Plants to deter possums 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.
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.
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!
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!
Possums despise the smell of peppermint, so mixing a few drops of peppermint oil with some water can serve as a homemade possum repellent. Place the mixture in a spray bottle, and mist your garden and the entrances to your home.
Main predators include dogs, coyotes, foxes, bobcats, large hawks, and great horned owls. The chance of rabies in opossums is extremely rare.
The Species Has Its Weaknesses
So does the cold. The opossum's body is not able to put on layers of fat to insulate it through the winter, so it has to huddle in its den (or your barn) to survive any temperatures below 19 degrees.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Opossums have high mortality rates at all ages. They are killed by dogs, coyotes, foxes, raccoons, bobcats, eagles, hawks, and owls, with young opossums being the most vulnerable.
In many cultures, possums are symbols of good luck, fertility, and abundance. They are also great problem-solvers, and their ability to adapt to changing circumstances makes them excellent teachers. If you have been feeling lost or confused lately, it may be time to connect with your inner possum.
Small mammals including possums and bandicoots often consume poisons such as snail bait, or rat bait that has been laid out to attract and kill rats, mice, and rabbits. Poisons such as pindone are often added to oats or carrots, and lead to a slow, painful death of internal bleeding.
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.
Preyed On: Powerful owls are known to eat possum heads.
Most possums are shy and non-aggressive when compared to other animals. While they are prone to a defensive stance that involves baring their teeth and hissing, this act is often as much of a bluff as “playing possum.” When under attack, these animals sometimes “play possum” by pretending to be dead.
Fencing in or clearing out areas in which opossums can hide will eliminate many problems with these animals. If you know where they are hiding near your house, you can also place some rags soaked in apple cider vinegar near the area you see them- they dislike strong odors.
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.
Trapping: In urban areas or close to houses, trapping is the best option for possum control, since neither shooting nor poisons are appropriate for safety reasons. Many local councils restrict the use of leg-hold traps in cities but kill traps such as the Timms trap may be a good option.