What is the best way to get rid of possums? Some of the best ways to deter pests is using their own senses against them, such as taste, smell, along with electronic repellents and deterrents. The most powerful repellents are based on predators’ urine, like that of the wolf, coyote, and fox. In the wild, predators mark their territory with urine, so their preys avoid these areas. Insecticides based on predators’ urine imitate their presence, causing other animals to stay away. Since these products contain strong-smelling ammonia, they may not be preferred by some homeowners. Pepper sprays are taste repellents and should be applied to plants. Not only do they taste bad, but they can also create a burning sensation. An electronic deterrent is a safest and absolutely non-toxic way to keep possums away from your property. the problem with these devices is that there is not enough evidence supporting their efficiency.
A wild possum can cause serious injuries to your pet while fighting for food. So to keep your family, pets and yard safe from this unwanted guest, you need to decide how to get rid of it before it could do any harm. Making a possum leave if it has already taken a fancy to your place can be quite difficult, but we have learned how to do it. Here you will find out what methods and possum repellents are advised by the scientists.
What You Will Learn from This Guide:
Possums are omnivorous scavengers, they can overturn garbage cans, wound animals and are carriers of many diseases, as they defecate on your neat pathways, lawns and porch, drag moldy stuff into their nests, which can be located under your house or in the attic. Can you imagine the smell?
These small animals are about the size of an adult cat. They usually stay clear of people and don’t attack people unless they have rabies. Opossums are nocturnal animals, and they feel most comfortable in the dark. Many homeowners have never seen them move around the yard and its surroundings, but they often find evidence of the animals’ presence in the morning. Litter, broken things, gardens, empty feeder for pets, compost heaps or scattered garbage cans can all signal the opossums’ presence.
Possums are marsupials and can give birth to 17 pups at a time, but on average they bear 7-10 pups which is still a lot. They mate twice a year. The only advantage is that unlike raccoons and rabbits, opossums are solitary animals, meaning that you should not expect a full-scale invasion of them.
Rather than building their own nests, they occupy ready burrows, nests, and furnish them to their liking. If you do not leave spots where these animals can live at your place, they will not stay, and will look for a suitable accommodation elsewhere.
They have short legs but very functional and slick tail. With it they can climb a tree or steal something. They are perfectly capable of climbing trees, although a metal mesh can become a serious obstacle.
Possums can cause serious damage to the storage of crops, eat your cattle’s food or birds and sprinkle dry products. Opossums are omnivorous, but they prefer insects, carrion and fruit, they also like sweet corn, just like raccoons. Do not plant it near rivers, swamps or in the woodland.
Do not throw meat, eggs, fats or oils in the compost heap as they will attract opossums and other scavengers. Do not leave pets’ food and water over night.
They have a good sense of smell, so secure your trash bins tightly.
Clearing the place and protecting it from repeat opossum infestation can be done in several ways, the choice of which will depend on your skills, the state of residence and the place where the animal has settled.
The most radical method is shooting banned in many states. If you suffer from a possum invasion, no traps or repellents will save you as the only way out is to completely fence off the site. But if you encounter a single possum, it makes no sense to bother with building a fence as you can trap a couple of individuals or drive them off with chemical repellents.
Shooting and hunting. The most radical way to get rid of possums is shooting them, but it is banned in many states. If there is no ban on hunting, then hunting the possums will be pretty simple. You need to use a powerful flashlight and walk around the site. An animal, caught in the rays of light, will be disoriented and will freeze for a moment. If you are a good hunter, you will quickly shoot the animal. It may even try to play dead, and in that case you can catch it with your hands as long as you don’t forget the thick gloves. This is an extreme option and requires the utmost in caution.
Fencing. Regardless of whether you are positive there are possums at your place, before you eliminate them, you need to protect yourself from the invasion of new ones. Even if you remove a few animals from your place, they can easily come back if there are holes in your fence. So be sure to check your fence for undermining, rotten boards, or other damage. Opossums are good climbers, but no animal will climb over the fence if an electric wire is on top of it. In that case you will only have to control the integrity of the fence.
Humane traps. Possums are not afraid of the traps, so they are fairly easy to catch. Set the trap on the animal trail or near the place where it feeds. A possum will absentmindedly climb the baited trap and will remain there until you release it. If you do not want to accidentally catch your neighbor’s cat, follow the advice of the Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of California scientists: «To avoid this possibility, try using whole raw chicken eggs or jam or peanut butter spread on a bit of bread». If you decide to use possum traps, read our review of the Top-3 possum traps that will surely help you catch a possum.
Lethal traps. These traps can be placed along the fence or on the animal trail. It is quite effective to set these traps in shallow pits, hollow trunks or to arrange closed holes for that, make sure you place the bait inside, such as: cheese, rotten meat or fruit.
Repellents. Possums can be scared off using chemical repellents or naphthalene as well as household ammonia. However, naphthalene, ammonia use is prohibited in most states, as their vapors are poisonous and can penetrate into the building and even poison the soil if they get into it. But fortunately, there are many repellents on the market that are safe for you and your pets.
Top Possum Repellents
How do they work?
Repellents affect one of the animal’s senses: scent, taste or hearing. Some repellents have a smell that causes fear, as they smell of natural enemy predator urine. The composition of granular and liquid repellents include predators urine, egg powder, castor oil, garlic and soap, as well as products containing capsaicin (hot pepper extract). The electronic repellers on the other hand repel animals with flashing light, sound or water. In our review, we have selected the best possum repellents of all three types.
How to apply
The Wildlife Ecology and Conservation Department scientists give the following instructions on applying the repellents.
- Contact repellents that operate through odor and taste (pepper, capsaisin) are applied directly to plants.
- Repellents containing predator urine, i.e. “area repellents” are either applied to plants directly or are applied to a larger surrounding area to create an invisible odor barrier.
However, bear in mind that the animals tend to become used to all deterrents after a period of time (that is why they should be regularly changed), and may ignore the deterrents when starving.
1. Orbit 62100 Yard Enforcer Motion-Activated Sprinkler
Orbit 62100 Yard Enforcer Motion Activated Sprinkler is just as effective. It deters the animals by means of a powerful water jet. When an animal approaches the sprinkler, an infrared motion detector is triggered and it shoots a stream of water, frightening the animal, but not harming it. It’s quite a humane way to get rid of pesky animals, not just possums. If the animal is on a tree, a repellent will not work, which significantly saves energy and water consumption.
Also, this method is very advantageous since Orbit is not idling. When the built-in sensor detects motion in the range of up to 40 feet covering up to 1600 square feet, the water jet is activated and the animal runs away, and the water is immediately blocked. It can also be used for regular watering of the flower beds and lawns. It is possible to customize the working repellent mode to a day, night and 24/7 round the clock mode. And remember, the effectiveness of this tactic may be short-lived (as the animals get used to the sprinkler and are no longer afraid of it). Therefore, you should move the sprinkler to new locations regularly. For more information about water repellents refer to our review of “Top-3 The Best Motion Activated Sprinklers”
Orbit: Check the current price
2. Critter-Repellent Shake-Away All Natural (Fox Urine Granules)
Fox urine granules scare away not only possums, but also other harmful animals from your place, and neither you nor your pets will suffer from it. Shake-Away is safe for kids and isn’t poisonous. It is 100% natural, and is made of fox urine. It is easy to use, it is enough to scatter the granules around the area you want to protect.
Critter-Repellent: Check the current price
3. Havahart Critter Ridder 3146 Animal Repellent
Havahart Animal Repellent, Granular Shaker provides up to 30 days of protection in the territory of up to 300 square feet. It contains ingredients deterring the animals, such as black pepper, peperine and capsaicin. It is easy to use thanks to the adjustable spout that makes it possible to fill it with exactly the quantities required. It is resistant to rain.
Another advantage of the product is the smell which will not irritate you meaning that it can be easily scattered around the house. The repellent is safe for children and pets. It is suitable for use in basements, barns, cellars, gardens and lawns.
Its action is based on three pillars: the annoying smell for the animals, taste and discomfort caused if the repellent is stepped on. This is an easy to use, efficient and cost-effective repellent.
Havahart: Check the current price
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4. Liquid Predator Urine Repellent
If you don’t feel like bothering with the granules, go ahead and use another natural possum repellent, namely the Red Fox Urine. It is natural fox urine, without any chemicals added. To use it, you just need to put in place the sprinkler lid and sprinkle the place where you do not want to see the possums a little. The main thing is to do it while wearing gloves; or else you will have a hard time trying to wash off the sharp unpleasant odor. Liquid repellent works poorly when it is raining, so make sure you use them only in sunny weather, when the forecast does not promise protracted rains.
Wolf urine repellents, namely the Wolf urine P-Wick can be an alternative. This spray will make opossums and other animals think that somewhere there is a hungry wolf, which would like to have them for dinner.
Wolf urine: Check the current price
5. PREDATORGUARD Solar Powered Predator Deterrent Light
Possums (and other animals) detest light. Predator GuardSolar Powered Predator Deterrent Light scares nocturnal pest animals away, imitating predator eyes; and repels possums, foxes, deer, wolves, coyotes, bears, owls and many other wild animals.
With its help orchards, vineyards, ponds, sheds, chicken coops, trash cans, houses and lots as well as the campgrounds can be protected from the night attacks. To find out where such a device should be installed, read our “Nite Guard Solar Predator Control Light review: why do night animals hate it?”
PredatorGuard: Check the current price
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6. Hoont Solar Powered Motion Activated Ultrasonic with Flashing Strobe Outdoor Animal and Pest Repeller
Hoont Solar Battery Powered Ultrasonic Repeller has proven to be highly effective and can switch between 3 modes. It uses both light and ultrasound, which is very effective against possums.
The ultraviolet motion sensor pinpoints an animal at a distance of 30 feet and activates the repellent. It is suitable for use in the yards, porches, garages, attics, gardens and farms. Its use is pretty simple: take it out of the box, stick into the ground and that’s it. The device is powered by batteries that are solar or USB-powered.
Hoont: Check the current price
Most effective possum repelling in our opinion consists of combining several repellents simultaneously, such as light, granulars, or liquid; water and ultrasonic. Choose the ways that best fit your needs, and exile possums and other pests from your lot.
Possum Repellents Comparative Chart
Products | Descriptions |
1. Critter-Repellent Find the best price | Type: Contact repellent, to be applied on plants in the garden and the lawn; Active Ingredient: Fox urine. |
2 . Havahart Find the best price | Type: Contact repellent, to be applied on ornamental plants, trees or shrubs; Active Ingredient: Black pepper, capsaicin. |
3. Pmart Find the best price | Type: Odor repellent creating an invisible odor barrier; Active Ingredient: Wolf urine. |
4. PREDATORGUARD Find the best price | Type: Solar powered predator light deterrent. Scares nocturnal pest animals away. |
5. Orbit Find the best price | Type: Motion Activated Sprinkler, a non-contact repellent. |
6. Hoont Find the best price | Type: Solar battery powered Ultrasonic and light animal repeller. |
7. rap Shack Company Find the best price | Type: Odor repellent creating an invisible odor barrier; Active Ingredient: Fox urine. |
Getting Rid Of Opossums In Tight Spaces
A possum can pay a visit to your area not only of curiosity, but having chosen your house to build a nest under it. in that case scare tactics will be different. Wherever the opossum settled, you can eliminate it by using our tips.
How to Get Rid Of Possums in Your Yard
It’s quite simple to get rid of a possum if it’s taken a fancy to your yard as shelter or a source of food. If your state permits possum hunting, it is possible to walk around the yard and shoot the animals a couple of times at night. Since the animals may be rabid, try to aim for their chest, lungs, just above the shoulder, not the head. After that the shot animal needs to be sent for an examination. Check with your local hunting and trapping regulations first, and it might be a good idea to warn your neighbors as well.
As a more humane possum control methods, you can use several treatments: set traps near its feeding places, and scatter granular or pour liquid repellents around the area you want to protect from pests,. These animals will not dare to come close to their former manger, and so they will try to get food from the trap, or else leave your lot for good.
After killing or catching the animals, install a fence, water, light or light-ultrasound barriers to protect your lot from the possums. This is necessary if the invasion of new animals is expected. If the appearance of an opossum was a single case, catching will be enough.
How to Get a Possum Out of Your House
Do you have a pet? Has a possum taken a habit of entering through your pet’s door? To rid yourself of these raids we suggested that you apply granular repellents on the porch area. They do not have such a strong smell as liquid ones, and have a usually quite nice (for a man) smell.
The second method is setting a trap near the porch, to get rid of an unwanted neighbor once and for all. Use fruit bait to avoid catching your cat instead of a possum.
How to Get Rid Of Possums Under House
If a possum showed up under your house, you should by all means force it out. Most likely it got in through a tunnel, which made by some other animal. One of the simplest and most humane ways to eliminate a possum is to set a trap with bait on the exit of the tunnel. The remaining corridors must first be filled.
You should gradually lure the animal into the trap. For several nights lay the bait according to the following pattern:
- on the first night lay it without the trap near the digging ;
- on the second night lay it near the trap;
- on the third night put the bait in the trap threshold;
- and finally, on the fourth night, place the bait in the actual trap.
You can also use predator odor repellent as it will frighten the animal and make it flee. However, usually these repellents have a sharp odor that can penetrate the house.
How to Get Rid Of Possums Naturally
The most natural way of getting rid of possums is by having a dog, preferably a hunting breed. As your dog urinates and defecates in the yard, marking it’s territory, it provides the same benefits as a predator urine repellant. Dogs in the yard, and in the house and its surroundings will deter not only possums, but also other animals.
You can also follow the scientists’ recipe: mix Cayenne pepper with Tabasco sauce, water and detergent. This compound is a good repellent. You can spray garbage cans and porch with it as it will make the possums leave you alone for the time being or maybe perhaps even forever.
15 thoughts on “How to Get Rid Of a Possum: A Detailed Guide about the Methods and Possum Repellents”
Opossums don’t have rabies (they can’t – their body temperature is too low) and NEVER attack humans. Have you seen them? They waddle — not an apex predator, by far. Further, they eat ticks and grubs. Opossums are often called “Lawn Angels” and you should consider yourself blessed if they choose to make your home theirs (they were likely there first, anyway).
I dont feel so blessed when hes KILLING my chickens and coming back for more. I think their cute and all but NOT in my yard! GO HOME OPOSSUM!
Possums don’t kill chickens you have some else probable a raccoon.
They carry EPM which can and will kill a horse. Yes they are immune to rabies however there are many other issues they can cause.
I have a dog who corners the opossum, then I place a plastic tub upside down over it and slide the lid under, trapping it inside. Once inside I turn the tub right side up and snap the lid on. I then take it 5-6 miles away and give it a new home.
Despite the fact that I’m fond of all modern devices and gadgets, I still bought a Red Fox Urine repellent and not an electronic scare like Hoont. This time I gave preference to a natural product. I have not used it to the full, so I can not say anything good or bad about it, but my neighbour used this tool many times, and apparently it helps him. Proceeding from this, this repellent a good possum deterrent.
I have feral cats in my garage … feed them and bed them there when they want to. I’m the old cat lady, but the reluctant cat lady, but that’s another story. This is the third time since 1985 when I moved here that one has taken up residency INSIDE my garage. I have been known to battle one until it gave up and left, but I was younger and spryer then. I’m 86 and have bad knees and a terrible hip, so, I can’t get out there and find it hiding behind a box or on a shelf. anybody got any suggestion
For several nights I heard noises outside my bedroom window. Dang it, I found out, I separated a Mommy from her babies ! So now what? I hate to kill anything, but they are in my storage shed, kinda yuk! I am torn!?!??
For the last 2 weeks, someone been killing my chickens (6 died). Caught an opossum in a cage over the weekend – killed it. Last night, I heard the older hen fussing (she who was sitting on eggs near my home, not in pen with other chickens.) Run outside – found an opossum sitting on her eggs. Unable to catch or kill the opossum, but after gathering up eggs & hunting down the hen, moved her to the pen (put her inside another hen house by herself). My belief – opossums kill chickes! 6/2/20
I can not and will not kill an animal. I’m trying to find something that I can spray on my fence to keep possums away.
My dog goes crazy trying to get to them. She has already hurt her leg once trying to jump to the top of the fence. I’m really afraid she is going to get hurt much worse.
Does fox urine really work? Can I spray it on the top of my fence, and how long does it work?
Thank you!
Possums can very well carry diseases such as rabies my dog was bitten twice by a possum and I saw it happen it was a horrible experience my dog almost died from the infection from the bites had to have surgery and 4K later and two weeks of recovery he is finally doing better I would gladly rather that possum be taken out than my dog any day yard angel my ass more like a death angel on the prowl I absolutely cannot stand them
Opossums have no objections to cayenne pepper. I have personally watched one eat very spicy leftovers. Mothballs don’t work either. Live traps and rehoming is the only viable option.
I see a home remedy but no amount of each ingredient. ceyanne. pepper tobasco sauce How much please
WELL IM OLD SCHOOL IM GOING THE BEST WAY I KNOW FROM THE OLD PEOPLE AND THAT IS TO BURN SOME SULFER THAT WILL RUN NOT ONLY POSSUMS AWAY IT WILL RUN RATS, SNAKES, ANY OTHER CRITTERS AWAY.WHAT YOU WILL NEED IS A SHELVEL,OR AN OLD POT AN OLD BLANKET OR SOME OLD CLOTHING LIKE DENIM OR THICK OLD SHIRT AN THE SULFER. PLACE YOUR MATERAL ON THE SHELVEL OR POT PUT SOME SULFER IN THE CENTER OF THE PIECE OF BLANKET OR CLOTHING CLOSE IT UP START YOUR FIRE BY BURNING THE END OF THE MATERAL ONCE THE FIRE GETS GOING PUT IT OUT LET IT SMOKE AS IF YOU ARE BURNING FOR MOSQUITOES,PLACE THE SHELVEL UNDER YOUR HOUSE LET IT SMOKE WATCH IT! IN CASE IT FLAIR UP DO THIS ON D INSIDE OF YOUR HOUSE JUST AS WELL.IT WORKS
Good to know.