The tennants from my IP are constantly complaining about possums at night within the roof/walls. I've paid nearly $1,000 now on professional pest inspectors to come in and fix the problem but the possum keeps comming back. My rental manager rang today to request to get the trees overhanging onto the roof trimmed back and i've approved this - might even get the trees choped down. If this doesn't work is there any other recommendations from the board to help get rid of the possum. The property is a highset workers cottage. Is there any chance that the possum is bypassing the trees and comming in from under the house, through the walls and into the roof.
Help with Possums in IP
- Thread starter eggnog
- Start date
Possums are a damn nuisance, aren't they. We have the same problem with our PPR. Trimming the tree wont help at all. Sorry. Nor do pest inspectors. We have recently purchased a $300 piece of equipment which emits a noise that we cant hear but animals can. You point it where you think the possums are coming out - they try to avoid the noise then eventually they move one. Initially we had the noise machine on the roof, pointed at a large tree where we had seen them. Didnt get rid of the possums but we have noticed it got rid of birds that were nesting in the tree and pooping on our cars underneath (hugely pooping) so that at least was something.
Then I thought to put the noise thingy in the roof space because we thought that was where they were sleeping during the day. Bingo - they no longer come into the roof cavity at night time.
I dont have the name of the machine, but I bought it at Norwood Garden Centre on Portrush Road Adelaide. Maybe do a google (or I will tomorrow) and get some more info for you.
Ah, here is the possum deterrent website:
http://www.strayban.com.au/
If the possoms are simply crashing across the roof (and not inside the ceiling) then there isnt much you can do really.
Then I thought to put the noise thingy in the roof space because we thought that was where they were sleeping during the day. Bingo - they no longer come into the roof cavity at night time.
I dont have the name of the machine, but I bought it at Norwood Garden Centre on Portrush Road Adelaide. Maybe do a google (or I will tomorrow) and get some more info for you.
Ah, here is the possum deterrent website:
http://www.strayban.com.au/
If the possoms are simply crashing across the roof (and not inside the ceiling) then there isnt much you can do really.
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are they not endangered over there? the south west possum is in trouble and when lodging plans for new houses etc the council often requires a possum plan to be lodged, basically showing a connection of trees for them to run along.
just tell the tenant the possums were there before they were.
just tell the tenant the possums were there before they were.
I am with Ausprop on this one. We have a whole extended family of possoms crash over our bedrooms every night. They are noisy, but I love that they make me feel a little bit connected with nature in the middle of suburbia.
Your tenants live in Brisbane, so I would be telling them to "embrace the possom"
Your tenants live in Brisbane, so I would be telling them to "embrace the possom"
Hey Wylie, you are way more tolerant than me! In our home of 15 years ago, one of these blessed creatures took up residence in our roof, chewed through electrical wires, peed and pooped so it was absorbed into the ceiling above our bed. Noice.
My Aunty went away for a few weeks overseas. Somehow one of these critters fell into her chimney and into the house. Can you imagine the mess, and the damage it caused to furnishings as it clawed its way up curtains and sofas? OK, poor little mite was probably pretty scared, but it fed nicely on all the pot plants that were being 'watered' in the bath tub. When she returned home, the possum literally flew out the door, leaving the Aunt to deal with the stench, and the damage.
Yes they are protected, and you cannot do anything to harm them, but if they can be kept away from the roof space in the house, then I am all for that.
My Aunty went away for a few weeks overseas. Somehow one of these critters fell into her chimney and into the house. Can you imagine the mess, and the damage it caused to furnishings as it clawed its way up curtains and sofas? OK, poor little mite was probably pretty scared, but it fed nicely on all the pot plants that were being 'watered' in the bath tub. When she returned home, the possum literally flew out the door, leaving the Aunt to deal with the stench, and the damage.
Yes they are protected, and you cannot do anything to harm them, but if they can be kept away from the roof space in the house, then I am all for that.
possums
i paid also . holes were blocked
trees were cut
even a neighbour cut all their trees to help us.
they screamed for weeks i shock and then found other ways to get in and now they go even furthere in the house not just the back room
they are very noisy
yes last night i though i heard it even in the wall behind me though in general rats do that
i cant go bac to sleep after their racket nor can my kids
they leave droppings everywhere too
big nuisance
noise machine sounds good. how much was it.
Paula.
i paid also . holes were blocked
trees were cut
even a neighbour cut all their trees to help us.
they screamed for weeks i shock and then found other ways to get in and now they go even furthere in the house not just the back room
they are very noisy
yes last night i though i heard it even in the wall behind me though in general rats do that
i cant go bac to sleep after their racket nor can my kids
they leave droppings everywhere too
big nuisance
noise machine sounds good. how much was it.
Paula.
Ah twitch, but you need to make sure the lil critters are OUT of the roof space so you don't seal them in! And they only come out late at night. I think there is a 'one way' device that lets them out, but then they cant get back in again. But if you have more than one entry point that complicates things. We have a house that is over 80 years old and there is no way we can find all the holes!
As an owner and renovator of a swag of old qld'ers over the years here a few things i have done.
1. OVERHEAD WIRES- if you have an overhead wire coming in to your property get some UPC tubing (you can also paint it black so it doesn't stand out) cut it and place it over the wire. If a possum tires to walk on it it rotates around the cable and the possums can't get accross
2. BRANCHES- fairly obvious but these guys can and do jump a long way so you neeto cut them back significantly
3. HIRE A POSSUM TRAP- you can hire a possum trap cheaply from a hire shop. Once they're caught take them a long way away from were you are into a nice bushy area (they can travel a fair distance back to home appraently so I always go for at least a 15min drive)
4. CATCH THEM BY HAND- the phrase playing possum is factually correct. I have grabbed them out of walls when I've ripped of VJ's Ceilings etc. Golves ore a towel are handy but you can just grab them by the back and theeir main reaction is to pee every where. One of my staff found this out the hardway when he was behind me as I was grabbing one out of a wall, turned around and he had a shower in the middle of the day
1. OVERHEAD WIRES- if you have an overhead wire coming in to your property get some UPC tubing (you can also paint it black so it doesn't stand out) cut it and place it over the wire. If a possum tires to walk on it it rotates around the cable and the possums can't get accross
2. BRANCHES- fairly obvious but these guys can and do jump a long way so you neeto cut them back significantly
3. HIRE A POSSUM TRAP- you can hire a possum trap cheaply from a hire shop. Once they're caught take them a long way away from were you are into a nice bushy area (they can travel a fair distance back to home appraently so I always go for at least a 15min drive)
4. CATCH THEM BY HAND- the phrase playing possum is factually correct. I have grabbed them out of walls when I've ripped of VJ's Ceilings etc. Golves ore a towel are handy but you can just grab them by the back and theeir main reaction is to pee every where. One of my staff found this out the hardway when he was behind me as I was grabbing one out of a wall, turned around and he had a shower in the middle of the day
Also, you can drop them off someplace over a river - because they aren't willing to cross the bridge to get back.
As an alternative, put one of those possum hatches in a tree and encourage the possums out of your roof by putting in it things they want to eat. I've been told apples, but the most popular food I've ever across is (believe it or not) anzac biscuits. I think it might be the golden syrup.
We used to have a possum that would walk into our lounge and take anzac biscuits off a plate on the coffee table, less than a metre from where we were all sitting ... staring. So there had to be something in the bikkie it adored!!
DJ
I can't find Rick Natrass' home page but I thought it was called "going wild". Maybe that was his book.
I'm a fan of his and in his book he justifies possums because they control mistletoe. He points out that mistletoe is killing trees near highways where possums have a high mortality rate but elsewhere the parasite is controlled.
He is a nature lover but tries to find ways that we can co-exist with nature.
Check him out. Even if you don't have possums he will inform and delight.
Better still: Buy his book.
I'm a fan of his and in his book he justifies possums because they control mistletoe. He points out that mistletoe is killing trees near highways where possums have a high mortality rate but elsewhere the parasite is controlled.
He is a nature lover but tries to find ways that we can co-exist with nature.
Check him out. Even if you don't have possums he will inform and delight.
Better still: Buy his book.
Actually, legally, no more than 100 metres
I'll watch out for the possum police next time I am taking one on a trip.
Get a possum box and install it in a tree in your yard. You can attract the possums to it by rubbing green apples on it and leaving pieces of apple on it's roof. Contact the council to get a professional possum trapper to come out and remove the possum via a one-way trap and I think they will tell you where the entrance holes to your roof are as well and block them off with chicken wire. Once the possum can't enter your roof they are quite happy to live in the possum box.
If they are just using your roof as a highway and not living inside, there is nothing you can do about it but the PVC tube over the electical wire to your house is effective if there are no trees nearby.
All possums are a protected species and it is illegal to remove a possum away from it's territory as it will be killed by other possums. I personally love the little critters and hated evicting Frank, our resident possum when we started our reno.
If they are just using your roof as a highway and not living inside, there is nothing you can do about it but the PVC tube over the electical wire to your house is effective if there are no trees nearby.
All possums are a protected species and it is illegal to remove a possum away from it's territory as it will be killed by other possums. I personally love the little critters and hated evicting Frank, our resident possum when we started our reno.
I caught one by hand from in our IP that we are rebuilding. My husband was pulling out the kitchen ceiling and the poor thing was left with nowhere to hide so it stuck its head in some insulation. I just grabbed it with an old blanket. I couldn't work out how it got there as the house has no close trees and no stairs at all at the moment, but as some have pointed out...the electricity wire!
I let it go in the back yard in some trees where they seem to hang out. The next day we found little muddy footprints on the newly rendered windowsill. I hope he was just visiting and not planning on taking up permanent residence.
Louise.
I let it go in the back yard in some trees where they seem to hang out. The next day we found little muddy footprints on the newly rendered windowsill. I hope he was just visiting and not planning on taking up permanent residence.
Louise.
naphtalene flakes
i dont know how to spell it and the scottish accent made it incomprehensible but apparently its like moth balls and if you get the m out of your roof then put these flakes all around inside the roof they hateit and dont come back but there mustnt be any gaps.
the possum machine sounded better
i also heard if you put a bright light inside the roof they go and never come back.
the possum guy i used wouldnt put the plastic stuff around the electric wire he said its so many volts and what if soemthing would go wrong and he wouldnt do it. have others done it.
paula
i dont know how to spell it and the scottish accent made it incomprehensible but apparently its like moth balls and if you get the m out of your roof then put these flakes all around inside the roof they hateit and dont come back but there mustnt be any gaps.
the possum machine sounded better
i also heard if you put a bright light inside the roof they go and never come back.
the possum guy i used wouldnt put the plastic stuff around the electric wire he said its so many volts and what if soemthing would go wrong and he wouldnt do it. have others done it.
paula
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I found this thread, and a few others while searching for a solution to my possum problem. I will put mothballs and a 500W light in the roofs pace for a few days.
My problem is I have no idea where the buggers are getting in. There is one tree too close to the roof that I will cut down once the possum is gone, but I don't know how they are getting into the roof. The tiles are all nice and tight, the gutter guard closes up most of the gap around the lowest row of tiles..
What size gap do they need to gain entry/exit? I have googled, but haven't found this info..
Thanks!
My problem is I have no idea where the buggers are getting in. There is one tree too close to the roof that I will cut down once the possum is gone, but I don't know how they are getting into the roof. The tiles are all nice and tight, the gutter guard closes up most of the gap around the lowest row of tiles..
What size gap do they need to gain entry/exit? I have googled, but haven't found this info..
Thanks!
65fastback
I've used both the following companies:
Aussie Possum Men (at Wilston) - phone 3352 4371, mobile 0411 834 595
Peter the Original Possum and Birdman (all suburbs) - phone 3250 1133
and can recommend both companies.
They will set a trap (cage with fruit etc), come back and remove the cage and release the possum/s into the wild, and seal up the opening where the possum/s enter the house.
Cutting trees back will not help - the possum/s access the roof using the electrical wire from the street to the house. They only need a very small gap to get inside the roof - we couldn't actually see the gap from the ground.
Good luck - and do have it attended to!!! I had a possum die in the roof of an IP - the first thing the tenant knew about it was when maggots fell from the bathroom exhaust fan onto her! The poor possum had expired right next to the exhaust fan. NOT pleasant!!!
Cheers
Lynn
I've used both the following companies:
Aussie Possum Men (at Wilston) - phone 3352 4371, mobile 0411 834 595
Peter the Original Possum and Birdman (all suburbs) - phone 3250 1133
and can recommend both companies.
They will set a trap (cage with fruit etc), come back and remove the cage and release the possum/s into the wild, and seal up the opening where the possum/s enter the house.
Cutting trees back will not help - the possum/s access the roof using the electrical wire from the street to the house. They only need a very small gap to get inside the roof - we couldn't actually see the gap from the ground.
Good luck - and do have it attended to!!! I had a possum die in the roof of an IP - the first thing the tenant knew about it was when maggots fell from the bathroom exhaust fan onto her! The poor possum had expired right next to the exhaust fan. NOT pleasant!!!
Cheers
Lynn
