Things You Should Know. Scare possums away by putting motion-activated lights or sprinklers in your yard. Alternatively, spread repellents, like ammonia, garlic cloves, or chemical sprays.
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.
Installing motion-activated sprinklers or lights can get expensive. However, it can be effective if you can't seem to keep them away. The sudden light or water will scare the opossums away and deter them from coming back. Predator Guard's Solar LED Deterrent Lights work well for nocturnal predators and pest animals.
Light. 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.
Motion sensor lights on your roof are a great way to keep possums away from your home.
Vicks can be used for a home-made remedy. Mix equal quantities of Vaseline and Vicks VapoRub on a plastic container. Use a knife to spread the mixture along any known possum routes eg along fences. Spotlights trained onto trees can often be effective in reducing possum attacks.
Main predators include dogs, coyotes, foxes, bobcats, large hawks, and great horned owls. The chance of rabies in opossums is extremely rare. When frightened, opossums bare their 50 sharp teeth and hiss or growl. However, they would rather avoid confrontation and be left alone.
Plants to deter possums
But, if you discover some plants that they ignore that grow well, plant more of them! Plants that aren't touched in my garden include acanthus, agapanthus, box and lavender. One handy technique is to include some sacrificial plants in the garden.
Motion lights - Put up motion detector lights to startle possums when they start poking around where they're not wanted. Sprinklers - Install motion-activated sprinklers and put them on a timer so they come on in the overnight hours when possums are most active.
Mothballs and bleach effectively deter possums because of their unpleasant smells. Mothballs and bleach both effectively scare away possums. The reason these repellants work is simple: possums can't stand the smell. Their sense of smell is extremely keen, keener than any of their other senses.
Natural possum deterrents
Keep possums out of your garden environmentally. Planting agapanthus, citronella varieties, lavender and rosemary bushes around your veggie patch may help keep the wallabies away.
What smell does a possum hate? Possums dislike the smell of pepper, ammonia, garlic and naphthalene.
The neighbors may complain too if the sounds are too loud. Possums hate the sounds of predator animals, such as grunting, hissing or screeching. Those may be the best sounds to use to scare them away.
Antifreeze is a very dangerous substance, that will not only kill the opossum that you are trying to get rid of it, but could also kill household pets such as cats and dogs, other forms of wildlife that you might actively be trying to encourage in your garden, and even your children if you are not careful!
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.
Aggressive behavior by an opossum is usually in response to a situation where they feel threatened. They may hiss, screech, or bare their teeth to ward off an attack.
Opossums generally eat fruit, grains and insects, but will also eat out of compost piles, garbage cans and pet food dishes if they can get access. They have been known to eat fish, birds and mammals as well. Opossums usually have two to three litters per year, with an average of seven young in each litter.
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.
Yates Possum Repellent Spray is a patented formulation and contains ingredients that repel possums and help reduce feeding damage. You can use it on both edible and ornamental plants. Always read instructions prior to use and only apply as directed.
Customer feedback has indicated that, while designed for mice, rats and small rodents, they can be effective against smaller possums, ultrasonic deterrents do not kill or harm possums but aim to prevent them from coming near your property.