Possums are nocturnal, meaning they come out at night, typically emerging from their dens around dusk and staying active until dawn, foraging for food and mates, with peak activity often noted after dark and before midnight. If you see one out during the day, it might be sick, injured, orphaned, or a mother searching for food for her young, so it's best to contact a wildlife rescue organization like WIRES (Wire Rescue Line) Australia, WIRES (Wire Rescue Line) Australia, or similar local groups for advice.
They are nocturnal marsupials and prefer to stay active during nighttime. Tree hollows and roof cavities provide ideal shelter for them in daylight hours. If these areas in urban Australia become their resting places, the various distinctive Australian possum noise will likely resonate through your property.
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.
While they have keen night vision, their general vision is weak. In particular, opossums struggle to differentiate colors.
Possums come around houses seeking easy food, water, and safe shelter, drawn by unsecured trash, pet food, fallen fruit, compost, and cozy spots like roof cavities or woodpiles for warmth and protection from predators. They're opportunistic, so your yard becomes an appealing buffet and hotel, especially when natural food sources are scarce or your home offers ideal nesting.
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.
There are a few things that will attract opossums to your house:
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 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.
And yes, opossums will stay in one territory area in their lifetime, however, they won't sleep in the same den every night and tend to rotate den sights every 2-3 days. The best way to see them every night is to have natural food source on your property.
To get rid of possums fast, eliminate their food and water sources (trash, pet food, fallen fruit), secure entry points to your home (roof, vents, under decks) with mesh, and use strong deterrents like motion-activated lights/sprinklers, ammonia-soaked rags, or predator urine, while also trimming tree branches near your house to block access. For persistent issues, humane trapping and professional removal are options, but always check local wildlife laws first.
Opossums have a few natural predators; larger mammals such as bobcats, foxes, and coyotes pose a significant threat to the opossum, as do feral cats and also household pets such as dogs and cats – especially if the opossum is making nightly visits to backyards.
Possums are mostly herbivorous animals, which means the bulk (no pun intended) of their diet is plant-based. Australian possums eat: Leaves - Just like koalas, possums are suckers for eucalyptus leaves. If there is no eucalyptus around, they settle for other plants, such as green plum, acacia, red bush apple, and more.
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.
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.
Territorial battles: Your home might be the battleground for a possum turf war, where hissing, growling, and even physical fights break out. Fear response: If a possum feels cornered or threatened, expect a dramatic display—bared teeth, lunging, and screeching.
Possums are opportunistic feeders, which means they'll keep returning to places where food is easy to find. Open garbage cans, fallen fruit in the yard, bird feeders, or leftover pet food are irresistible to them. Once they discover these resources, they often return night after night until the supply runs out.
Security – Keep your yard well lit all night. Do this for quite awhile so that transient opossums will not consider your property attractive – being nocturnal they *like* darkness. This is one of the most effective things you can do.
If there's an opossum in your backyard, don't worry. They aren't a threat and more than likely will be moving on in a short while. The best way to keep them from visiting is to have tight-fitting lids on garbage cans and not to leave any pet food outside overnight.
On a practical level, it could be a sign your yard has become an easy food source or a comfortable hiding place. For those curious about spiritual meaning, some believe a possum encounter symbolizes adaptability, resourcefulness, or a warning to pay attention to your surroundings.
Even tiny insects can solve seemingly complex problems by working together. You've heard of IQ? Well, EQ—encephalization quotient—is the measure used to describe an animal's intelligence by comparing its brain to that of a creature of the same size. Humans have an EQ of about 7.5, whereas a possum has an EQ of 0.2.
Possums are nocturnal and highly vocal — especially in urban areas where space is limited. They use sounds to: Defend their territory. Attract a mate.
Noise is just as effective. Radios, barking dogs, or ultrasonic devices can all create an environment that feels too risky for a possum to settle into.
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.
An opossum can become aggressive if cornered and can bite and scratch. Plus, they carry parasites and diseases that can be transmitted to people and pets. Critter Control is a wildlife removal service with over 40 years of experience in humane and effective opossum removal, exclusion, and repair.