Sarah Metlova
How Do I Get Rid Of Possums – Expert advice from Bob Vila, the most trusted name in home improvement, home remodeling, home improvement and DIY. Tried, true, trusted home advice
How to Get Rid of Possums or Possums from Your Home or Yard Although opossums and possums have useful purposes in the yard, the image of these rat-like creatures roaming your property late at night may not always conjure up positive thoughts. Helpful tips on how to get rid of pimples and scars when it’s time to seek professional help.
How Do I Get Rid Of Possums
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Opossums and opossums, both marsupials, are different animals. Although possums (with an “o”) are native to North America, the word is often shortened
How To Deal With Problem Opossum In New Hampshire
A common fear is, “Are games dangerous?” They are very useful creatures that collect and feed on insects. You may ask yourself, “So why should I get rid of them?” These rat-like animals are often unpleasant, especially when they eat or trample plants. Opossums can rummage through trash cans and also steal pet food. To protect pets and plants, they are difficult to drive away, so keep reading to learn how to get rid of possums.
Before attempting to capture or remove a pesky possum from your yard, the first step is proper identification. Many gray possums are often mistaken for cats. To help you identify the right pet, most adult possums are between 24 and 40 inches long, have a 10 to 12 inch tail, and weigh between 4 and 12 pounds. You can also identify possums by their droppings. What does possum poop look like? About 1 to 2 inches long, smooth, brown on sides and covered with white or yellowish mold.
Once you’re sure you’ve encountered a possum, there are several ways to get rid of it, including using a trap or hiring a pest control professional. Possum removal can be difficult and the best way to control this population is through preventative measures.
Removing or closing off food materials, water sources, and potential shelters prevents these creatures from sticking around. If pet food or litter comes out overnight, that’s an open invitation to party. If you have fruit seedlings on your property, make sure that the crop does not remain on the ground. Use sealed garbage bags when disposing of these items to prevent possums from rooting in the garbage.
Dealing With Backyard Possum Problems
Where do possums live? They prefer houses overgrown with woods or brush, and will use debris and ruined landscapes as a home, so the yard will be less inviting unless there are piles of brush, dilapidated buildings, or holes under concrete slabs.
STEP 2: Secure external access points to your home; block access to chimneys, vents or any other openings or spaces.
Open holes allow easy access. When possums are in houses, barns or chicken coops, this is where the greatest damage occurs. Trim branches, seal entrances, and repair broken vents or foundation cracks to limit access. Opossums sometimes enter homes through pet doors, so those doors should be sealed as well. Since possums are experienced climbers, they can climb a tree on a long branch and jump to the ground on the roof next to the chimney. Cutting tree branches makes it difficult for them to climb.
Chemical repellants from your local home improvement store or hardware store can be applied to gardens, flower beds, and building foundations to deter possums. Although repellents vary by brand and type, most are powders and contain predator urine. They have a strong smell and are relatively expensive to buy. Unless used frequently and in high concentrations, they usually provide little relief and are best used in conjunction with other methods. Chili powder can also be used as a spray, although it must be reapplied frequently.
Cuddly, Housetrained Barley Is Not Your Backyard Possum
Electronic repellants, such as motion-activated sprinklers, can startle possums and drive them away. These repellents are environmentally friendly and provide more consistent results. They can be used on lawns, chicken coops, driveways, pools, sheds, compost bins, trees and other areas around the yard. Lawn lights and wind chimes can also make a yard less inviting.
Maybe it’s time to see a specialist. Get free, no-obligation estimates from pest control services near you.
Although possums are adept climbers, a wire or electric fence can keep them out of the garden. To keep these critters out, the fence should be at least 4 feet high, with the top leg facing out. You can also add an electric fence about 3-4 inches up, placed at an outside angle. All other areas should be blocked off, including balconies, stairs and crawl spaces. Cover these openings with steel wire or sheet metal.
If a possum has found its way home, a live trap can attract the creature. At night it is useful to trap and feed these nocturnal animals. What do possums eat? Study
Opossum Facts: Removal & Control Of Opossums
Found that wild opossums have different stomach contents, but generally prefer fruits, grains or insects. They will be drawn to jam or peanut butter or overripe fruit on bread. The trap should be placed along regular travel routes in the house, so that the critter is less likely to miss the bait. It is best to use the trap in late fall or early winter before the breeding season begins.
While a house or yard isn’t the ideal home for a possum, if these critters keep popping up around the yard, you can build or buy a nest box to give them their own space. Opossums like tight, safe places with small entrances that can protect them from larger predators. For example, an old dog crate without a front door, shelters made from old refrigerators or plastic barrels work well. A nesting box is an easy way to provide space in the yard for wildlife without disturbing or damaging the home.
Opossums can be a nuisance in the home and can cause serious damage if they get inside. Although they are difficult to get rid of, it is easier to take preventative measures to protect your yard from possums. If you have had no success with these remedies or are concerned, you can hire a pest control professional. A service professional will remove the pet and develop a personalized plan to contain future intruders. Our phone service provider has a temporary outage. Use the chat option below for a faster response.
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All About Opossums In The Yard And Garden
Learn from the experts powerful, modern methods that will stop possums and get rid of them for good.
Learn the latest pest control and wildlife extermination techniques that can help you get rid of possums and keep them on your property indefinitely.
Explorer John Smith was one of the first Europeans to see a possum when he arrived in what later became the colony of Virginia. He described it as having the head of a pig, the tail of a rat and the height of a cat. Since then, possums have served as everything from a food source to a misunderstood pest.
The Virginia opossum, popularly called the “possum”, is the only species of this animal in the United States. Although they were introduced to the Pacific Northwest in the 1930s, they mostly live in the southern, eastern, and midwestern states.
Things You Didn’t Know About Opossums
The opossum is a marsupial, which means that the female carries her young in a pouch on her stomach. When they are old enough, the cubs are carried on their backs for about 4-5 months before they set out on their own. Opossums have a high childhood mortality rate, and even those that make it to adulthood live only 2 years.
Opossums are generally nocturnal, although they may come out during the day to feed when necessary. They are also alone. A mother with babies is probably the only shelter group you see.
In the wild, possums have a variety of omnivorous diets. They eat plants such as berries and vegetables, usually in late spring and winter. In spring and early summer, they feed on eggs, fish, amphibians, birds, reptiles, small mammals and animal remains. They also eat ticks, the average opossum eats 5000 ticks a year.
The consumption of small animals and scraps makes possums important in maintaining food webs and fighting pests in natural habitats. They also reduce the population of ticks that can spread Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain spotted fever, two dangerous tick-borne diseases that are spread by tick bites.
How To Get Rid Of Opossums
Possums protect themselves from predators and threats by “playing possum” by pretending to be a dead or sick animal. His lips pull back to reveal his teeth, giving off a foul odor and weakening. It will remain in this state from a few minutes to four hours. This is a biological response, not a conscious choice.
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