The 2nd year we caught 3 raccoons and 7 possums on the ground near the back of my house. I never thought it was possums living in the attic and then this year when I heard them I could smell the skunk smell… I live in the city and I am freaking out.. why my house and I have no idea how they are getting into my home.. I had the gutters sealed last year.. HELP WHAT WORKS… mothballs didn’t work tried that year 1..
I am having the same problem. I hate them so much for ruining my home. I have no sympathy for them. i want a kill trap badly.
I have had them in my place as well and recently had one watching me from behind my computer screen. I manged to catch two a couple of days ago and put them into a cat carrier. Tonight I heard noises and found another one eating my cats food. I was able to catch it no help from my cats who just watched the chase. IM going to take them to a wild life sanctuary in the next couple of days.
No kill them. Rid the earth of these nasty creatures. Make them extinct
A little hard to do that with people like me caring for their children as a wildlife rehabilitator 😉
You folks are way more patient than I. Go buy a single shot pellet rifle and a shovel. The pellet rifle hardly makes any noise at all (Just don’t use the really high velocity plastic pellets). The possum is very cooperative and ‘plays possum’, which means you can generally get within thirty feet and take several shots at him. You’ll probably have to hit him a couple of times before he falls. In the morning, arrive with your shovel and bury him. I promise you he will never come back. My dog lets me know when a possum is in or near the yard. A couple of pellets in the possum, and all is well again. Possums and squirrels are varmints. They will destroy your property…just as rats will, and there are plenty of them out there.
I have possums in my yard . I got a trap and have got two so far I took them 6 miles away . I don’t know how many more I will get in my trap . My problem with them was they dug my yard all up . I’m mad that I have possums because I live where there is a lot of houses . How many possums can live in one place ? Thank You
Possums are not digging up your yard. Why are they bothering you? Why do people think you can live in a vacuum? We need to share the space folks.
Lady please hush, I will NOT share MY space with nasty giant rats which is all possums are, they are of no value to anyone unless you count the people you have to pay to get rid of them for you and the repair people you have to pay to fix all the damage they cause. Can you tell me anything these little beasts are good for?
After buying 3 trips and some how he steals the food gets away I now want to know how to kill it. My dogs go crazy after it. Help
They eat tons of bugs, especially ticks.
so does many other less annoying creatures.
Honestly, why do you come on this site to comment on something you know nothing about? Possums are horrible pests. They destroy homes. They are dangerous to pets and humans, as well. They DO dig up your yard, cary diseases, make an unsanitary mess of your yard. They WERE NOT HERE BEFORE US. They move in to OUR territory / houses to find easy food. Just shut up already. Sheesh. You have no idea what it’s like to be invaded by pest animals, and worry about the health of your family and pets, as well as your home / investment, and money.
No, I don’t know squat about Opossums!
I just have done tons of research on REAL sites, after walking out to find those 2 babies(who’s mother got hit in the road), in my cats kennel, guess what THEY HARMED NO ONE, they did not bother the cats, they did not try to hurt them, they did not destroy nothing under or around my house, they did not do anything wrong, they ate and they left! Oh and they never bothered my trash cans either! they have not ruined duct work under my house – a racoon family did that. So stop blaming Opossums on everything that goes wrong at your house, there are other more invasive creatures ruining your things, Raccoons are more invasive, after the destroyed my duct work they got into my attack then couldn’t find their way back out and destroyed all the wood under my roof where normally gutters are, to get out How do I know this? Because I watched (and took pictures) of the mother racoon finally falling out of there, then climbed back up by using the gas meter that sits beside my house and get her babies out and move them some where else.
and yes They were HERE BEFORE WE WERE, before your house was where it is, it used to be woods, Opossums along with raccoons, deer, coyote, fox etc ALL live in WOODS, their woods and habitat are being destroyed so people can have more homes, shops, gas stations etc. SO YES WE INVADED THEM not the other way around.
So before you get huge internet balls and tell some one to shut up and that they have no idea what they’re talking about – CHECK YOUR SELF first. because YOU are wrong
Anybody that posts a photograph of their oversized phat cat with two baby possums might be called a Phossum Whisperer. Are you kidding me? Hilarious how little you know. They are nasty, angry, ugly, diseased, slow, stupid slugs with hair. Peeps like you cry to have the foxes and coyotes removed to save you little phatcats so they have no predators left. Seems to me there are many left based on this website… all human! YEA!!! pow pow pow… DEAD
Can I drop my possums in your yard since you love them so much.Can i?
what an idiot didn’t you hear what she just said?its not your job to police wildlife,quit trapping them smart ass.they eat ticks and are good for the yard,they eat snails and other pests and you wont even know they are there,they already have a hundred diffrent things trying to kill them,owls snakes gators dogs hawks and of course humans.who have to meddle in everything .
well one off dose thing almost eat a kitten only reason he did not killed it is bc the kitten fight back …. i catch the kitten which it was 8 weeks and left him orphan after the same possum attack hes mother ..the kitten survive for 2 days later die bc he left the poor kitten badly wounded .. i try saving the kitten it was impossible the wound where to deep .. now i have a mission to find these possum and i can care less if it is legal or not but i am killing these thing … even if the trap works i am still killing it …
Here in the very cold and snowy northeast … we feed the birds … and have for 50 years… This year about the same amount of birds …but …have added a wild rabbit . that seems to enjoy the seed as well … That we could deal with …. Now we have noticed in the last week at about 4:00 to 5:00 on some afternoons we have a good sized opossum! Also enjoying what the bird buffet has to offer… Today saw the rabbit and it within 3-4 feet apart and rabbit was nervous and took off…. Shortly after we saw the opossum go under our house thru a vent to a crawlspace !! NOT happy with its new living quarters but am sure it is enjoying it !! Will try the mothballs …but ..don’t want to harm the rabbit…or birds… rifle with pellets might be the next step… Any other ideas/
I found a possum under my house under the bathtub i just use mothballs and ammonia and hope it ll get rid of them if not i ll have to get a bb gun and kill it but don t want to as long as they stay where they at until monday i ll get animal patrol to get them.
i have a major problem with these things. i live in the suburbs and my neighbors have them living in their garage. they barely speak english and their garage window is broke.. they constantly come out the window n sit on my fence. i have 3 dogs, the biggest grabs them off the fence n runs around the yard with them. these things have been here 3 years! they have had litters too. my dog will run over there, pick up a baby and bring it to the door step, go back, grab another, repeat. my neighbor insists theyre not in his garage even tho i have pics of them sittin in the damn window! i have called the village they wont do a damn thing, said they no longer have animal control. county said id have to hire someone. how can i and why would i when theyre not living on my damn property!? it has come to the point where my dogs can not go in my yard after sunset without supervision. i dont need them getting hurt, ones already clawed my dogs nose and i dowsed it with alcohol bc these things carry so many diseases. my dogs have their shots but what about stuff there isnt a vaccine for? i have put out a live trap with cat food and they dont go for it. i think the other issue is that my other non english speaking neighbor have a bunch of cats running around the neighborhood and has kitty palace in his garage including an all u can eat kitty buffet with a ramp leading inside. i watch this lil shyts go out the one neighbors garage window and walk the fence line to the other neighbors house. and i have gone to extremes.. sitting at my backdoor with a pellet gun. my next attempt will be using a bow and arrow. maybe when my neighbors have rotting possums in their garage theyll believe us!
if you know where they sleep during the day?roust them up!! make all the noise you can so they can’t sleep!!! dynomite or something and thell move on you would to if you could not sleep nighbors gerage gopher bombs work good to but don’t giveup your the boss remember that and youl do fine. ps.shotgun
Ok, so I have a German Shepherd puppy. He needs to go to the bathroom outside. And guess what. There’s a possum he is huge. I saw the possum just walking on top of the fence. Help me get rid of the possum. I don’t want my puppy to get any diseases.
I don’t know what to do. Please help.
Buy a have heart live trap, put sardines in the trap,only slightly open the sardines, you will catch all you want.
Please do some research on opossums. Not on pages like this because everyone is scared of them. There are many people who enjoy having possums around and can offer very good advice. Opossums don’t carry rabies.
Where are these imaginary people who love having filthy, stupid possums around? Are they in your head? If not those people are insane to want giant rats around.
They carried diseases and that could be harmful for your pets. My poor dogs can’t even go out in the evening. It needs to die
All I hear is possums don’t carry rabies. What about all of the other diseases? I’ve always been an advocate for sharing the planet until a huge possum managed to get into my chicken coupe and mutilated my birds. Tonight I’m sitting by the window right now waiting on him.
I had a oppossum once and she was terriorizing my outside dog (we live in the country) I killed her, I had a metal rod and at 3:00 AM I beat her to death then I put a board over her body and put her in the trash the next day. Then everyday for four days we had to kill each one of her babies that kept coming out…it was terrible but better than having them around making my dog bark. Now I have another one but it climbs up a tree and my dog barks constantly, I think I will get a pellet gun and some pointed pellets and try shooting from now on.
You are a horrid for doing that and to babies
She did a good job, possums suck!
No she is not the animal is horrid and must die no more rats no more desires for my cats
Thank you for taking care of business like that, dont feel bad it had to be done, possums suck and yes they do bother our pets, My dog barks himself into a frenzy when he hears them get into our yard and attic.
That is truly disturbing what you did. NOT necessary! And to describe it on here? To do that to any living thing and post it like it’s OK and normal? That’s not normal you need help.
Stacy,
Please post your address, and I will capture any I find on my property (I own 23 acres) and I will ship them to you and you can have them. I have groundhogs also so if you want them, please let me know.
I agree. Stacy, get a life !!! You have way to much time on your hand!!! They are nasty creatures. I have had i!! I used to be a Animal Health Tech for 10 years and typically am against killing an animal. But the one that has shown up this last two weeks must die!! He or she wakes me up every night. Just cruising thru my yard, digging holes, knocking over stuff….I’ve had it. I’ll try one time to use a cage. No…I’ll just kill it. Just because of all your stupid comments to people stacey I will just kill it. To much time to invest in relocating.
I agree with Stacy about this not being a safe sight for possums…..
but hey Stacy. they are not on the sight. They are being destructive and reeking havoc in peoples homes & yards.
Yes IN “CALIFORNIA” IT IS FEDERAL OFFENSE TO TRANSPORT WILDLIFE. (anyone notice the irony & hypocrisy
in THAT law?) which means there are many RIGHTS you can loose by being caught and charged.
NUMBER ONE RULE ABOUT WILDLIFE “STACY” IS YOU DON’T FEED EM.. UNLESS OF COURSE YOU’D LIKE TO KNOW THEY HAVE A GOOD DIET ‘CAUSE YOU EAT EM….
Number 2… Stacy. in as much as I find it hard to relate to killing them; coons, possums,& many forms of wildlife; are at this time becoming very hazordous to humans. You should read about raccoon round worm eggs.. how long they last ,how dangerous they are to humans, and how many other forms of wildlife cause SERIOUS health problems. How easily the eggs are reactivated in your lungs or an open wound…
There are over 52 thousand types of mites if I recall..and ZERO doctors that will admit you may have come in contact with one!
Our health care system doesn’t seem to think any of this might be an issue in OUR COUNTRY! another one of those concepts that makes you wonder??? don’t they refer to us as a global society now?
Not to mention we have HUGE ISSUE WITH LITTLE OR NO ANTIBIOTIC DEFENSE.
There is a CHILD where I live that is PERMANENTLY disabled.. ruined for life. By an accidentally ingesting of the eggs of a round worm. OF COURSE our system has no concept of that ( even though we use blowers that blow rat,cat,mice,deer,coon,possum FECES..ALONG WITH MOBILIZING mites, ticks, fungus, mold,bacteria and protozoa!!)
Its amazing how concerned everyone is with how their driveways look, and think nothing of the repercussions of the use of blowers on our lungs, eyes and our health; ESPECIALLY IF YOU HAVE KIDS!
One day we might find out that autism comes from some bacteria that only kids who have recently been inoculated they have the RH factor blood type, end up sick because the shots lowered their immune systems..
and they inhaled some air born particularte that came from the feces of a possum or a RATcoon!
It sounds like most of these folks would resolve this in anyway other than killing them,
Stacy you are hearing the ramblings and aggression of people who have had enough.
It’s unfortunate that we have a system where everyone gets a fat pension….. but we have no services.
There used to be a time (prior to paying to defend the whole world, some of the richest countries there are,
and feeding a congress full of fatheads) when you would call animal control and they would help…
most of us would just a soon do anything other than contact our government!
as they say…feces flows down hill…..
Shame on you!!!
How can i kill these damn cats they keep get to my trash n im sick of it i have ocd n i wont dill im ready to shoot them all but the cat lady said she will put me in jail but she dont want to dill with her cats so i need a trick for them what can i use to kill them cleaner sumthing plz help me
I will personally find you & make sure you go directly to jail if you kill ANY cats…We know who you are….Watch out!!
How can i kill these damn cats they keep get to my trash n im sick of it i have ocd n i wont dill im ready to shoot them all but the cat lady said she will put me in jail but she dont want to dill with her cats so i need a trick for them what can i use to kill them cleaner sumthing plz help me
cats aren’t the problem and if it is a cat then lock your trash up and they will stop
susan be a bad reroy brown, she is. spiked it with a steal rod. just buy a cheap capture cage from harbor freight, anything that smells and they can’t help but get themselves caught. once i carried a small one out of my mud room by his tail, no problem. the little ones are actually cute and comical to watch run off. live and let live, all gods creatures have a purpose.
Good for you . . . can you come kill my visitor too – please!
I’ve got them under my house. My dog has ripped up my carpet in the house trying to get to this thing. Forget the pellet gun, I going straight for the shot gun. I hate this pest and now I need new carpet.
shoot the dog…. nah just kidding, but had to comment. good advice in this column, try following some of it
wow all you people that actually get close enough to kill these possums… you are freakin brave. i think they are cute but not when they are two feet away from me just looking at me. my chihuahua saw one and chased it. they terrify the hell out of me. i also have skunks and raccoons that come in my yard. need to get rid of these pests once and for all as they have me terrified to leave my house as soon as it gets dark.
Why are you scared of them? They are more afraid of you. You should go to websites where people like them so you can see another viewpoint. Opossums have a rough life, they don’t need misinformed peoples making it worse. We have to share the earth.
Im scared they will leave huge piles of diseased poop everywhere, Im scared they will chew up things on my property, they offer nothing but problems to anyone they come in contact with. Sharing the earth is one thing but screw them I wont share my yard or house with them anymore!
Possums are good eating…just take some sweet potatoes and put him in the a pan w/ the tators all around him then add some red pepper. That is the best eating and licking up that gravy from the fat that the Possum makes is finger licking good. Get some Cornbread and sap up the drippings hhhmmmm.
Just ask Jed Clampett and Granny!
Possums are probably the best tasting game that comes out of the woods. I have heard people say they won’t eat them because of some of the things the possum dines on. I must say to these people you better not eat free-range poultry either, they are no pickier than a possum when it comes to dining. Oh…better leave king crabs and lobsters off your food list too. They are the vultures of the ocean.
I live in S.E. Tx and these possums have always found my back yard to hang out. I have killed several generations of these sneaky creatures but they keep coming back. My house dog goes out to use the bathroom and if one was in the yard he would bark and not come inside.So I got a pit bull for my backyard and we just killed one tonight.They carry diseases so be careful letting your dog’s get at them….another one bites the dust
Opossums are resistant to many diseases because of the low body temperature. They also provide excellent “clean-up”
service. They are not aggressive. You are a mean person.
They are too aggressive, they will aggressively chew up your stuff like the instillation in your house, they will aggressively steal your pet’s food too.
instillation or insulation? no matter, live trap cage is best aNSWER.
I have them around my place and don’t really care as long as their outside. On occasion I’ve had some small young ones in my place as the other day. Was able to capture all three now their living in my cat carrier until I take them to a safe place. They seem to get along with my cats even when their eating their food.
Every night my dogs have been chasing something behind my shed its dark so I didn’t know what it was tonight when I let them out they took off and my dog comes running back baby possums is in his mouth I made him drop it,do I need to worry about diseases my dogs rabies vaccine is to date, and does that mean there’s a mother and more babies around, now I don’t want to let them out at night??
I hunt and kill possum. And leave them where they lay. I destroyed 40 or more just last night .
thank you for your service .they will destroy your house.
Opossums are not pests they are the uses only marsupial and actually kill and dispose of the bad bugs and things in your yard and garden. They are 8 times less likely to carry rabies than dogs and although blamed for getting into garbage its most likely a raccoon or other animal got into it and they just happened upon it. They are related to koalas and kangaroos and are harmless and can’t even defend themselves or hurt a human. They show teeth when scared but that’s all it is us a show. They are highly beneficial animals and if people want to get away from their house and don’t want their benefits they should use a method to catch and drop off with a live trap in a different area. What is wrong with you people, how would you like to be treated and killed like thus website says? They are good animals and cannot help how they look although I think they are cute. We are bigger but definately not half as smart as most animals because we are killing animals off like we are the only ones with a right to life. Shame on you all for taking the easier yet inhumane way to deal with an animal that is good and could be relocated if actually to blame for something. I live in the country and see a lot of animals and opossums. Have never done anything wrong around my home it has been raccoons but if they do please just trap and. Take them to the closest woods and drop off it takes a little more effort but they deserve a life just like we do. They are. Just cold if they are trying to sleep around your home. Please, they are marsupials, not pests. Don’t kill them pretty soon all our animals will be dead we are so kill happy and like I said they do have good qualities.
Stacy & Kelli, the name of the site is PESTKILL !!! The people who post here have PESTS they need to KILL… not because we only like pretty animals or skinny animals or animals with nice hair, and not because we have made it our mission to eradicate a species… we are just looking for advise on getting rid of a pest that is causing extensive & expensive damage to homes, pets, and/or livelihood. I found this site by googling “how to get rid of a possum”… I did Not search for “possum lovers unite!” or “pet possum pics” or “StacyStandsUpForSsums” or even “who does Stacy think is a meanie-head’. So I can’t fathom why you are even on this site. No one came to pestKILL looking for advice on living in peace & harmony with destructive rodents and their bodily wastes. As an extreme example, (try to keep up girls) if a homeless person, who used to live on the land where you live, decided to move into your home, tearing up your wiring and duct work, scattering garbage, urinating and defecating in your attic, (garage, laundry room etc) you would call the authorities to remove him. And I don’t believe that arguments of “he was here first” or “he’s not aggressive so why are you afraid” or “I think he’s cute” would change your mind. And if, after removing him (humanely) a few times, he kept coming back, I believe you would resort to stronger measures, not just let him stay….
So stop trying to convince everyone that they need to share their homes with these creatures. Just because your pet possums haven’t torn up your house doesn’t mean that wild possums aren’t destructive.
As a pitbull lover it’s sad that you are telling people to be careful about letting your dog get around one but that is the only purpose for your pit. 🙁
I just had a possum in my backyard by my basement window. I throw ammonia at it and it do anything, it didn’t even move. But I boiled hot water and throw a couple of cups of the water on it and that did the trick. It ran so fast and jumped the fence. So next time it’s around that’s what I’ll do again…. Boiling water!!!!
cold water in winter is good too. they don’t like to be wet, or boiled. Good job
I thought I had two possums running around my house so I got a live trap. So far I’ve caught three. Will I keep trapping them as long as I keep the trap out there or will I eventually trap all of them in the area? I don’t want to keep attracting new ones by the bait I put out but if there is an end in sight I will keep going. Thoughts?
They hiding under my porch and my wife and children are scared. I will have to call my landlord to get tide of them
I have a family of possums that live underneath my house , it has killed two of my chickens and ate all the eggs the chickens had laid that week . I don’t know how to get rid of them , someone please help ? Can i call animal control ?
Just don’t kill them like the rest of the bastards on this site
People are just protecting their homes, families and pets from the disease and damage these large rats can cause.
My neighbor has seen a possium hanging around my house. Now i hear noises and the critter possums is living in my attic. The smell is horrible. It is as… if it urinating over the restroom vent.
The smell is a horrible smell through my vent in my restroom. There is not a soft spot in my roofs. I am assuming it is crawling down the chimney.
Any advice.
Hv a possum living under my porch. It had disappeared for bout a yr, now its back. Don’t know what to do. Can someone tell me what to do please!! I want it gone Forever!!
Opossums have several dens and move around frequently. They are not aggressive and do not carry rabies. Don’t be afraid of them. When they are scared they will run from you. They may show their teeth and hiss but they will not lunge. Opossums used to be kept as pets, which is how they ended up in the Northern US in the early 1900’s. There are many opossum friendly websites that will give much better advice than killing or poisoning which is horrible. We need to share the earth!
Yeah they have several dens destroying someones attic, ceiling, garage, etc. The people who brought those stupid creatures here as pets suck. Again share the earth, NOT MY HOUSE.
I hope one farts in your face Stacey!!!
Hey Stacey god created terrorists too, what’s your opinion on them. I like to believe we should all try to live together but something’s just don’t mix
Found possum prints leading under my house through the only way in or out. I left the screen off for 5 days and nothing has come back out. I even put some over ripe fruit on the threshold of the opening to no avail. only ants got it. Could she be under my house having babies ? If yes, how long will she be there before she comes out? Its not an easy crawl for me to get under there to look around, and I cannot see anything that my spotlight reaches from the crawl space opening. If its dead that would suck ! Its starting to get hot !
This is not a site for opossum advice, it’s a kill page. I’ll tell you that opossums have many dens and it may have left already. People that care about opossums feed them fruit yogurt, apples.
Opossums are great at keeping slugs and big insects in check. They are really near animals once you get to know them.
I got to know that I hate their giant rat guts. Down with possums.
Stacy, they may in theory do good in the wild but in peoples houses all they do is destroy it. we understand its gods creature but at the same time they can make your home unliveable. Whos more important, the possums or you and your family’s investment? Forget the diseases, we get it. They tear my trash open and drag it around, i still have slugs all over the property, i cant sit on the porch because of the smell coming from their “den” under my house and the neighbors dog will bark all night at the damn thing. How about you come over here and explain to Mr. Or Mrs. Possum that i would appreciate it if it would take its ass to the woods down the street and rough it instead of trying to live off me like all of the other obama lovers. Need the address?
Set up one gallon bleach. One quart ammonia. Pour out 1/4 bleach pour the ammonia in bleach,(be care full) shake jug fast then put in under shed. Get away for 12 hours. Everything will be dead. Or use land mines. Their you go…….
All you people who want to save the possums need to start a fund to reimburse the livestock owners for sickness and death of horses and cattle. Possums get into the animal feed, eat it, piss and shit in it. Also ruining the barns and upsetting the livestock. #4 buckshot or a .22 do a fine job of controlling this problem.
just had a possom on my porch tonight eating cat food.i moved the cat food inside and 15 min later it wss back trying to get into our dog food totes.we have cats baby kittens dogs chickens a duck and a turkey.we have a mini farm.my husband tried scaring it away.it continued to try to get into our animal feed so my husband shot it.i cant stand them.they are ugly and disgusting.
Moth balls are doing nothing with the possum that decided that under my kitchen (there is no basement under my kitchen) is the best shelter for it! Just called landlord about it… We need to figure something out to take this thing away from here.
I researched this so there would be no more misinformation: Rabies is EXTREMELY RARE in possums, possibly due their unique physiology (pre-mammal) and to their lower than other animals body temp. In fact, their actual role in transmission of diseases is not certain. They actually do a lot of good in the garden, eating snails, slugs, insects, and sometimes small rodents. They also clean up spilled garbage and fallen fruit off trees. They rarely are the ones tipping over the garbage cans, but, as they stop to clean it up, they get the blame. They normally don’t stop anywhere very long. They are NOT AGGRESSIVE, but their defense mechanisms do tend to make them appear so, i.e. open mouthed hissing. And-like ANY animal, if cornered, or if protecting their young, of course they will become aggressive.
I have an opossum stuck in my fence. How do I kill it and remove it?
Hmmmm? Let’s see if you post this.
The possums where I live are eating ALL the rodents! I think I’d rather have possums than rats, moles, and gophers! I actually watched late one night as the possum dug up the rats.
We gots NO MORE roof rats, the ones that burrow gone!! Yes they tore up the yard. Buts this is a very rural environment. They left my raised beds alone? Sometimes it’s better to let nature take its course.
There is an interesting article about New York bringing possums in to eradicate the rats; however, as in most cities there was to much trash and TV so the possums took their fast food and never went to work! Haha.. Classic case of interference gone awry.
Have had them in my roof fighting, have had them die there above my bedroom the stench oh hell.
Recently visited the south island in New Zealand, their possum population eats 50 acres of vegetation per day, they like to feed on native bird eggs of which, are now becoming extinct, it is an environmental catastrophy of uncontrolable proportion.
I had another one in my roof recently, running in a frenzy, it got it’s claws caught in my roofs electrical wiring taking two ceiling lights out.
I am going to trap them from now on and release them but I am going to put their lights out to.
I’m not sure how these people that like opossums can. They are the ugliest things ever and diseased. I feed a bunch of feral cats so they come to eat the cat food. We’ve already killed one and it went out with the garbage. Now we have 2 more and one of them is really big. I see some good advice but are these remedies safe to use around cats. Like the ammonia or mothballs. I don’t want my kitties getting sick. If have to trap them I will be killing them just as well if needed. They are horrible creatures and can’t stand them. Stacy since you love opposom
Why don’t you come here and catch them and take them home. They are nasty and I’m tired of them eating my kitties food. My mamma cat needs her food and I’d prefer them not to be here. Ugh help. I would like to know how effective some of these remedies work without hurting my strays. Thanks listening and appreciate any help from you guys
Goddamn possum liking my grill. I’m going to beat it’s ass in with ol’blue, that’s my pest bashing 4×4. Sneaky bastard.
I have possums in my yard at night and they make my dog go crazy!
I have Chinese Food Place, I take all possums you send me. Very good just like chicken, no one ever seems to know difference. Sweet Sour hide lots.
My restaurant in Oregon, no one every say anything bad, this just makes good better. Why waste when so good?
Guns work best. Get a .22 and blast away. Their dirty brains are the best fertilizer for flowers.
I recently found a good deterent, mix about 30 gm(1 OZ) of precrushed garlic plus about 15 gm of dried flaked chilis in a jar.
Pour about 200 mls (7 oz) of boiling water, stir and let infuse.
Filter with a funnel stuffed with a crunched up bit of paper towel into a larger container.
I then add this to a 5 litre(even an american can do the maths here!) garden spray unit, add 5 litres of water and spray on patios around the house, in the garden, on the base of tree trunks, at spots where they might enter your house.
No more possums or possum shit, you may have to repeat it a few times.
OK I am on my fifth possum. All have been caught and released miles away. This morning I heard number six under my house. This is getting irritating (to say the least) as I can hear them eating portions of the foundation in the middle of the night.They are far from cuddly and look a bit scary. I will try peanut butter and cole slaw this time. Seems like anything will do and I don’t want to trap any cats. They always eat all the bait while they are trapped so at least they are well fed before they go for a little ride.
Sorry, but possums don’t chew on building materials. Rodents do. If you are allowing feral cats to reside under your house you will always have raccoons and/or possums as well. Suggest you remove everything and close the crawl space. Stucco lathe works well and allows for air flow. You will have to bury it at least six inches in the ground.
Well people now I fell bad for him mixed emotions I wanted to get rid of them they r huge they don’t bother me in any way but my wife is so terrified because I work out of tow a lot gonna have to cut the trees so they won’t Clim on my roof and keep my yard spot less clean my dog goes crazy when he sees them and wakes me up on the middle of the nite I have a gun but now I feel bad for thinking about killing them I prefer a possum over a snake
I like greg’s answer bout eating ’em…granny and jed clampett, of beverly hill billys swore by this delicious feast..
gotta go for now. hear one been scratching at my bathroom drain pipes. upsets my dog. time to get the ole catchem live cage out so i can take this nuisance over to my bud’s house, you know, the one that ain’t brought back all my yard tools he has borrowed. later on…..
I’ve bn c n one n my backyard thank u all for the info I will try the mothballs n ammonia had a rabbit tht use to come by haven’t cn it c nice the possum came
Although possums are not aggressive I have to keep them away from our property. We are having a problem with them and all the bacteria and diseases they do carry causes EPM in horses which is a parasite that is passed through their feces. Raccoons and cats and others are known to carry this as well. Due to they like getting in the horses hay and water barrels the horses can digest this parasite that once it makes it to a horse it will no longer be passed due to it attaches to the nervous system and if not treated soon enough also depending on the health and age of horse it will attack the neurological system causing the horse to eventually be paralyzed and then have to be put down. The good news is the vet said he is going to make a full recovery. The 120 days worth of medication and 700.00 dollars worth he better make a full recovery! So I am just trying to figure the best and proper way to remove them without killing them. I can not have another horse become ill due to peaty nasty animals
I bought an animal trap, a spring loaded cage about 2 feet long and10 inches wide, 1 foot high, baited it with a piece of apple and put it on the ground in the garden. Next morning a big agressive male was in the trap. I did not release it as it would be up in my roof again causing damage. I placed the cage under a bush and let it die naturally in the cage in much the same way as it would have in my roof if it could not find a way out, Took 8 days to, die, they must be tough. I inspected it very day and it appeared to be not distressed at all, and no noise from the possum. I saw this as humane as it seemed to have accepted its fate.
Emptied it out of the cage with diposable gloves, put it in a disposable kitchen rubbish bag and into the garbage bin along with the other kitchen waste bags for collection. Simple
please help…how do i get rid of possum under my house …it stinks terribly.
Under the post “hank”, I made a
mixture of garlic and chilliy
Read it, it may help
Did it help?
I also sprayed it up tree trunks to try to defer them going up into their tree nests.
It is all worth trying, if you dont they will try to get to make their home in your roof ceiling and if they can’t find a way out thay die and decay. Sleeping with this stench is almost unbearable.
I have found the best solution to date is to set a possum trap with a bit of apple.
They go for it every time, Once trapped you decide what to do with them.
I let mine die in the trap I have had enough of them invading my home
Well, I think I have possums. I hear them squealing as they are fighting/mating, then emit a horrible odor that is just as bad as skunk. The smell lingers for days! I didn’t know that possums did this. Now I have to call pest control and have them come out and get rid of them. It’s the most horrible obnoxious order I’ve ever smelled! Holy cow.
I have a possum constantly comes on my porch and eats cat food that I leave out for a beautiful cat. (no I’m trying to convince should live inside with me) I have set a live trap and put cat food etc. and it but this possum seems to be smarter than me any suggestions? He walks down the fence row and I have even put it at the end of the Fencerow where he comes off to get in my yard every day it hasn’t worked I tried it under the bushes he goes through that hasn’t worked.
Dear I HATE THEM
I HEART YOU!
Dear Stacy
Shut up. How about you share Your space with them. All of them. I have an 80lb German Shepherd who is scared to go outside bc of this Nasty, Rat tailed, Nuisance! Look, I love Animals but there are certain ones that are disgusting and Bothersome-utterly Useless. Do you pet CockRoaches too?!
Want some company Michele?? I live on the city and can think of several weapons other Than a pellet gun to get the job done.
They will eat metal and plywood as well as hvac ducts! They are a living nightmare!
I just discovered a burrow under my front stoop – in one side and out the other. We had a possum under there about 10 yrs ago the size of a beagle. Once we flushed her out with the garden hose, we filled the burrow with rock and quickrite. Today I see a brand new burrow right next to the old one. Persistent buggers. Looks like there s a couple bags of quickrite in my immediate future but I agree, they’re a terrible nuisance.
My dogs kept barking at an opposum at night and I killed it with an axe and chop the opposum into pieces
Opossum droppings are deadly for horses. They get what is called EPM. So even though they do not harm anything, I don’t want them around very expensive to help my horses.
yes, all God’s creatures do have a right to live. Including people. In order to live we need to eat. To eat we need to grow food. When possums take one bite out of each tomato, the crop we worked hard to grow & counted on for food is gone.
Please don’t tell me to just buy tomatoes at the store. Store tomatoes are not grown in a magical pest free place. Whoever grows them also needs to get rid of pests.
This is a sad fact of existence: even vegans and vegetarians must kill in order to live.
I just found a possum sitting on my backyard in the little pot that I planted the apple tree. My cat this morning ran out & tried to purred at it. I tried to throw my slipper at the possum but it walked up to my big tree in the backyard & just sat there. I’m very scared now to let my cat out of the house. What should I do with the possum now? Help pls…
IF relocating the trapped animal is not possible… .
Fill an outdoor, plastic garbage can with water and drop in the trap containing the animal. Seems kinder than letting the animal die in the trap over days.
I’ve had Norway (ground) rats in my house twice. FINALLY caught one with a glue trap, live and flopping… drowning it seemed most humane.
Gotta say, this past 1/2 hour spent reading these posts have been hilarious! We’ve had 3 babies brought into the house by our dog (so far) and I have to do something. Some great tips and viewpoints. Never knew some of this stuff about possums, although George Jones was one of my favorite country singers.
if you have a possum feed it, to keep it around, they are immune to snake venom and kill poisonous snakes. i would love to have one at my house!!
looking for add’l input. This is my first encounter w/opossums. I’m not afraid of them or worried about damages, there have been no damages to date. However, the opossums are not fairing well in my yard given i have two dogs. One of which has killed four of them in the past two weeks (she’s incredibly fast). Not sure where they come/came from or if there are more. W/ea i find I thought that was it, but the most recent two I found two days ago where small probably only a few months old. I had read they were solitary creatures, but that doesn’t seem to be the case as so far I’ve found 2 adults and 2 young. I have a clear yard , w/only two trees so no where really to hide (no bushes or wood piles), surrounded by a 6′ privacy fence and my home has a basement so I don’t think they’re under the house. Only interested in humane options. Not really sure where to place a trap as I only see them when they have been caught by the dog.
i could care less about killing them. im not into the humane animal loving bullshit. i saw one go under my deck and let my dog loose and all he did was bark at it. i need to get rid of it by any means possible and dont want to see it again!
Possums are the DEVIL. And they are COVERED in fleas. Have you noticed you, “awww they’re so cute, let them live” people have no actual life history with these creatures from HELL? They’re horrible, nasty, disgusting things, and are VERY aggressive. We live in a downtown area by a public park…. not out in the woods. Despite our best efforts to continually find and seal up every little bitty spot they may claw their way in to, they keep finding a way under our home, where it’s nice and cool in the summer and warm in the winter. They’ve had babies there. The amount of feces and urine they’ve left behind is truly unbelievable. We have to have the ENTIRE moisture barrier replaced. Six possums, yes SIX, have pulled ALL our insulation down, then died and DECAYED under the house. APPARENTLY they can get IN, but get so fat once there, they can’t get OUT. One literally clawed his way INTO our return air tunnel of our hvac unit, where he died. It was August, in South Carolina, and the stench permeated the entire system so badly we couldn’t get it out. We had to shell out $8,500.00 for a new unit and all new vent work. And here’s the REALLY lovely part….. Our home is very low to the ground, so a normal size man can’t fit under the house to retrieve the decaying carcass. I have to go find it, scoop it’s dripping remains into a garbage bag, and bleach the area EVERY TIME. So yeah, don’t try telling ME they’re “harmless”. We’ve ALREADY spent about ten thousand dollars on them in the last 11 years.
Read through some of these comments, I actually had to just kill one. I had a tarp over a pile of wood in my backyard and saw the possum. First thing I thought was it will either try to get in the house sooner or later or it will attack my dog. I knocked down the wood pile and gave it an opportunity to leave on its own but it didn’t. I tried to chase it out of my “security fenced” backyard. (I guess security doesn’t mean anything for critters) I eventually had to make the decision to kill it before it tried to attack me (I used a snow shovel to choke it) I really felt bad killing it but I had no choice. It’s eyes bulged out before it succumbed and that was the first time I saw something like that. I sat here feeling bad about killing this animal until I realized it was the fourth of july and somebody killed that pig I’m about to eat for me. (that was the other thing the damn possum was smelling the smoke from the smoker and wasn’t trying to leave) All this to say is that I’m normally a middle of the road guy, that appreciates animals and life, but forget that I had to protect my family and my house. I realized reading your comments that if I would have let him live he would have came back. This time killing it was the only way. Sometimes it really is Man vs Animal, and I’m going to choose Man every time.
To hell with saying we can’t kill them. I found this site by looking up how to get rid of them, because 4:54 am I was awakened by one in my closet. I can’t figure out where he found a hole at but I’m sitting here ruger in hand waiting for him to come back.
possums are nasty animals one mother possum got into my chicken coop and killed my welsummer and came back for more and ate our plants and then went next door and ate my friends plants and then came for my chickens for the second time and i stayed up all night to kill it and this will be the second night and im going to torture it wen i catch it im going to stab it for every bone of 8 chickens and stacey shut up because possum are nasty
Normally, I would be against taking the life of an animal pest. However, I live on a homestead. We raise our own food…both livestock and vegetables. I have an issue with a family of possum living under my potting shed. The chicken coop is attached to the potting shed and there is wire fencing all around the structure, buried 2 feet under the ground. The possum are nightly visitors to the chicken run…yes, they have dug underneath the buried fencing. So far (knock wood) they haven’t gotten to any of the hens or eggs. The various diseases these creatures carry are not something I want my livestock exposed to. Ultimately, any exposure could lead to health problems for my family and myself. Where I live, it is a definite no-no to capture and release (to another location) any species of wildlife. The point we have gotten to is to dispatch the animal quickly. My question is this…am I mean for wanting to protect my family’s health and our investment (the homestead we’ve worked so hard for)? When it comes to the safety and well-being of my family and the livestock we depend on for survival, I guess I can live with being thought of as “mean”.
I am between a rock and a hard place. I have possums living in the crawl space under my house. And they are breeding. For years I have been feeding about 7 cats that were picked up and spayed by animal service. The possums, however, have been eating all of their food and the cats are reluctant to confront them. My wife refuses to consider any solution that would harm the possums as she finds them “cute”. Any suggestions?
BS low – raniatolity high! Really good answer!
My new video surveillance cameras have shown many possums active late at night on my property. There is nothing here for them to eat, no where to shelter. Next door the neighbors house is a wreck so I suspect they live there and are foraging here. I will trap/kill/deter/poison/destroy them all as California does not allow live trap and release.
Ok so I soaked the cat food with fabreeze (cause that’s all I had handy)he kept coming back in the door for and put it outside. He ate it up with no problem as I watched and that was last night. Tonight I purposely put more out and he never came. I think that did the trick. For two weeks I have dealt with the same one I even beat him short of killing him and he still came back. TRY FABREEZE SOAKED FOOD.
NEVER! EVER USE MOTH BALLS! EVER! We used them. BIG mistake! Stunck up our house so bad we had to move out. Bad article for suggesting them.
We have possums that get under house. this house was built in 1925. Now, they are coming into the house through the bath-tub pipes. There is a old built in cloth hamper and they get behind it. long story short. something has died and we can not even use the main bathroom. any suggestions on getting rid of HORRIBLE SMELL. Its going on a week. thank you
For crying out loud DO NOT sprinkle mothballs around the yard! They are TOXIC, will poisin the environment, will seep into the ground and contaminate the water. Bad advice!!
These creatures destroy your home in my kitchen one has a huge hole through the floor now I’m just sitting by waiting for her that you wanted again and I have this 9 millimeter I’m going to put a bullet in her head she has destroyed our home the more we try to trap her or get rid of her the more aggressive she becomes I have two babies and I’m not willing to take a risk we have tried to trap we tried everything to try to get rid of her she’s very intelligent now I’m going to get rid of her myself people who take up for these animals haven’t had them live underneath their home and destroy it
I have one of those vicous beasts in my backyard. It lives on my neighbors side because they have trash all over the place. For those that say they are nice and dont harm anything that is not true. That beast killed my cat a bout a month and i half ago. And i saw it clearly with my own eyes. Then after about two weeks it got into my chicken coop and almost had one for dinner. Then just 2 days ago it bit my dog and i had to take him to the vet and the bite got infected. No mercy for that sucker. I really love animals and have many exotic pets, but that guy went to far. I will invite to my house for dinner and shoot it with my .22. Lets see how those CCI Stingers work on opossums.
I am losing sleep over possums inmy yard.. I hired a trapper who caught nothing $500 waisted, 25 double knock out rose bushes eaten to the ground, 40 arborvitae that is chewed threw 8 feet high to the ground, a 10 year old blue spruce that was our first christmas tree is eaten from the main trunk about 10 feet high… Not a needle left, branches broken, $850 for landscaper to remove all of the eaten shrubs and small trees last month that were grafted 4 feet I guess because branches couldnt support tjem to go higher, 20 pine trees with no needles left because they ate them. Multiple outside Lights on timer from 6 pm until 7 am and now I have my own a w bait trying to catch them myself. I think Ive lost about $15,000 over the last 3 years. Im absolutely losing sleep over them. My trap has various fruit and vegetables, meat, nuts, and they have no interest cause there is so much else to chew on.. Im now watching videos of Australian trappers who use cake mix combined with poison that they make into a paste and rub on tree trunks. I never see them or see their droppings but I think they live one house over by a retention pond possibly under my neighbors deck and eat in my yard like its a buffet. Help.. I need help..Im raking every day to clean up the mess and so I can try to find where they ate the night before with hoprs of setting trap in that spot. Im at the end of my rope literally checking all night long.
Despite my attempts to be hospitable to the ones in my own back yard, and with all due respect to the animal lovers out there – Helen, you need a GUN.
I am a disabled female veteran who lives with a small 7 pound toy poodle. To all of you who like pouusms I have a story that may change your mind. My home sits on 1 1/3 acres of land while not in the woods I have a small section of woods separating my property from neighbors on 3sides. I had a mother possum get in my house with her babies. While I was sleeping my poodle went to the kitchen for a snack. He must have surprised the “mom” because she attacked him. After $800 of surgery my poodle survived the attack. I tried the moth balls and amonomia and thought it worked. Imagine my surprise when 5 months later the babies came back!! If you are looking for a happy possum ending stop reading now. I will not say what I used to eliminate the threat to my home and precious dog. However I am now possum free and if any more come my way I have a special treat for them. No other animals were exposed to their treat b/c I am smart enough to put it where only those nasty animals could get it. I say death to any animal 2 or 4 legged that invades my home!!!
What did you do? I am losing sleep over the possums., Im literally at the end of my rope. I never see them but the damage is in the thousands and my maltese dog has injured leg and cant run.. Ive hired a trapper, put fox urine, placed traps but only caught one, I have lights on timers, Ive removed everything they could live in or around.. Im exhausted
I agree with you I’m having the same problem and I’m using the elimination process you used but it’s more than just one. I thought two nights ago my husband fought one for about 40minutes broke my broom bit the broom and was coming for more. So my husband used the process of eliminating the problem in are house.Now this morning at 8:01 am the dam thing is back I can’t get no sleep and im cranky as hell no rest for three days but it seems like the dam thing whats to meet his maker possum possum heaven and he’s going this time.
Ah ha.. I know what you used. Don’t worry. I won’t say what it is.
There’s one now that goes back and forth on my backyard neighbors fence and tonight I saw it for the 2nd time! I work for Home Depot I’m going to be getting some things to get rid of this pest I don’t want it coming after my dog!
I call them oversized RATS! They are so disgusting! I have a couple that makes home under our playhouse. The other morning I let our dog (a YorkiePoo) out and she tried to defend her territory but the RAT did not play dead like most do, this one was biting back. So i had to go out and try and kick it off her without getting bit myself. Tell you what I am going to do next time I see that big fucker… I am taking the metal baseball bat to it’s head. I have to protect my property ya know.
absolutely!!! Get a pellet gun. Easy
I have a possum in my yard. I’ve never seen a tick before so that benifit does nothing for me. It is trying to “restore” my ’87 VW cabriolet and is scaring the crap out of my family. Since I don’t want to sleep in a cold bed at night, I’m going to kill it. Shoot it in the face. I don’t care how immune to snake venom it is. As for these “godly” remarks, should we keep still water around in the spring to help the lords mosquitoes to thrive? If the council will pick it up for free I’d call them. They won’t and I’m not paying 85$ to have a man/woman drive here to pick it up.
This is classic. Check out my similar post!
They’ve been dropping chewed lemons under the tree. Last night, while we were watching TV, we saw one through the window walking along the top of the wall. I went out and grabbed the garden hose and trained it on the critter and followed him down the wall, down the tree and along the ground. When it got close, I started wailing on it with a broom stick really hard. The wife came up behind me and started bawling about me killing the poor creature. I stopped and watched it crawl on its front legs. Then it stood up, climbed another tree and over the wall. We had 3 more instances in an hour where one came in, got drenched and escaped. I’ve got a trap baited now. I learned the last time not to put the critter in the car for relocation. I didn’t get 100 feet before the overpowering stench hit me. Even with all the windows rolled down, sunroof open, air conditioning full blast, I was gagging. Went around the block and called Animal Control to pick it up.
To the misinformed, self righteous opossum protector. Your claims of cute and harmless, may very well be based on YOUR past encounters. Consider yourself lucky. But VERY narrow minded if you believe that to be the rule. MY past encounter was last night,working in my garage at my private residential home. What I thought to be a “cat” fight, as the neighbors tom cats will do at times, was not. I stepped out into my back yard with a flash light, which I now wish was my shotgun. There was 4 huge and quite far from cute or harmless opossums, that had just killed and was eating a neighbors cat. I stepped into my large opened area backyard,in complete disbelief at what I was seeing. They were not cornered or threatened. Yet their response was aggressive, all 4 dropped what was left of the cat and came at me. Lucky for me I was but a few steps from my garage side door. So, to all you “lucky” enchanted opossum supporters, wake the fuck up.
They are now abundant because you folks have demanded all the predators be removed (foxes & coyotes in most areas) to protect FiFi, your little two pound lame poodle that has no place in nature other than as an appetizer. Restore the balance! Very simple solution my friends… a single lead pellet to the hips at 500fps from a good pellet gun lets the nasty rodent know it’s not welcome; followed by a reminder shot to the rear for further emphasis of the inhospitable nature of your yard. It then hobbles and limps to water as it bleeds out, as most all wild animals do when injured, and then it dies at the creek or it’s nasty burrow instead of in your yard. Clean, simple, just, and it’s why we have brains. Do you propose we relocate rats too? That’s really all they are…nasty trash eating scavengers. You seem to think they have feelings and personalities. Trap and relocate? Forget it. Killing one helps to restore their balance. It’s ridiculous. Buck up and act like a man you whimps
A .17 HMR works great on possum. 1 shot; 1 kill.
Opossums are beneficial to your yard and eat rats (even roof rats) and mice along with snails, slugs, etc. If you see one in your yard it will not stay long as they are roaming scavengers. They do not cause destruction, raccoons and roof rats do. However a opossum will take advantage of a free meal a destructive raccoon or rat made. They also are hard to make ACTUALLY bite a person. The teeth showing act is an act. Try sticking a stick into their open mouth and they don’t even chomp. They are slow moving. Only real problem is they will fight with small dogs who keep sniffing at/irritating them. Cats and opossums seem to be friends sharing their food bowls sometimes. Large dogs lime any large ‘threat’ tend to trigger a seizure which makes them ‘play dead’ that the animal has no control over. If you see this it can last hours and they are not dead. These creatures related to koalas and kangaroos are wildly misunderstood. Please spend some time learning about what really is a free caretaker for your property that gets paid with what it eats. In my yard the worst it does it goes after my naval oranges, and even then it only goes after the ones starting to get soft that I would want removed from my tree.
Caught 4 of them in my trap since my last post. Animal control won’t pick them up anymore. They suggest killing them. I found putting the trap in a large trash bag, sitting the trap behind a running car exhaust is a merciful way to kill them, only because I don’t have a gun. Then dump the body in the trash bag, tie it off and toss in the trash.
A) Opossums are not mammals and they are not rodents. They are marsupials (pouch animals) like kangaroo. And they are the only marsupials in North America.
B) They are intelligent and they are well-adapted to living around humans.
C) They are not mean. They do have a fight or flight response just as we do.
When we let our new dog use the dog door at will, she brought a possum in the house and put it in the tent my outdoorsy child was sleeping in. The possum played dead until my husband relocated it then it ran off. But now my dogs won’t sleep through the night because we have one under the deck. That is as much a human problem–we don’t train and exercise our dogs during the day, so they want to get up and attack at 3 am. Hubs goes right back to sleep. That’s why I’m here now. But I don’t blame the possum. I blame me and hubs for not working on a solution like covering the opening under the deck and exercising and having discipline with the dogs.
So if I want possums on my property to take care of ticks, then I should do the opposite of all the things you suggest?
My Dog killed 2 of them in my backyard and I just seen another one in that same area. Smh.
Friends of mine say humans moved into the wild animals area to live. Now the animals have no place to live because the humans took over their territory. How would you feel if that were done to you?
Please need some help not sure if it is a possum or a raccoon. My friend and her husband rescued deaf dogs have 2 they are brother and sister Great Danes and they have a Doberman Pinscher who is not deaf was abused that they saved. A spouse just passed away.They always kept a door (slider) open for the dogs to go in and out, something is getting in and eating stuff, bread, donuts even when it is out of reach in a cabinet. Do or can a possum do that? The slider is closed it happened again to night when that person got home,can a possum take up living in a house? This is not a joke, just trying to help that person.
All I can do is shake my head and laugh at half this stuff- very entertaining to read with my coffee ty
Skunks, possums, and raccoons are nocturnal animals. That means they board with you during the day and go out to forage during the night. You don’t need poison, guns, traps, sonic or chemical repellers, etc, ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS KEEP THEM FROM RETURNING. Now, knowing when they leave and when they return is not so simple, but if you use a motion detector, it is,. With the motion detector, after the alarm tells you that they’re leaving, all you have to do is close the opening through which they entered. That’s all.
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Best thing to do is just live and let live. I live out in the country and possums are just part of the way of life. My dogs kill them on a pretty regular basis and even bring the dead bodies inside the house. They will kill rats, snakes, mice, and cockroaches and prefer to avoid human contact. Most likely you will hardly know they are there.
Stacey, in one sentence you say we need to share the earth with these creatures, and in another sentence you say opossums are beneficial because they kill snakes, rats, etc…Where is your concern for the snakes and rats…you object to killing the opossum but seem to not mind snakes and rats dying! Well I know what you are going to say: when the opossum kills the snake or rat, well that’s just instinct and natures way. WELL WHEN MY two PIT BULLS ATTACK AND TORTURE AN OPOSSUM, WELL THAT’S INSTINCT AND NATURES WAY TOO!
I put out food for the stray wildlife in the city. I am feeding 4 coons, 2 opossums, and a ground hog. I take pleasure in helping gods little creatures survive in a cruel world where horrible humans would rather harm or kill them.
Have had possums living in my house for four years now, under floors, under bathtub, in walls, in attic. They gnaw holes through wood walls. When they have tried to come out through the bathroom wall through freshly gnawed holes in the tub enclosure and I make the mistake of going to the bathroom in the night, they try to lunge at me and make a terrible vicious growling noise. Thank heavens their shoulders were too big to come all the way through. Tried spraying foam insulation into the holes but they start gnawing new holes. Can even hear them gnawing on copper pipes in there. They may be harmless and cute everywhere else but these are vicious and aggressive. They are worse than liberal democrats. If you want them, to cuddle or cook or whatever, you can come get them, but do it fast. I am tired of being scared. They are gnawing at my ceiling as I write. Cannot sleep for fear the will come through and fall on me in bed. They scratch and gnaw around right over my bed because that’s the only place I can afford to keep warm in my house. Come get the little cuddly loving vicious demons asap. PLEASE!
I’m tired of possums finding ways to get into the lower drawer of my kitchen. i got rid of one last week and another one was in there tonight, woke me up and i have to work.
Don’t use mothballs! It won’t get rid of anything and the smell with permeate your house and make you sick as well. They are poison and are supposed to be used in a closed container [like a cedar chest or closet]. I made the mistake of trying to use them and it was awful.
Some of the scum replying on this message thread here are worse than any “vermin” I have even encountered in my life. Some of you need serious help, and a soul.
First- a DOG is 8 times more likely to carry rabies than an opossum. Second- an opossum has an extremely high need for calcium, and will attack small animals if no carcasses are available from which to retrieve it.
Third- opossums will do anything possible to AVOID confrontation unless they are sick, hungry, or feeding babies. Hence “playing opossum.” They rarely bite, and hiss out of fear, not aggression.
Those who suggest using poisons to kill animals themselves need to eat a few packages of it, and let us all know how you fare.
I saw a baby opossum in my bathroom and I think a few were spotted in the access panel enterence for my tub pipes in the hallway. I called animal control, but by the time they arrived it was gone. I assumed it went back under the tub through that access panel space that was open. My dog was chained in my hallway so I dont think it went passed her. I have since closed up the panel access entrance. How do I figure out how they got in? Was it along the pipes somehow. The bathroom is on the 2nd floor of my 2 story house. I am scared to death. What can I do. I cannot afford to have it investigated and animal control only removes on sight. Any help you can suggest this city girl would be much appreciate.
I meant any suggestion would be much appreciated.
I do have a suggestion that is based on the behavior and dietary requirements of the opossum. They have to have calcium- and a LOT of it. When they attack small animals and eat pieces of them- it’s to get calcium, NOT to be vicious. They would much, much prefer to eat a carcass bone than a live one!
Try bones, or bone meal, egg shells- anything high in calcium.
If you’re not prepared to deal with a trapped possum, don’t trap it. Call a pest control company. Don’t relocate wild critters yourself, either. Especially into a park. It is irresponsible and you can be fined in most cities. I live near a park and have seen wardens give people tickets for releasing possums (and even a skunk!). In the summer our neighborhood is crawling with possums thanks to selfish people who “donate” theirs to our block. Our 8 y/o terrier died of leptospirosis, and our vet says he likely came in contact with possum poop. Was the second dog to die that week. I’d like to strangle the jerk who shared that with us.
I have an possum that I think is getting on my roof. I don’t know how it is getting on the roof. I know for sure it is not getting in the attic. We can here it growling and jumping on the roof in one of the bedrooms. My neighbor is feeding feral cats and I think it is getting food that way. I have no control over that. Do you have any suggestions for getting rid of it?
Sorry everybody is having problems with possums. For years I have had 2 that come up on my patio most nights to eat sunflower seeds and drink water out of 2 dishes for birds and squirrels. My cat and the neighbor’s cat sometimes are out on the patio too and often there is a young skunk in the mix with no issues at all. The skunk and mom possum eat bird seed next to each other and they and the cats all leave each other alone. I do not have a dog and would not let run free if I did. My cat only goes out briefly and again, all these animal stay clear of or ignore each other. If I so much as click the sliding door the skunk and possums scatter. Not sure why you are having nightmare experiences. OR sound so violent and hateful towards animals that are only behaving instinctively. Scheesch…..
Opossums are extremely good to have around. They kill off snakes because they are immune to its poison!!!
These guys eat up ticks and fleas and all pests that you dislike!!!
They are the sweetest things when I get them in to rehab. Have a heart and be kind to these little guys
God made them just as He made all creatures! Respect them
Best critters around. They will get rid of unwanted ticks fleas and even poisonous snakes as they are immune to them
They do not carry rabies either!!
This is the problem with the world today .. two opinions and both sides of the debate demanding the other side agree with their point of view. Here’s my take … mind your own business and deal with them how you like. If you disagree with how someone else handles a problem on their own property, shut your mouth and do it your own way on your property. Quit trying to dictate how everyone else lives their lives .. focus on your own and shut your hole! Personally I live next to river and woods. My circle driveway that goes around my living area is the “38th parallel” of the property. Cross that line and act in an intimidating or destructive manner .. you’re a goner. Don’t care what species it is.
It’s your property, you paid for it. But, deal with getting rid of rodents OR any other animals in a thoughtful manor. It’s someone else’s pet give them the opportunity to deal with the problem unless they refuse and then it’s up to you. If the animal is a wild animal think about ways to remove it humanly. Live traps and make a trip to a remote spot far enough from your location and others and turn it loose. If it is dangerous to your children or animals then I would dispose of it quickly and permanently. I am an animal lover but my neighbors animals do not belong on my property. Tell the owners that. Rodents will be killed or moved to a far away place. In my case, I have a few acres and I trap (live trap) and take take raccoons, Possums, etc. at least five miles away in remote areas. Skunks, rats, varmints coyotes, wolves, and other predators will be shot quickly. Deer, Elk, quail, doves, Pheasants and other game animals and birds will be fed often.
Why can’t everyone just co-exist with nature and not have such fears of those living beings that do not look like us? Some on this thread sound like they fear their own shadow. Yes, animals are living beings and should be respected and not harmed.
you are lying about the ammonia dear. I put out a bowl and he drank it three times on comera