You likely have a possum in your roof if you hear heavy thumping, scratching, or scurrying noises at night, smell strong ammonia or musky odors, and see large droppings or chewed wires/insulation; these nocturnal marsupials create loud sounds and distinct smells from their urine and feces, often leaving urine stains on ceilings where they sleep. To confirm, check for large droppings (2-3cm cylindrical pellets) and look for chewed entry points, but remember they are protected native animals, so humane removal is required, notes WIRES and the SA Department for Environment and Water.
If you suspect you're sharing your house with a possum, you may be experiencing things like:
As possums are nocturnal they generally move around at night. They have a heavy thumping movement across a roof or ceiling (described by some as sounding like an elephant walking on the roof!). Possums also cough and make hissing noises.
Possum in Roof Help: What You Can Do
Watch and listen to work out the possum's entry point and exit routine. Possums are usually active at night, leaving the roof at dusk and returning at dawn.
Repel possums by sprinkling the roof cavity with quassia chips (from hardware stores) and putting a light into the roof cavity, leaving it on for 3 days and nights. The combination of the light and the smell should drive the possum out of your roof and, hopefully, into the possum house you have provided.
There are certain smells that opossums find unpleasant and may avoid. In addition to ammonia and mothballs, possums will also steer clear of odors of vinegar, garlic, onion, peppermint, and camphor.
Opossums, like most of our local mammals, are nocturnal. During the day they shelter for sleep in abandoned rodent burrows, attics, under brush, buildings any place offering safe shelter for a good days sleep. They don't build permanent dens. They only stay in one place for a day or two.
5 Signs of an Opossum Infestation in Your Home
If you cannot find the cause of the noises coming from your roof, it is important to call a professional roofing contractor. They will be able to inspect your roof and determine the source of the noise. If necessary, they can also repair any damage that may be present.
TL;DR: Expect to pay anywhere from $150 to $500+ for professional possum removal in Australia, depending on the size of the problem, location, and follow-up work needed. DIY can seem cheaper, but it risks fines, legal issues, and recurring damage.
Possums and rats make very different sounds from one another. Rats tend to make a scuttering sound, as their claws tip-tap across your roof cavity. Possums are larger animals and often make more noise. Running sounds and scratching sounds coming from your roof is a good indicator that you've got a possum infestation.
Possums are nocturnal and highly vocal — especially in urban areas where space is limited. They use sounds to: Defend their territory. Attract a mate.
The only way to remove possums from your attic is via trapping and removal.
If an opossum is in your attic, the sounds you'll hear will be the sounds of it moving about — thumping and scratching. An opossum living within your attic will be coming and going at night to look for food.
Noises. If you hear a scampering/scratching noise coming from your ceiling, it will usually indicate some type of animal in your roof. Possums are common, but they sound like a herd of elephants are living in your roof – mice and rats are more subtle but still can be heard, particularly at night when lying in bed.
Opossums are most active during spring and summer, wander widely in search of food, and rarely spend two consecutive days in the same spot. In the fall and winter, they occupy a more permanent nest lined with leaves.
Rats and mice are the most notorious pests found in roof cavities. They are easily identifiable by their nightly activities of scratching, squeaking, chattering and gnawing. Since they're moody little creatures, the noises can often be loud and quite annoying!
Rodents are among the most common pests to invade roofs and attics. Signs of Rodents in Your Roof: Scratching or scurrying sounds at night. Droppings near food storage areas or along walls.
In Australia, rats and possums are found in people's roofs fairly frequently, so that's what we'll focus on in this article. Birds can also make their way into the roof cavity, although they're more often found nesting in eaves or guttering.
In general, possums do not remain in one location for extended periods. They are transient animals, usually staying only 2-3 days in the same den site before moving on to another location. However, they may keep your yard in their rotation of den sites if it provides a suitable hiding place for them during the day.
Possums don't like bright lights since they're nocturnal creatures. Setting light fixtures to shine on the trees you see them hanging about in will deter them from coming back. You could also try keeping garden, garage or basement lights on around dusk or nighttime when they are likely to be emerging from their nests.
Opossums are nocturnal animals, which means they are most active during the night. During the day, they hide in hollow logs, trees, under brush piles, in road culverts, in rock and stump crevices or under buildings, decks or porches.
Opossums are transient animals, staying only 2-3 days in an area before moving on. Removal is neither necessary nor desirable.
While possums rely more on their sense of smell and environmental cues, they can remember familiar individuals, including humans, over time. Their memory plays a significant role in navigating their surroundings and identifying potential threats or food sources.
Possums hate strong, pungent smells (like garlic, onion, peppermint, eucalyptus, mothballs, and ammonia), sudden disturbances (like motion-activated lights or sprinklers), and perceived predator threats, finding these elements unpleasant and unsafe, so they avoid areas with these strong deterrents, though they can get used to them if not moved.