Fixing the Problem of Possums in the Roof
The Shire of Capel is within one of the most biologically diverse regions in the world. Habitat that supports rare and endangered animals is scattered throughout the Shire. Many residential areas border onto areas of natural bushland and sometimes this can cause interaction with native animals that can be seen as a nuisance that needs to be managed.
Brush-tail and Ring-tail possums in the roof can cause all sorts of problems with noise at night and bad smells. Many older homes have a roof that is not sealed around the eaves. Any gaps into the roof space will allow access to both Ringtail and Brushtail possums who find living in roof-spaces very comfortable.
If you have a possum or possums in your roof you will need to take the following actions.
- Locate where the possum is getting in.
- Seal off all entry points except one. This can be done using small (20mm) chicken wire mesh, sheet metal or wood. Ensure it is secured well as possums, especially brushtails, will have a go at pulling it apart to gain entry. If you have a tiled roof it should be checked for loose tiles because possums can lift loose tiles and squeeze through into the roof cavity.
- Entice the possum out of the roof in the evening by providing some fruit near the remaining exit hole. Placing a light or a radio in the roof will also annoy the possum and make it want to leave.
- Seal up the hole, when you see the possum exit out of the roof space. Over the following few days it will become clear if a possum is trapped in the roof by its noisy attempts to escape.
The Damage Caused By Opossums
Opossums are skilled climbers, so it is easy for them to gain entry into a home through the foundation vents or even drain pipes while foraging for food. They are attracted to bird feeders, pet food bowls, trashcans, pantry food, and garden produce. As soon as they find steady food, they will look for a place to create a den close to the food. If you have an opossum problem, call Premier Rodent & Bird Proofing—the experts in opossum control near San Francisco . To find out more about the damage that opossums cause, read on.
Waste and Bacterial Growth
Opossums produce a shocking amount of waste. Their urine can stain the attic and ceiling, and their feces can leave an entire house smelling terrible along with inviting parasites and bacterial growth. Opossums are very messy, so they often bring their food indoors and leave scraps everywhere to rot. Opossums grow to be fairly large and their lifespan is only a few years, so they commonly die indoors. An opossum carcass can leave an unbelievable mess that attracts flies, other wildlife, and bacterial growth.
Torn Air Ducts and Walls
Dealing with an opossum problem is similar to dealing with a rodent infestation. If an opossum enters your attic and finds itself stuck, it may try to chew through the wall, air ducts, or insulation to get out.
Garden Destruction
Opossums make a huge mess while they are foraging for food. If you have a garden, you will need to protect it with a fence made to keep opossums out; otherwise, it could become a stomping ground for opossums and other pests.
The Damage Caused by OpossumsProperty Devaluation
Ask any possum control expert and they will tell you that a possum infestation , just like all other animal infestations, must be disclosed to potential property buyers. In addition to affecting the salability of the home, it negatively impacts the home’s value as well. If you have a possum problem, take care of it before you put your home on the market.
The Meaning of an Opossum Sighting
Shy and Silent
There’s a good chance that you’ve seen more than a few opossums in your lifetime. While these animals are often shy and don’t seek human conflict, they can be fairly ubiquitous in suburban and rural areas. If you feel as though an encounter with an opossum has a deeper meaning, it is worthwhile to take the time to ponder what has happened. Below is information that you can use to consider your opossum sighting.
Opossum Medicine Magic
Before we get into the meaning of an opossum sighting, maybe we should clear up the debate over “opossum” vs. possum.” While “possum” is often used colloquially in the United States to describe opossums, these terms refer to two different animals.
If you live in the U.S. and you have one of these creatures in your yard, you’ve got an opossum. However, if your backyard is located in Australia, then you have a possum, of which there are a few different types. Both the possum and the opossum are marsupials, but that’s their only relation. Otherwise, they are different animals with different traits and demeanors.
What does the opossum know that you don’t? Read with a life path psychic and find out.
One thing that both the possum and the opossum do have in common is they are very territorial. In truth, once one of these critters finds his or her personal place in the sun, (your backyard) they’re not big on sharing with other animals or other possums. Of course, mating would be the exception, and both male and female possums are serious parents. Mostly we’ll be looking at the American opossum, but wherever the word “possum” is mentioned, it means both the possum and the opossum.
Native American Medicine
In the Native American world, the word medicine can mean just what we think it means—a cure, a remedy—anything we use for healing. However, it can also mean the magic that animal totems bring to the table (or the forest) that people can emulate and use as helpful, even life-saving methods.
For instance, you may have seen a possum playing dead. While this trait has inspired the pejorative description of a person who is trying to avoid negative circumstances as “playing possum,” this particular behavior has an important adaptive purpose.
Possums have few natural defenses against aggression. When a possum decides that it can’t escape a dangerous situation by running away or attacking, its age-old instincts take over and it will pretend to be dead. This defense mechanism is also known as “thanatosis” or “tonic immobility.” Playing dead has at least two benefits for an animal. The first is that predators are often uninterested in attacking prey that is already dead. The second is that the animal playing dad has an opportunity to observe the predator and thus plan its escape.
Are Possums Bad Omens?
People may ask this question because, unfortunately, the opossum has a bad reputation in some quarters, but this reputation is undeserved and is the result of misunderstandings.
Opossums are not particularly fierce creatures who can easily fight with tooth and claw. They use clever defense mechanisms to protect themselves against predators; including playing dead, and working their jaws so that they drool when in the presence of predators. The drooling can make the predator believe that the possum is sick, possibly with rabies, and therefore an undesirable meal.
It should be noted that most possums are immune to rabies and generally do not attack humans, and can be household pets. Instead of thinking of opossum encounters as a bad omen, you might want to consider ways in which you can defend yourself against aggression without causing harm to anyone.