Unlike raccoons, opossums do not use a single latrine. Instead, they have been observed to poop anywhere.
Possum poop is usually blackish or very dark brown and can look like the feces of a small cat or dog. You may find bits of paper or garbage in the poop because these animals can be scavengers if their normal food source is not available. Possum feces is usually found in a pile or in a row of broken droppings.
Unfortunately, the only way to safely and effectively remove the opossum feces you find is doing so by hand. This includes removing dirty or soiled insulation and other items. Removing them by hand ensures that particles don't break off and enter the air.
Examining the droppings can give you clues about the type of animal you're dealing with. Possum droppings are usually brown or black, oval-shaped, and have one end that is pointed. Rat droppings, on the other hand, are usually black, cylindrical in shape, and have blunt ends.
Brushtail possum scat is a similar shape to koala poo, but a little smaller, and it can range from greenish brown to dark brown or black, depending whether they're helping themselves to garden fruit trees or eating leaves.
Black droppings are often associated with cockroaches, mice, and rats. Cockroach droppings are typically small and cylindrical in shape. Mouse droppings tend to be rod-shaped with pointed ends, while rat droppings are blunter at the ends. All three types of pest poop can range from black to dark brown in color.
In addition to ammonia and mothballs, possums will also steer clear of odors of vinegar, garlic, onion, peppermint, and camphor. These strong scents are often used as natural repellents to keep opossums away from gardens, trash cans, and other areas where they may be unwanted.
Mixing either peppermint oil, ammonia, cayenne pepper, hot sauce or garlic with water in a spray bottle and misting it in possum-prone areas can be effective home remedies.
Bush dung. Those with bush properties often encounter droppings from a variety of animals. If you have sufficient quantities, droppings from native herbivores, such as kangaroos, wombats and possums, can be described as 'the good poo', although they're generally slow to decompose.
Possums like to operate under the cover of darkness, so anything that you can put in your garden that mimics the reflective eyes of a potential predator or lights up when they enter the garden should help scare them off.
Carbon dioxide gas is the most appropriate technique to euthanize opossums. Opossums also can be humanely killed with a gunshot to the head, if legal and safe in your area.
Leptospirosis is a bacterial infection in humans caused by the Leptospira bacterium. Possum feces and urine have a high concentration of these bacteria. Leptospirosis is a zoonotic illness that infects people when they come into contact with possum excrement or urine via a cut or open wound.
Possums will pee and poo in a ceiling, the urine can run down internal walls and over time create a strong smell. Possums will also chew wires and wood when they are in their way. They often chew holes in ceilings and walls and just sit there peering out the hole at the residents inside.
Possums can squeeze through a nine-centimetre gap! Make the necessary temporary repairs (prepare something during the day) to prevent re-entry after the possum has gone out to feed at night (they usually leave their shelter about an hour after sunset).
During the day, the Common Ringtail Possum will sleep in its soccer-ball-sized nest, called a drey, which will be located several meters high in dense foliage, sometimes with several other individuals. They have been known to live in roofs of houses and sheds.
Produce loud noises
Possums are shy animals, and they will usually avoid areas with a lot of noise. You can make noise by playing music, banging on pots and pans, or using a loud air horn.
Possums are repelled by the stench of garlic, ammonia and mothballs. So go ahead and scatter those around where you think possums might hang out. Garlic works best when it's crushed. If you decide to use ammonia, be careful!
Similar to their interactions with humans, an opossum is not likely to prey on cats, dogs or other furry friends. If frightened by your pet, the opossum will likely play dead or emit a horrible stench.
Main predators include dogs, coyotes, foxes, bobcats, large hawks, and great horned owls. The chance of rabies in opossums is extremely rare.
Squirrels are unique in that they leave their feces in the same area over time.
It might be house mouse droppings or it could be German, American or Smokeybrown cockroach droppings. These cockroaches will use cracks, crevices and voids to travel around. Another possibility is that it could be drywood termites, which will even infest furniture.
Most likely those little balls of poop you are finding on the ground are coming from wild rabbits roaming around your neighborhood. (Penny is used for scale). These balls (called pellets) is similar to the appearance of peppercorn, although with a smoother surface.