A hungry possum can be difficult to keep off your house or garden. They can wreak havoc in your garden or house by spilling your garbage cans, digging small holes in the ground, eating your chickens, destroying your crops and gardens.
Possums can be a nuisance if they get into your garden or house, but they are also very helpful in making the environment clean and healthy by catching and eating the insects. Possums are one of the most misunderstood animals being dangerous, but they are peaceful animals that do not cause any harm to humans unless provoked. They usually hiss, growl or sometimes even bite when they feel angry or threatened.
It is prohibited to kill possums in many countries. You can trap and relocate them but can’t kill them. Whereas in some countries, killing possums is not a crime due to all the destruction they are causing the farmers, homeowners, etc.
If you are also here because of these little creatures that are causing you trouble and you are thinking about killing them. Then first try out these few tricks to scare them away from your house.
Cat/Dog Hair
Possums are passive creatures and mostly scared of both cats and dogs and avoid the places where they smell both of them.
Just scatter your pet hairs in the area where you don’t want them, and this smell will be enough to shoo them far away from your house. Keep in mind that it does not require you to pet a dog or cat; just the hairs will do wonders. Thus, it is an effective way for people who don’t like to have pets in their homes.
Garlic
Possums hate garlic because of its strong smell, so it can be utilized as a natural repellent. You can grow garlic in your garden or place or hang garlic cloves anywhere in your home, and they will not come near your home.
You can make a DIY garlic spray by mixing 2 tablespoons of freshly crushed garlic with one liter of hot water, allowing it to stand overnight, and then spray it in your garden and in the home to keep them away.
Camphor balls or mothballs
Mothballs or camphor balls are made of different plants that are used as a repellent to keep insects as well as possums away. Mothballs are made from a toxic chemical dichlorobenzene or naphthalene, whereas camphor balls are a natural product made from wood.
Possum doesn’t like the smell of camphor balls or mothballs. Place one of them at a time anywhere in your house to prevent possums from coming inside the house. It is suggested to put the mothballs in the possum’s pathways.
Ammonia
Ammonia has a noxious odor, so it acts as a repellent against possums. They cannot stand the smell of ammonia.
Make a mixture of half ammonia and half water and spray it regularly on your garbage or anywhere you see them. As possums are attracted to trash bins, they will not come near to them if you have applied this mixture.
Try to be careful while using ammonia; due to its high concentration, it can be dangerous and life-threatening for possums, and also it can cause serious health issues in humans like lung damage, infections, and even death.
Grow plants that possums hate
Many non-toxic plants, like chrysanthemums, agapanthus, citronella, lavender and rosemary bushes, mint, and geraniums, can be used as a barrier in your garden to keep your vegetables safe and these wallabies away. By growing these plants, you are not only keeping the possums away, but also helping the environment.
Setting a trap
You can use motion-activated sprinklers or trapping cages. But be careful while using a trap. Remember, a trap should not be too large as it can cause injury to them.
Use food they love to eat, like apples or fish, as bait to catch them in a trap. As possums always remain in search of food, they will definitely be going to fall into a trap.
Use Lights and Noise
Possums are nocturnal creatures that are scared of lights and come out when it is dark. So, use it as an advantage and place extra lights in your garden or around the area of your house to keep them away.
Possums could be lurking around your loop to eat chickens and steal eggs. Possums will kill your chickens by biting on their neck and then eating their flesh and stealing their eggs as well.
Since possums hate both noise and light, you can play a radio near their coop or, at night, as they dislike both light and noise, you can use fairy lights or Christmas lights, which will deter them from coming close to your chickens and keep them away.
Conclusion
Possums are incredibly smart animals and can easily become comfortable with the sights and sounds of a house. The best way to scare possums away is to make sure that you are not attracting them to your house with food, water, or shelter. If they are currently living on your property, you can make it less inviting by removing any trees that they are living in, making sure that your yard is not littered with food, and making sure that they cannot find any shelter underneath your home.
In any case, possums should not be taken for granted, and you must do something to keep them away, or else, you will have to bear the high cost. Have you ever had a bad experience with possums? How did you get control of them?