How to Get Rid of Possums

We have outlined how to get rid of possums using the necessary strategies and products in this guide.

Having possums around your home can cause several problems. Part of these includes being a threat to your pets, feeding on garbage as well as causing damage to your garden.

Most people will rather avoid such animal pest problems than having to deal with them. This is the reason why this article is relevant.

We show you the different ways you can handle a possum infestation. These creative ways to get rid of the problem.

Also included are preventive measures. Without these, other strategies will only be temporary. As possums will return with a bang at the slightest opportunity.

Possums Problems

Possums are considered a menace due to several reasons. Whenever they invade, your surroundings are disrupted.

In other words, your home surroundings are messed up. Possums will defecate on your lawns, yard, and gardens.

Plus, they easily get into fights with pets. This means your pets may end up getting injured. An easy way to transmit rabies.

• Diseases

Possums also harbor several diseases. Such diseases can be transmitted to pets as well as humans.

They include Chagas disease, Coccidiosis, Tuberculosis, Leptospirosis, Toxoplasmosis, and Spotted fever.

Others are Trichomoniasis, Tularemia, and Relapsing fever.

• Feasting on Your Garbage

How do possums get into your house? Trash attracts them.

This can be unsightly. Your garbage is a target for possums. They scavenge for food from this source and will mess your surroundings.

One way to avoid this is by having your garbage cans tightly sealed. While this is helpful, it only restricts them from one food source. You’d have to go all about to get rid of them.

We’ve included more possum extermination strategies to help you achieve this.

• Mites, Ticks, and Lice

This is another challenging situation presented by possums. These are easily spread to pets and humans.

Your best option will be to focus on the source (possums) by getting rid of them.

How to Get Rid of Possums in the Roof, Garden, Attic, and Shed

The several disadvantages presented by the presence of possums require immediate action. This section will discuss many such actions. They also include preventive measures that help make your home unfavorable to them.

These, no doubt should give you the edge you need to combat them effectively.

So how do possums get in your house? Let’s find out.

• Trim Your Branches

Possums, though slow are excellent climbers.

This means that trees present perfect opportunities to get into open vents such as chimneys. But this can be prevented. And this can be achieved by trimming overreaching branches.

Such branches should be trimmed at least 8 feet away from your rooftop. This makes it difficult for them to use your vents as nesting areas.

Crawl spaces and other vents below your building should also be covered. Chicken wire is good enough and can be used in covering such openings. All cracks must be closed as well.

These are effective ways to keep possums out of your home.

• Ammonia as a Possum Repellent

An additional way to get rid of possums is by using ammonia.

This is a possum repellent and can also be considered a poison. Possums are irritated by it and will keep their distance.

To use this, you need to make a mixture containing equal parts of ammonia and water. This should be sprayed around areas where possums frequent, including your garbage area.

You need to be careful though. This is because it can also poison humans and pets when ingested. So, care should be taken during the application.

• Find a Lock for your Garbage Can

Your trashcan is a target for possums. This harbors decomposing and degradable organic matter which they love.

Firstly, garbage shouldn’t be kept for too long. This creates a smell that attracts possums and other pests.

Secondly, locking the lid of your garbage can securely keeps them away. They won’t be able to access its contents, unlike those with open or half-closed lids.

• Use of Possum Traps

Traps can be deployed to control possum presence and activity.

We recommend using humane traps. These get the job done without harming them. But for these traps to be more effective, bait should be considered.

A good bait is peanut butter. Your traps should be placed along possum paths. Traps should only be placed on hard surfaces.

This is because possums are likely to dig under the traps to find an escape route.

Once trapped, they should be released as far away as possible. This deters them from making a comeback.

Traps should also be monitored frequently. Gloves must also be worn when evacuating traps. This protects from bites.

But you must be careful where you release them too. You should avoid releasing them close to residential areas. Doing this may just transfer the problem to another person.

• Electronic Repellents

So many types of possum repellents exist, but electronic repellents trump them all. This is because most such repellents experience a downward performance curve over time. But results are consistent with electronic repellents.

To be more specific, such electronic repellents include ultrasonic devices, movement sensor solar flashlights, as well as sensor water sprinklers.

How do you keep possums out of your yard using repellents? Let’s discuss these options briefly;

i. Ultrasonic Devices

Ultrasonic devices are very effective against a wide range of pests. This includes possums.

These should be installed at various points around your home and garden. They emit high-frequency noise which irritates and scares possums.

But this may not be advisable for pet owners. This is because pets can become agitated and restless.

ii. Movement Sensor Flash Lights

This electronic repellent gets the job done by scaring possums away. It has a movement sensor that is triggered by any movement at night. This is used at night to keep possums off your lawn, yard, or garden. It gives off successive flashes of light.

But this might be scary for some persons too! Nevertheless, it achieves its purpose. The choice is up to you.

iii. Water Sprinklers

These, like sensor flashlights, are triggered by movement. When it picks off any movement, it triggers the water sprinklers to shoot water around. This helps to scare possums away from your house.

You can choose to use any or all of these repellents, as they make your surroundings unwelcoming for possums.

• Check Your Foundation for Openings

Do you live in a possum-infested area? If yes, you may want to monitor your building’s foundations frequently.

A careful search may reveal openings or cracks. These openings are open doors of invitations to possums. These pests won’t hesitate to nest in such areas.

Prevention is the best strategy to adopt. Find such openings and block them. These may be large or small. Whatever the case is, such holes must be sealed.

• Clean your Surroundings Frequently

Frequent sanitation of your surroundings is essential, especially when you have trees around.

A wide variety of trees grow fruits. Such fruits ripen and fall off. These are inviting to possums.

To get rid of the possum problem in the house, your surroundings must be frequently swept clean. This helps make your home less inviting.

Possums will look elsewhere when they find little or no food around.

• Remove or Cover Pet Food

A lot of people feed their pets outside. This presents a problem as it invites possums and other pests to join in the feast. You can stop this by either covering it or removing it completely.

By doing this, you are giving possums fewer reasons to hang around your property. Wherever there’s possum presence, food is an important reason for such presence.

Eliminate the food source and you defeat the problem.

• Keep Firewood and Logs As Far As Possible

Heaps of logs or firewood are ideal nesting points for possums, especially when these are kept for long periods.

These can also be inviting for reptiles and rodents. So, why not save yourself the stress of having to deal with any of them?

Keep heaps of logs and firewood as far away as possible. This helps make your yard less inviting to these pests.

• Get Other Possum Repellents

We’ve earlier mentioned electronic repellents for possums. But other non-electronic repellents exist as well.

These can be purchased in local pest control stores. They are designed to work on the pest’s senses to create fear or discomfort.

Other effective repellents for possums include the following;

i. Liquid Predator Urine

Red fox urine is a natural possum repellent that will help get rid of them fast!

To apply, you only need to change the sprinkler cover. This is sprayed around the most affected areas. The smell frightens possums and keeps them at bay.

Its effect wanes after some time. Hence the need to reapply. You may have to do so more often during the rainy seasons as it may be washed off frequently.

ii. Granular Pepper Repellent

This repellent for possums has a spicy sensation on them. Its active ingredients include capsaicin, black pepper, and piperine.

This has a lasting effect. It will remain active for as long as a month. You only need to apply this granular product along your home’s perimeter. It also serves as an invincible wall, warding off not only possums but other pests as well.

This possum repellent isn’t toxic. In other words, your kids and pets are safe around it. It can also be used in both indoor and outdoor environments with impressive and noticeable results.

Overall, getting rid of possums shouldn’t be too much of a task if you adopt the right methods.