Possums are small marsupials that resemble mice and frequent suburban homes in Australia. The brushtail variety is the most likely to invade your spaces, especially in homes that have a yard and overhanging trees. They seek refuge under garden sheds, floorboards, wall gaps, and roof cavities. These nightly pests are active from night to dawn and are agile climbers that prefer walking over the ground and not on it, being shy and reclusive. If you spot one a bit too often, you would be wiser to call possum removal Sydney service experts.

Possums are difficult to catch as they come out when most of us are getting ready to retire for the day. Though they are shy, their activities are quite prolific and destructive.  In case of a full-blown infestation that is creating havoc in your home, call in pest control service specialists for a quick removal as these are protected species and you might do it wrong and land up in legal complications. 

From your end, you can take certain measures to foolproof your home from attracting possums or keeping them away. 

Sealing off entry points:

 Possums gain entry seeking food and refuge and most times this becomes possible as they have some easy access or entry point. Start by sealing off any entry points in roof cavities by fixing a metal sheet or solid block of wood. Before doing so find out if these gaps or cavities are empty and do not contain a possum family already in it. 

Chop off overhanging branches:

 Being agile climbers, possums jump up a branch in your external yard that gives them easy passage or bridge to your attic or roof. So if you have trees too close to your building, trim or chop them off and maintain a safe distance to possum-proof proof it. 

Use chicken wire to protect your vegetable garden:

 Possums are voracious eaters and love feasting on fruits and vegetables that you lovingly tended in your garden. They can gauge quickly by smelling ripe fruits and leaving a mess of your fruit trees and vegetable patches. Safeguard your fruit trees and vegetable gardens by covering them in loosely hanging chicken wire mesh. Possums generally avoid climbing such hanging fences and you can easily salvage your vegetables and fruits. 

Block off food access:

 Possums enter those places where there is potential to find a constant food supply. So stop being careless and do not leave any food leftovers or crumbs lying around where they can get access. Installing tight-lidded garbage cans can be a start since possums get inside loosely-lidded garbage cans. Use sealable trash bags whenever you can. Get into the practice of keeping your pet’s bowl inside the house after sundown till dawn as possums get attracted to pet food. 

Electric fence:

 Possums are arboreal and can climb through anything to get inside your property. So an electric fence is one way of scaring them off. 

Secure pet doors:

 If you have a pet then it would be wise to keep pet doors secured as they can serve as entry passages for possum entry. 

Install lights:

 Installing lights in your lawn that get activated by movement is a good way to deter possum activity during the night. 

Motion-sensitive sprinklers:

 Possums are uncomfortable when wet and avoid getting wet. Installing movement-activated sprinklers in your gardens or external yards drives them away. 

Keeping a large pet:

 Possums are actually reclusive and do not like to face other animals or predators. Keeping a dog or cat would be enough to scare them off. Alternatively, sprinkling pet hair all over the property also frightens them away. 

Use mothballs:

 The camphor-laden moth balls serve as a good repellent for possums. Just keep these around your home and gardens to repel possum activity. 

Use bleach or ammonia:

 Dip a few rags in ammonia or bleach and keep them lying in different parts of your house. These strongly repel possums. But take care that while you apply you do so with care as both may affect the respiratory function of the sensitive, children, or the elderly. Practice caution. 

Using garlic, molasses, and onion as natural repellents: Possums are very sensitive to specific odors and steer clear of a few. Garlic, onion, and molasses are something possums detest, so these are simple ways in which you can prevent possum entry. 

Spicy and chili foods:

 Possums have zero tolerance for hot or spicy food. So if you leave such items around your gardens and yards, possums will stay away. 

Like with other pests, there are many types of traps available. But since possums are under the protected list, it is safer for you to call in Possum removal Sydney specialists. Possums spell trouble and can gain access if you let them. Just taking care to be foolproof goes a long way in keeping them off instead of calling pest control services at the slightest pretext.