Those predators include foxes, coyotes, and bobcats, as well as predatory birds such as hawks and owls. Some people also cook and eat opossums—and they think they're delicious!
They are killed by dogs, coyotes, foxes, raccoons, bobcats, eagles, hawks, and owls, with young opossums being the most vulnerable. Car kills in the fall and in winter conditions account for many opossum deaths. Opossums rarely live a full two years in the wild.
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.
The Common Brushtail Possum's main predators include Dingoes, pythons, foxes and cats.
Their food can be supplemented with small amounts of fruits and vegetables. Do not feed possums almonds, cheese, onions, dairy products, green potatoes or junk food.
Spicy Peppers – Like garlic, hot peppers produce a taste and scent opossums dislike. Mix one cup of water, a half cup of dish soap, and a half cup of hot sauce or crushed hot peppers together. Spray this mixture around your yard.
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.
What smell does a possum hate? Possums dislike the smell of pepper, ammonia, garlic and naphthalene.
Tea-based deterrent (T): boil two litres of water; add four heaped tablespoons of Lapsang Souchong tea; leave to cool, strain off liquid and apply from plastic spray bottle directly onto affected plants. Reapply every two weeks and always after rain. Make a fresh brew every time.
Make sure you use appropriate bait such as fruit, berries, vegetables, peanut butter which will attract the possum into the cage. An apple cut in half is a great lure for possums. Place the lure at the end of the trap so that the possum has to walk all the way in and step of the foot plate.
Australian possums often consume rat bait such as warfarin, which causes extensive internal bleeding, usually resulting in death. There is a very poor chance of survival.
Main predators include dogs, coyotes, foxes, bobcats, large hawks, and great horned owls. The chance of rabies in opossums is extremely rare.
Preyed On: Powerful owls are known to eat possum heads.
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!
Generally, no opossums, the only marisupal in North America, are not directly dangerous to people. When encountered directly, the creatures hiss and growl. Even though they have sharp teeth and claws, opossum attacks are rare and unlikely.
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.
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.
They mainly eat leaves of eucalypts but also some shrubs (mainly wattles), herbs, flowers and fruit. They forage in the canopy, in lower levels of the forest and on the ground. In urban areas, the Common Brushtail Possum will eat a variety of food including fruit and bread.
Sprinkling blood and bone fertiliser around the base of ornamental plants and fruit trees can act as a significant possum deterrent. They hate the smell, and will be less inclined to munch on treated plants!
Opossum are not aggressive: their open-mouth, defensive hissing is merely a bluff to look vicious. And if that doesn't work they play dead when really scared! If there is an opossum in the backyard, don't worry. They aren't a threat, and more than likely they will be moving on in a short while.
Possums love:
Eucalyptus leaves – they are the Ringtail Possums' favourite food. They, and Brushtails, also eat flowers, fruits and veggies. In your garden they love to eat roses, gardenias, fuchsias and passionfruit.
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).