Opossum problems

[Lyman]

Anyone have any problems with opossums? I had one dig under the skirting on my house and start scratching around the other morning. Had to chase him out after work later that day. Darn thing did the same a day later. I ended up having to bury a few bricks where it was digging. Hopefully, he gets the hint.

 

[FirstNissan]

I have had a squirrel problem in the past, went for the non-lethal deterrent. Kept my dogs out in the backyard during the daytime, squirrels didn't come back again!

 

[Lyman]

No dog. I'd love one but I am not home enough to own a dog.

 

[NormanBuntz]

If they are sensitive to smell like raccoons, try sprinkling some moth balls or crushed red pepper around their entry point. Man those things are ugly.

 

[Lyman]

Originally Posted By: NormanBuntz
If they are sensitive to smell like raccoons, try sprinkling some moth balls or crushed red pepper around their entry point. Man those things are ugly.
Great idea. I will give it a try. And yes they are ugly little critters. There are plenty around here but never had one dig under the house before.

 

[RedOakRanch]

My old boss trapped them one year and turned them over to animal control. At the end of the year he bragged about turning over 26 opposums. The animal control guy said the lady at the end of his street had turned in over 50! Where do these things come from?

 

[bioburner]

yep, moth balls and cayenne pepper keeps a very wide array of vermin away
They got up to MN by having burrowed into hay bales that got shipped up from down south during one of our droughts

 

[Lyman]

I know that they have plenty of babies. Normally I only see one every once in a while. I sure hope this problem doesn't get any worse.

 

[CT8]

They are nasty creatures.

 

[aquariuscsm]

Aww he's so sweet! Heehee

They're supposed to be really good mousers. Might be a good idea to keep around.

 

[Lyman]

I just found this. Pretty interesting. http://www.dfwwildlife.org/opossum.html

 

[GenesisGuy70]

I've sent .22 rounds into the skulls of a many 'possums after they found themselves stuck in my traps.

No mercy for the vermin!

 

[MinamiKotaro]

Possums are very low risk of rabies or fleas and they can eat spiders, insects, and even small mammals if they really need protein. I don't bother them.

 

[spasm3]

If its trying to get under your home that bad, it smells something it wants. I'd check for mice or bugs, or snakes. I have a bunch around me, i don't bother them either. They clean up any left over cat food, which keeps the ants down.

 

[Lyman]

Originally Posted By: spasm3
If its trying to get under your home that bad, is smells something it wants. I'd check for mice or bugs, or snakes. I have a bunch around me, i don't bother them either. They clean up any left over cat food, which keeps the ants down.
I did notice some black widow webs with eggs while I was looking under there. Maybe he was just cleaning up the place for me.

 

[SubLGT]

Maybe she was looking for a safe place to give birth to a litter of 13 ?

 

[hr1940]

When we moved here 2 Opossums thought this was their home too. One was young and he came over about 9:00 PM for his dinner and at 11:00 PM an older one came over for his dinner. The older one was crippled. I fed them dry cat food. I did not have many critters (snakes, spiders, etc.) as you would expect. They left and just recently 2 more started showing up on the front porch. The dogs will not allow them in the back yard (the back yard is fenced).

 

[Virtus_Probi]

Originally Posted By: RedOakRanch
My old boss trapped them one year and turned them over to animal control. At the end of the year he bragged about turning over 26 opposums. The animal control guy said the lady at the end of his street had turned in over 50! Where do these things come from?


They are started to show up much more in Northern New England due to the warming of the climate.

 

[Kira]

RedOakRanch asked, "Where do these things come from?"

Momma opossum + sperm = mo opossums.

And remember, The "O" in opossum is like the pee in swimming. It's silent.

 

[ChiTDI]

If you do want to deter their efforts to live under your home and the moth balls/cayenne doesn't work, there is another alternative.
Get a battery powered radio that you can put where they wish to live. Leave on constantly at a very low volume, and they will be gone before the AAs wear out. Drives them crazy.