Mothballs and bleach effectively deter possums because of their unpleasant smells. Mothballs and bleach both effectively scare away possums. The reason these repellants work is simple: possums can't stand the smell. Their sense of smell is extremely keen, keener than any of their other senses.
Use Scent to Get Rid of Possums
Bleach - Spray a solution of bleach (one part) and water (10 parts) around areas you want to keep possums away from. Mothballs - Spread mothballs around to keep them away, or even to flush them out of areas they like to hide in.
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.
Antifreeze is a very dangerous substance, that will not only kill the opossum that you are trying to get rid of it, but could also kill household pets such as cats and dogs, other forms of wildlife that you might actively be trying to encourage in your garden, and even your children if you are not careful!
Mixing either peppermint oil, ammonia, cayenne pepper, hot sauce or garlic with water in a spray bottle and misting it in possum-prone areas can be effective home remedies.
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.
They also rarely catch Lyme disease from tick bites, and are immune to the stings of honeybees and scorpions, botulism toxin, and snake venom. Lucky for us and for the ecosystem, opossums use their powers of immunity for good.
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 have very keen senses of smell, so they are easily repelled by certain scents. Ammonia is particularly effective. To create your own possum repellent, try this method by pouring some ammonia into a container with a lid. Slice a hole into the lid and feed a rag through.
Poison – though a common option, poisons rarely work for possums and there is none that is legally approved for use. Some of the poisons commonly used are rat poison, antifreeze, and strychnine. Poisoning is an inhumane and mostly ineffective way to kill any pest as they suffer a lot and may not even die in the end.
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.
Opossums are more likely to growl, hiss and show their 50 sharp teeth than to bite. They are a relatively placid animal and like to avoid confrontation at all costs. However, if cornered they do have the ability to bite.
Cyanide poison provides an effective means of controlling possums whilst minimising the potential risk to the environment, birds and other non- target species. Cyanide paste and pellets used by possum hunters is coloured green, so that it should not be mistaken for other non-toxic substances.
When an opossum goes into this comatose state, they also begin to emit a foul odor similar to that of a decaying corpse. Their body secretes this smelly substance from their anus when the comatose reaction is triggered. This putrid smell along with their “dead” state is what really drives the predators away.
Make your own garlic spray by mixing 2 tablespoons of crushed garlic with one litre of hot water. Let the concoction stand overnight, then strain. You now have a possum repellent you can use on fruits, leaves, and other plant parts that possums love to chew on.
Mothballs and bleach effectively deter possums because of their unpleasant smells. Mothballs and bleach both effectively scare away possums. The reason these repellants work is simple: possums can't stand the smell. Their sense of smell is extremely keen, keener than any of their other senses.
"Possums are very much like people; they are individuals and will react to different things," he said. "What is found to probably be the most effective is a pungent smell." Mr Smith said onion and garlic seemed to be the most successful in small scientific trials looking for natural deterrents.
Contrary to popular belief, possums and opossums rarely if ever carry rabies. Possums rarely if ever have rabies. Although it's technically possible for them to carry the disease, scientists hypothesize that their unusually low body temperature makes it difficult for the rabies virus to survive.
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Yes. Possums will absolutely kill and eat chickens. However, it is worth noting that they are lazy hunters. They are primarily scavengers and will eat: road kill, dead things, small mammals, insects (especially ticks), fruits, and berries.
Although considered a nuisance in some areas where their populations are high, opossums provide natural pest control. They kill and eat mice, rats and cockroaches, as well as snails, slugs and other garden pests, according to the National Wildlife Foundation(Opens in a new window).
The Species Has Its Weaknesses
Dining on roadkill, one of its many food sources, shortens an opossum's lifespan considerably. So does the cold.
So far scientists fully understand venom resistance in only four mammals - mongooses, honey badgers, hedgehogs and pigs - as well as several snakes. The golden poison frog is one of the most toxic animals on Earth, deadly to almost all animals except one.
Feratox is the trade name for an encapsulated form of cyanide that has been used for possum control in New Zealand since the 1960s. We use cyanide because: It is fast acting – possums become unconscious within one minute and die three to four minutes later. It is effective for use in high possum density areas.