Possums are capable of causing a lot of damage to plants if they feed on them repeatedly. Like other rodents, opossums hate spices. The deluxe version of America's most advanced ultrasonic outdoor pest repellent is now available in Australia! When you install a birds spike, not only are you scaring away opossums and other pests, you are increasing the safety of your yard, garden, or property. Possums' Eating Habits Possums make a beeline for fresh, juicy young growth, favouring everything from flower buds to vegetable seedlings. It is possible to deter them from leaving by using scents such as camphor, garlic, onion, hot peppers, molasses, wolfs urine, ammonia, and pet fur around where they frequent, allowing you to control them. In terms of vegetables, they will eat anything they can get their paws on. Opossums dont have a good reputationand are commonly put into the category of rats and raccoons. And special small mesh wire can be bought that will stop mice getting through. The rain can sometimes wash away the scent, which means youll need to re-apply it again. One of the most loved ingredients to humans is one of the most hated scents by possums. Possums are omnivorous animals, meaning that they eat both plants and animals. Opossums are used to being in the dark; being in light will make them feel unsafe as predators can see them and will actually confuse a possum itself. Mothballs and possums. Onions, along with garlic, have such strong scents that it overwhelms a possums senses and leaves a bad taste in their mouths. They, and Brushtails, also eat flowers, fruits and veggies. They can kill 95% of ticks in the ticks season as well as eat other pests like rats, cockroaches, mice absolutely free. Since they have a delicate sense of smell, you can use a strong odor to discourage them from coming into your home or garden. To add pet fur to your outdoor spaces, collect the hair that your pet has shed, or use the hair that is in the brush after you brush your pet and place it around the perimeter of your outdoor spaces. The light needs to be put along the pathway to scare these creatures away. "You've really got to live with them," Mr Kerin said. It is best to use the same batch every two weeks or every time the weather changes. Possums are mainly, plant eaters, favouring eucalyptus and other leaves, ferns, buds, flowers and fruits. Possums, like kangaroos and koalas, are carnivorous animals. The first thing is to heat the water and leave it to boil. Weight: From less than an ounce to over 20 pounds. Opossums kill thousands of ticks each week, inhibiting the spread of Lyme Disease to humans. The Opossum: Its Amazing Story. Protection sprays can be used to help in this situation. They will eat anything that they're able to, so if a smaller chicken is within reach, they won't say no. It can persist through wet cold periods and notably dry summers. Because of the fact that they are scavengers, there is no doubt that opossums will eat whatever they find. Poachers can be successfully stopped by employing one of two methods. The hole is approximately the size of a skunk nose. The light needs to be installed in areas where the opossum is likely to be active, like hiding places, trees, logs, lawn, trash bins, compost, and woodpiles. "If you get a stocking and fill the bottom of the stocking with blood and bone and hang it in a tree it will go a bit rank but it will deter some of the native wildlife.". But either way, if you have a possum or opossum problem and scents are not working, there are some other things you can try. That said, lets look at the 18 natural deterrents for opossums. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Possums natural resistance to certain snake venoms makes them an ideal snake predator. She has a passion for lavender and has been growing and studying the plant for many years. Mixing ammonia with water, following all product directions, and generously spraying ammonia around garbage cans, sheds, under decks, and crawl spaces can work quickly and effectively in deterring possums. Choosing the right company can assist you in selecting the right professional as soon as possible. In the shop, you can find pest spikes that are made from polycarbonate. While there are plants that possums love - especially roses, maples and magnolias - they will eat just about anything. While there are a handful of observations of ratsnakes eating other snakes, it should not be considered a common occurrence. The rag will act as a wick to disperse the fumes. Possums in the garden are a topic for the week. In fact, no one should ever be close enough to the scent to breathe in the fumes of it, and if you are using it, ammonia should always be handled with extreme caution. "Does it deter them? Every week, well look at the latest news and trends in urban gardening in Love of Dirt. Dogs or any other pet shouldnt be let roam around when the opossum is around because they may attack the pet when cornered. These common pests of leafy, Read More Why Scale Can Spread To Other Plants (And What To Do)Continue, Your email address will not be published. Whether its scraps from the garbage, or the fruits on your fruit trees, or crops from your garden, opossums will get their hands into all types of food. Opossums wont stand a strong smell. Do possums eat azaleas? That means, you want have opossums or raccoons coming around. Conclusion. Australian possums eat: Leaves - Just like koalas, possums are suckers for eucalyptus leaves. There are some plants the native wildlife, in particular, do not like to eat and these can be used as a natural deterrent. Heat 100g of the chips in a half-gallon of water in medium heat for an hour. The good news is, that all these natural deterrents are an excellent way of keeping opossums away. Although birds can provide, Read More 11 Easy Tips To Keep Birds Out Of Your Swimming PoolContinue, Chipmunks can be cute little animals that scamper about and stuff acorns, peanuts, sunflowers seeds, and whatever else in their cheeks. 1 cup molasses and 1 litre of water have to be mixed in a mixing bowl. Opossums have a round face and round body with brown or golden fur, and opossums have gray to white coarse fur with a pointed face. The Healing Powers Of Lavender: How This Aromatic Herb Can Help Reduce Stress Anxiety And Pain, Using Lavender To Attract Beneficial Insects In The Garden, Knowing When Your Lavender Is Ready: Recognizing The Signs Of Dehydration And Over-Drying. Blood and bone fertilizer is also a time-tested strategy for keeping possums away. Living the nocturnal lifestyle, possums are commonly seen at night, and although very cute up close, they may scare you if you werent expecting one! Much like the pet fur, or the wolfs urine, the decoy presents an actual animal, and it will be hard for a possum to tell if its real or not since it wont get close enough! Because they enjoy eating fruits and vegetables, possums frequently enjoy our gardens, eating edibles and green plants while making their homes in compost piles, shrubbery, garden sheds, and even inside our homes. Hot pepper extract is a popular natural deterrent. These have been beneficial not only to possums, but also to white cabbage moth caterpillars. Spread something that smells potent. The mix of Vicks and vaseline can also be applied underneath the top rail of the fence or chicken wire. It can also happen when rats become aggressive. In the wild, they will munch on nuts, grass and fruit.. Mothballs have been proven to work as a possum repellent, as they're unappealing and naturally repulse possums. Therefore they will choose to stay away from your properties. You can either buy predators urine from the shop, or you can collect it. Possums are nocturnal animals that are native to Australia. Ensure that you place the light in a strategic position that opossums are likely to use, and you wont be seeing them. If this doesnt seem to help, placing minced garlic on small plates in your gardens can do the trick. To make quassia chips spray, youll need 2 liter of water, 100g of chips, and one tablespoon of detergent. If you dont have a spray bottle, you can use crushed garlic cloves or mix minced garlic and water with water and place it around your yard or spray it on surfaces where the animals are active. This website primarily references personal learning experiences. Best of all, opossums have a taste for ticks. Some of these are most likely resistant to other animals. Planting agapanthus, citronella varieties, lavender and rosemary bushes around your veggie patch may help keep the wallabies away. They also can be found rummaging around in compost bins and often snack on native and exotic garden plants, so keeping your garden possum-free is important. Therefore limiting opossum from reaching within that area. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. Many of you asked what the oppossums were eating in the previous opossum video. For example, possums have been known to eat the flowers, leaves, and fruits of the grevillea plant. Non-toxic tips to keep animals from eating your garden, There is an emergency bushfire warning in place for Maintongoonin Victoria. Possums also enjoy a feed of bread and . The wire flops outwards, making it hard for the possum to get over it. Once you set the correct timing and frequency when you believe the opossum will be around, they will start to function. Mr Kerin said not a day goes by without someone coming to his nursery, complaining of animals eating their plants and looking for ways to stop them. The average possum weighs 5 pounds, where the average opossum weighs. A. Its common for them to startle them just enough for them to leave. They also feed on insects. Whats the best way to prevent possums from attacking my dog? Generally, animals wont bother with another dead animal and will keep on moving. This works well for those in rural or semi-rural areas establishing a new garden. While they may not eat the entire plant, they can cause significant damage to a lavender patch if they are not stopped. Possums are small to medium-sized marsupials native to Australia, New Guinea, Sulawesi, and Indonesia. My interests are photographing animals and plants, vacationing with my family, enjoying my grandchildren, dancing, hiking, canoeing and kayaking, gardening, winter activities, leading nature walks, writing notes on nature, and home improvements (we are renovating our retirement home). Do possum traps work? Once they find their way in your garden, possums will eat potatoes, carrots, tomatoes, peas, beans, herbs like coriander, basil or parsley, chards, broccoli, and many more. Pest Control Weekly is reader-supported. Aside from insect pests, garden slugs, rodents, toads, snakes, and even dead animals that might otherwise rot in your garden, your opossums will also eat insects, rodents, toads, snakes, and even dead animals if you leave it there. Believe it or not,opossums do not hibernateand are out and about during the colder months. Vicks vapor rub is an excellent natural deterrent for opossum. Ultrasonic sounds are inaudible to humans but make noise for opossums. 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