Possums are a prevalent species found throughout the country. Possums can damage numerous plants, including regenerated forests, fruit trees, pine plantations, and flowers. They’re also responsible for damage to vegetable gardens and decorative plans when they access residential areas.
Possums are omnivores, so they eat numerous plants, fruits, vegetables, and birds eggs and also hunt prey like frogs, snakes, rodents, and invertebrates. Their love for bird eggs is known to threaten many species of native birds, which are already under threat from habitat destruction.
Possums are also responsible for extensive home damage. They chew on electrical wiring, creating potential fire hazards across the home. Possums can damage woodwork and spread undesirable pests like ticks and fleas.
Possums carry numerous diseases which can be transmitted to humans either by skin-to-fur contact or when cleaning up their feces.
Therefore, it's important you learn how to keep possums away from garden areas and the rest of your property. So, in this article, we will look at the best options to repel possums naturally.
Prune Trees
One of the first things to consider when learning how to get rid of possums from garden areas is to consider their native habitat. They love to live in trees and prefer those with many branches and lots of cover.
Therefore, it is a good idea to prune the trees in your garden regularly. Ensuring that there is limited cover for the possums to hide. You might also disturb the possums which will then seek new hiding spots.
Possums have a great sense of smell. Their noses are well developed, which helps with hunting, however, their well-developed olfactory sense does have a downside, which means there are specific scents that they distaste and cannot stand to be around.
Some of these include animal-based fertiliser, ammonia, hot chillies, fish oil, bleach, mothballs, and garlic. Using some of these items in your garden or around the home can help you deter possums from accessing your yard.
Water Deterrent
The product Motion Activated Water Sprinkler System is in the picture
The Garden Sentinel from Envirobug is a unique product that uses solar power to power a device that can easily deter possums from areas of the garden. The device uses a sensor that detects the warm bodies of pests, like possums. Then it sprays the area with water, which is enough of a shock to scare most pests from the location.
In addition, the device makes a loud noise, which can startle the animal away. This device is not just useful for keeping possums away from your property, but can also be a handy option for keeping birds and other pests away from the garden.
Ultrasonic Pest Repeller
Using an ultrasonic pest repeller is a great way to reduce the chances of a possum entering your home. This device emits sounds at a high frequency not heard by humans, cats, or dogs. These sounds can be irritating to rodents and possums, and they will vacate an area.
One of these devices can cover spaces of more than 370 square meters which can be a great way to keep possums away from plants, like vegetable patches.
Check for Openings
Possums love to hide out in roof spaces. So be sure there are no access points across your property where possums can access the space. For example, you might find a couple of loose tiles with a small opening and a hole in the wall.
Removing these access points prevents possums from using them completely. And therefore, they have to find a new home.
Add LED Lights to the Garden
Possums are very secretive and like to be out at night. Therefore, they tend to stay away from areas where there is plenty of bright light. Adding LED lights to your garden can make your outdoor spaces look attractive and ensure that possums don’t intrude.
Sometimes, however, the possum can find ways around the lights.
Quassia Chips
Quassia chips are created using the bark of a South American tree. However, they are also available in Australia, most garden centres or nurseries have these for sale. You add 100g of these chips to 2 litres of water. Then you can heat the mixture for one hour, strain, and then add one tablespoon of detergent to the solution.
Dilute this mixture with four parts water and then spray around the garden. This will deter possums most of the time, and it isn’t a particularly horrible smell either.
Predator Hair
Possums will not go anywhere near where potential predators are. Therefore, you can use dingo, cat, and dog hair around your garden to scare away the possums. While this might seem slightly less effective, it can be one of the most effective options because of the highly developed smell and the desire to not come close to these threats.
Possums are Protected by Law
When learning how to get rid of possums in your yard or other property features, it is important to consider the law. Possums are protected under Australian law. However, you can control the Brushtail possum. These laws are:
- A possum can only be trapped by someone living in the home, a member of the building’s maintenance staff, or a certified possum controller.
- The trap must not cause injury and be in a location that is not in direct sunlight, rain, wind, or pets.
- The possum must be released on the day of capture.
- Or the possum needs to be humanely put down by a licensed veterinarian, at the trapper’s expense.
Final Word: How to Get Rid of Possums
Possums can pose a significant risk to property and health. Trying to get rid of possums naturally from your home is vital for health and finances, not to mention sanity. Above are several ways that you can do this and using two or more of these can be the best option for you to keep them away.
