In their natural
environment, possums usually live in
tree hollows but with the loss of native
bushland many of these natural homes
have been destroyed. Being highly
territorial, possums do not relocate
easily and so they sometimes seek safe
shelter in your roof.
If a possum has made its
home in your roof, follow these steps to
remove the possum and ensure that it
does not return.
1. Provide an
alternative home for the possum by
constructing a sturdy weatherproof
possum-house (see
our guide to making a possum house,
or
contact your local NPWS office).
2. Where possible, get
inside your roof and locate the possum's
nest. The nest, which has the scent of
the possum, should be placed in the new
possum-house to encourage the possum to
its new home.
3. Securely fix the
possum-house to a tree in or near your
yard. Place it at least 4 metres (12
feet) from the ground so the possum will
be out of reach of domestic cats and
dogs.
4. To encourage the
possum to investigate its new home, put
half an apple or banana in or near the
possum-house.
5. Trim any branches
that overhang the roof to remove access
to your roof.
6. Spread some quassia
chips throughout the roof cavity to
repel the possum. These chips come from
quassia plants, which are native to
Central and South America. You can
usually find quassia chips at hardware
stores, or your local pharmacy may be
able to order some for you.
If you can't find
quassia chips, you could repel the
possum by spreading eight blocks of
camphor or one or two boxes of mothballs
throughout the roof cavity. Do not use
both camphor and moth balls as they
react chemically with each other.
7. Place a light in the
roof cavity and keep it switched on for
3 days and nights. The combination of
the light and the smell should drive the
possum out of your roof and hopefully
into the possum-house you have provided.
8. If you do not hear
the possum for a few nights, it has
probably found a new home. To prevent
the possum from returning, block off the
access points into your roof with
timber, chicken wire or both. Night-time
is the best time to block off the access
points as the possum will have left to
forage for food. Do not block off the
access points unless you are certain the
possum or possums have left your roof.
If this does not deter
the possum, you may need to trap the
possum.
Where to get a licence
and a trap
Possums are protected in
NSW and catching possums without a
licence is illegal in NSW.
Alternatively, a pest
control company, licensed by DECC, can
trap the possum for you.See
map of possum captures in Sydney.
Remember to block off
the access points into your roof and to
provide a possum-house if you intend to
try trapping.
What happens to the
possum after it's caught
The possum must be
released back onto your property at
dusk. Bushland areas rarely have any
vacant territories, so if you were to
release the possum in another area, it
would have to search and compete with
other possums for shelter and food in
unfamiliar territory.
The NPWS may relocate
possums to other areas, but only as a
last resort.
Making friends with a
possum
By providing a possum
house, you are encouraging the possum to
stay and claim your yard as its
territory. The possum will then
discourage other possums from moving
into your roof and yard. By making
friends with a possum, you can help to
conserve the species and learn about
their way of life at the same time.
More information
