First of all, do not be afraid. A possum is usually a very harmless animal. They are very unique animals actually, as they are the only marsupials in North America. Huh? Well, that simply means that they have a pouch where they carry and raise their young. Possums also have what is called a “prehensile tail,” which is a unique tail that they can use to hang on things. Possums are well known for doing what you can teach your dog to do, playing dead, when threatened. Possums are omnivores (What!?!?) which means that they eat almost anything. That is why they are probably where you do not want them, they have come looking for food.
Possum are slow, but are very good climbers. They can climb up to your attic and live in there, which is one of the main concerns about these little guys, and is why you might need to know how to get rid of possum. They can also be problems if they start living under a porch, shed, or have been stealing food from pets or your garbage, or bothering pets. Possums are usually harmless, but to make quite a mess with their droppings and can get aggressive if they feel threatened. Also, they can have parasites or viruses as well, but do not carry rabies usually.
All right, so you have a possum in your attic or shed. How to get rid of possums? Well, the best way to do so is by trapping them. You will need a fairly large trap; a raccoon trap will work well. As for bait, you can use almost anything. Put it in their hiding place, or where you think they will go, and wait. Remove them to a place where they will be safe. If you know exactly where they are, you can attempt to chase them out with a broom as well.
Ok, so now they are gone. But they may be back. How do you make sure that they don’t come back now that you know how to get rid of possum and have done it? Some sites will say to place ammonia and mothballs, but I have found that it does not work at all. Basically, I would suggest removing the whole reason that they came. They usually come looking for food and shelter, and houses or sheds can provide both. Eliminate all sources of food that are at or near you house. Then, get rid of brush piles or any other type of shelter for possums. Finally, make sure to keep doors closed at all times and if there are places animals can get into your house, seal them up.
One more strategy worth mentioning is placing predator urine near points of entry or shelter. Possums have pretty good sense of smell, and they can smell that urine and will not enter the place. Fox or even dog urine works. Also, I have heard of placing dog or cat fur near these places as well, but have never tested it to be honest. If you know where they are coming in and out, make sure that the place is well lighted. Possums are nocturnal animals, and do not like light much. So, light will help keep them away and get rid of possum.
All right, that is all for now on how to get rid of possum. I hope you have learned enough to get rid of that pesky possum (or opossum as some call it.) Thanks for reading How to Get Rid of Possum
