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. Put a heavy old net over your prized vegetables. This works well for those in rural or semi-rural areas establishing a new garden. They, and Brushtails, also eat flowers, fruits and veggies. Although opossums have a generally passive personality and arent always bad to have around the problems start to occur when possums dont leave. Many animal removal companies and related businesses provide services such as animal control. Their omnivorous diet includes insects, ticks , small rodents, frogs, birds, and berries. Almost 80% of the plants in my garden are eaten right down to the stalks. Planting garlic cloves in your garden may be enough to keep opossums from eating your vegetables and flowers. Opossums, in some cases, can be good for your gardens because they love to eat insects, snails, slugs, and even small rodents. Garlic is an excellent way to get rid of a possum. All we want to do is prevent possums and keep our outdoor spaces safe from destruction, our gardens flourishing, and our spaces safe from unwanted predators. Excessive human food consumption, such as the trash that is found in the trash, can be harmful to an opossums health. While their diet consists mostly of plants, they are known to eat small animals, such as rodents, on occasion. Along with this, keeping your garbage cans tidy can make a huge difference. The chipped bark of a South American tree, such as quassia, is available at garden centers. Doing this will keep the opossum from coming into the yard. The spicy mixture you can make at home includes garlic bits, water, and hot pepper like cayenne. Mint is a type of plant, so possums are likely to eat it if it is available. To use onions to deter possums, peel an onion, slice it up, and add slices around your garden and the plants that need the most security. Although psylliums are native to Australia and invasive in New Zealand, they are both protected species. This makes for an interesting contrast in the breeze and can be used to create dramatic impact if you like playing around with foliage colours in your plantings. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. What are some plants common to the American opossum? Most snakes that do eat venomous snakes . It is not only inhumane, but it is also illegal in many states. Opossums dont have a good reputationand are commonly put into the category of rats and raccoons. They are typically nocturnal and arboreal, and often considered pests due to their habit of raiding rubbish bins and raiding chicken coops. Another problem that possums cause is thatthey attract predator animalsthat may be more harmful to humans than the opossum itself. On the market, we have insecticides based on the predators urine that you can buy. If you suspect you have a possum infestation, contact a pest control professional to have the animals removed. When shopping, try to buy the mothball with a strong scent and put it close to your attic, roof, or below the porch, and wait for it to do the magic. In addition to feasting on carcasses and waste, opossums will catch and eat cockroaches, mice and rats on their nightly prowls. The American Midland Naturalist, 132(2), 234-238. Possums defend themselves by claiming that they are dead or sick to protect themselves. 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. In addition to chemical repellents or naphthalene, ammonia can be used to deter rodents. Fortunately, possums are not out looking for your cat when they scrounge for food. With a smell that almost burns the senses, opossums tend to stay away from onions. Although opossums arent harmful directly, they can cause destruction to your outdoor spaces and can take over areas by nesting. Plum Tree This is another plant that is supposed to be toxic to rabbits but they were hungry enough to eat the leaves from low hanging branches. In residential neighborhoods, opossums forage for vegetables, fruits, garbage, bird seed, and pet food. Planting agapanthus, citronella varieties, lavender and rosemary bushes around your veggie patch may help keep the wallabies away. Therefore they will choose to stay away from your properties. Strong smelling plants such as tea tree, lavender and geraniums. That means youll have to re-apply each week to keep opossums away. Opossum or opossum is liketomayto or tomahtohere in America, and although they are actually different, the name is so widely interchangeable that we all kind of got used to it. They will clean up fallen garbage and debris from fruits. So with all of this in mind, if youre noticing the start of a possum problem, or maybe you already have one, its time to get ahead of the game by deterring and preventing them and were going to tell you how! Possums play dead when startled, which is where the term playing possum comes from. Fox urine works wonders in getting rid of and preventing possums from entering your backyards. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page.. Creating a good location for them to live in Australia can help offset the destruction of their natural environment. 5. This should be a good solution, but if you do have pets, you may want to look into a different method. You can also add a hot chill. Opossums also are driven by the need for shelter and will den wherever it is dry and wherever there is a safe spot hidden from predators. Possums are omnivorous and eat a wide variety of plants and animals. Motion-activated sprinklers can also be used to deter possums from entering areas where they are not welcome. The rain can sometimes wash away the scent, which means youll need to re-apply it again. Possums native to Australia are adept, adaptable, and creative climbers, as opposed to their northern hemisphere relatives. Possum repellents should not be used on animals or plants because they are safe and do not harm them. Our gardens are home to a variety of delectable foods because of their agility and adaptability. The Virginia opossum is the only member of the genus that stores body fat, and older males may exceed 6 kg (13.2 pounds) in the . This site is owned and operated by Pest Pointers LLC | pestpointers.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Possums are omnivorous animals, meaning that they eat both plants and animals. 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! Possum infestation can be a serious problem for homeowners. Garlic has such a strong scent that it scares away possums. The best way to keep garlic away is to mix fresh garlic bits in water and spray around the garden area. Lavender ( Lavandula) is such an herb. The Common Brushtail Possum may also eat grass, fungi, bird's eggs and baby birds. 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. These animals usually prefer odorous garbage cans, open containers left outdoors, and compost piles that are not easily accessible. Ensure that you place the light in a strategic position that opossums are likely to use, and you wont be seeing them. Ournationwide pest control findercan get you in contact with a wildlife pro near you. The light needs to be put along the pathway to scare these creatures away. Their appetite for slugs, snails, toads and even snakes helps to . These powders work on the opossums sense of smell and taste. Many of you asked what the oppossums were eating in the previous opossum video. This ingredient can be used to make a possum deterrent spray by combining hot sauce, detergent, and water. Make sure the natural repellent you use has a unique scent. Please consult a pest control professional before applying any tactics from pestpointers.com. Their strong, pungent smell will drive them away. Possums prefer fruits and vegetables, so if you are looking to keep them away from your azaleas, you might want to try planting something else nearby that they will find more enticing. And this depends on the opossum. Opossums are known for scavenging though trash. In addition to rising temperatures during the winter, there is an expansion of oysters north of the equator. . The Yard Sentinel offers innovative pest repelling technology that repels pest birds and animals by targeting their three main senses: four predator sounds target hearing; ultrasonic sound targets feel; and . Cat or dog hair helps in removing opossums. In fact, they do a lot of good by eating pest insects like ticks and aphids. Fresh meat and roadkill are also dietary staples. You can use them on lawns, chicken coops, entryways, pools, barns, trees, and gardens. Opossums can become a problem if they stick around your home. They aren't picky eaters when it comes to troublesome garden pests like slugs, beetles . What plants do possums hate? Krause, W. J., & Krause, W. A. Any spice which gives out a strong smell will repel the opossum. Youll have to put out more than that during the rainy seasons because rainy water will wash away. They Have Impressive Tails. "A lot of people build cages for their fruit and vegetables," Mr Kerin said. When they see overflowing trash cans or compost bins, they flock to them. This will encourage the possum to move to its new location. When you plug, lets say, an ultrasonic device into power, the noise can be heard 10m away. There are relentless pests whose taste of foliage, flowers, and fruits leaves your backyard or garden messy. Possums are said to eat anything that is dead or available, from fruit, snakes, insects, slugs, eggs, rats and mice, fish, frogs, and the meat of other dead animals. Pest Control Weekly is reader-supported. The skunk presses its nose to the soil and digs with its long, front claws. Non-toxic tips to keep animals from eating your garden, There is an emergency bushfire warning in place for Maintongoonin Victoria. Possums are opportunistic scavenging omnivores, a possum's diet consists of plants and animals. Fox, coyotes, wolf, or dog urine will scare away opossums. You can mix Vicks vapor rub with vaseline and apply it to plants the possum is likely to eat. Although ammonia use has been prohibited in many states in the United States, it continues to be one of the most effective deterrents to possums. Did you know that we have water sprinkles that turn on when they sense motion? Make sure you apply the same plants after every two weeks. The first thing you should do if you have an opossum problem is to take preventative measures. They also feed on insects. This is when they can cause the most damage, and if you happen to have them in your attic or on your roof they can keep you up all night because they will be moving around a lot! Being accomplished climbers, they're particularly fond of dining on tree fruits, feasting in peace up in the branches. Habitat Dynamics of the Virginia Opossum in a Highly Urban Landscape. Place affected plants in the mouth of a blending mixture and spread evenly. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. 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. Mothballs are the cheapest method of keeping opossums away. So, lets break this down with some differences. These have been beneficial not only to possums, but also to white cabbage moth caterpillars. The method should be used with caution because some plants wont react well. Some people also recommend using motion-activated sprinklers or ultrasonic sound devices to deter possums from entering your yard. Possums natural resistance to certain snake venoms makes them an ideal snake predator. Physically preventing the animals from getting to the plants can be more nose-friendly. 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. They are most active at night and move constantly in search of food. This method wont last because when the animal notices that the danger is the only light, it may come back. So why get rid of possums if theyre not doing any harm? In addition to nibbling basil leaves, rats and mice can also access plants and their Read More Do Possums Like Basil? They Get Rid Of Garden Pests. A Brush tail possum had been discovered in the neighbours mango tree, and neighbours were concerned that it could also be found in their backyard. After that, strain it and pour it in a spray bottle. You can make a spray with hot sauce, dish soap ( to last longer), and water. Using garlic to keep away opossums is an easy addition to any garden. It can be as simple as a bucket thats been outside too long, woodpiles, wheel barrels upside down, or any type of debris that makes for a dry, sheltered space. The fence will be transformed into an animals highway at night by allowing some branches with leaves to hang down upon it, and it will travel along your yards route. Possums will also eat insects, moths, grubs, snails, birds' eggs and baby birds.