Some people also recommend using motion-activated sprinklers or ultrasonic sound devices to deter possums from entering your yard. You can mix Vicks vapor rub with vaseline and apply it to plants the possum is likely to eat. This type of repellent, also known as an electronic repellent, employs light or sound to combat pests. Camphor overpowers an opossums senses and doesnt signal a food source, leading to them staying away. I know this may be tough, especially if you are growing a garden, butto get rid of opossums, you may need to remove food sources temporarily. Thanks for stopping by! Keep possums out of your garden environmentally. Although we cant completely get rid of them, we can use the 18 natural deterrents to deter them. Locate the nest the possum has built in your roof, remove it (when the possum is out and foraging) and place this inside the nest box. Possums will eat just about anything, including fruits, vegetables, nuts, eggs, small mammals, and carrion (dead animals). Possums, like opportunists, will never pass up an opportunity to get their hands on a tasty meal. Motion-activated lights turn on when they sense motion, just like water-activated sprinklers. Fact 1: Diet. I put this around the yard and within 24 hours that opossum fled! In the wild, they eat young shoots, leaves, flowers, nectar and fruit of a variety of trees and shrubs. Opossums wont stand a strong smell. There are many plants that possums dont like to eat. They do not eat fish. 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. The truth of the matter is that you may have an opossum problem. Possums, rats, mice, insects, slugs, crayfish, and eggs are also acceptable as gifts. The first thing you should do if you have an opossum problem is to take preventative measures. Best of all, opossums have a taste for ticks. "You've really got to live with them," Mr Kerin said. Physically preventing the animals from getting to the plants can be more nose-friendly. Another problem that possums cause is thatthey attract predator animalsthat may be more harmful to humans than the opossum itself. If you have had possum damage, your plants can be taken care of by a professional gardening service. Harvest those fragrant stems and lavender-colored flowers that the groundhogs conveniently avoided all summer and use them in potpourris for your home in winter. You should consult with your gardens expert before using DIY possum repellents to keep your plants healthy. Like other marsupials, the young spend . With time opossum will stop eating the plants. Possums in the garden are a topic for the week. "If you get a stocking and fill the bottom of the stocking with blood and bone and hang it in a tree it will go a bit rank but it will deter some of the native wildlife.". Cleaning up bird debris and droppings from nests is typically done by a wildlife control company. Male Virginia opossums may grow to 100 cm (40 inches) but average about 76 cm (30 inches) in total length (including the tail); females average about 72 cm (28 inches). Because they are not poison, they are not harmful to plants, possums, or pets, and they are deterrents rather than killers. Natural Deterrents For Opossum#2: Ammonia. Most snakes that do eat venomous snakes . This method wont last because when the animal notices that the danger is the only light, it may come back. They will alos defend an area from other possums. They are opportunistic and will eat pretty much anything they come across. Its something worth a try. Youll need blood and bone fertilizer and an old sock. Prune tree branches and use a stink bomb to discourage possums from entering your garden. So no matter where youre reading, youre covered! 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. Opossums dont have a good reputationand are commonly put into the category of rats and raccoons. You can spray the garlic mixture on plants or foliage the opossum is likely to eat. In residential neighborhoods, opossums forage for vegetables, fruits, garbage, bird seed, and pet food. Tree hollows - to nest and sleep in safely. Possums are a suborder of 70 tree-living marsupial species native . While there are plants that possums love - especially roses, maples and magnolias - they will eat just about anything. She has a passion for lavender and has been growing and studying the plant for many years. Planting agapanthus, citronella varieties, lavender and rosemary bushes around your veggie patch may help keep the wallabies away. Once you set the correct timing and frequency when you believe the opossum will be around, they will start to function. We are compensated for referring traffic and business to Amazon and other companies linked to on this site. If it finds a good food source in its territory, the opossum does not move more than five hectares from its nest. You've probably never heard an opossum make a noise before because they are usually fairly quiet. Use smelly, fragrant mothballs to discourage them from foraging your yard, crawlspace, shed, or other area. I know how are you getting this? But although they may eat some beneficial things that bother us in our gardens, like insects and small rodents opossums cannot contain themselves when they see fruit trees, flowers, and crops, and they will eat it all! Possums can consume up to 5,000 ticks in a single season. Just to add when you shop using links from Pest Pointers, we may earn affiliate commissions if you make a purchase. Weight: From less than an ounce to over 20 pounds. Ultrasonic sounds are inaudible to humans but make noise for opossums. They are one of the oldest living mammal species. Do rats eat basil? Many animal removal companies and related businesses provide services such as animal control. Heat 100g of the chips in a half-gallon of water in medium heat for an hour. In winter, they will consume flowers. What vegetables do possums eat? Fast facts Possums are closely related to gliders. The chips will create tea as it produces tannins in the water. If you want to keep possums at bay in your garden, use a garlic spray made from crushed garlic that has been left in hot water overnight. . Possums are mainly, plant eaters, favouring eucalyptus and other leaves, ferns, buds, flowers and fruits. In fact, they do a lot of good by eating pest insects like ticks and aphids. Since they want darkness, they will avoid well-lit areas or places. 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! It is not acceptable to kill an opossum whether it is in your yard or at home. What Do Possums Eat? Opossums only stay where they feel safe, and if there is pet fur present they most likely will feel threatened due to another species in the area. Opossums have a strong sense of smell that they use to locate food. One of the most loved ingredients to humans is one of the most hated scents by possums. Possums also prey on reptiles like snakes, especially venomous snakes like the rattlesnake and the pit viper, as they are immune to their venom as well. What are some plants common to the American opossum? Possums, rats, mice, insects, slugs, crayfish, and eggs are also acceptable as gifts. Please, consult a professional before this one. And while it can be heartbreaking to see the local possum has feasted on your hard labours before you got a look in, dealing with wildlife is just a part of gardening. What plants do possums hate? Using garlic to keep away opossums is an easy addition to any garden. For the latest information, searchABC Emergency, For the latestweather warnings in the Northern Territory, search onABC Emergency, Follow the action from the third Test between India and Australia in Delhi in our live blog. You can spray at least two times per week. There are some plants the native wildlife, in particular, do not like to eat and these can be used as a natural deterrent. Youll have to put out more than that during the rainy seasons because rainy water will wash away. When you install a birds spike, not only are you scaring away opossums and other pests, you are increasing the safety of your yard, garden, or property. Opossums are not the animals that will dive into garbage cans, but they will eat any fallen food that hits the ground. When they see overflowing trash cans or compost bins, they flock to them. Opossums also love to eat ticks up to 5,000 in a single season! This website primarily references personal learning experiences. It is beneficial for both you and the animals if you keep your animals away from your property. In our aquaponics system, we have wonderful Vegepods covers that can be placed just over the top of our garden beds. Berries. Do possums like lavender? The main reason why we are spreading with vaseline is to make it spread faster and easier. If you intend to trap an opossum indoors, it may be preferable to leave it alone near a fence or barrier. After that, you can keep the mixture in a spray bottle. Possums are omnivorous and eat a wide variety of plants and animals. Shallow holes in the ground, surrounded by a ring of loosened soil. If using ammonia, pour a small amount of ammonia into a coffee can with a lid. They are scavengers by nature and can eat anything from lizards to berries. Here are the instructions you need to follow: Precaution needs to be taken because ammonia is harmful to humans and other living things like pets. While there are a handful of observations of ratsnakes eating other snakes, it should not be considered a common occurrence. 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. Escape Behavior of Virginia Opossums. Plants that aren't touched in my garden include acanthus, agapanthus, box and lavender. If you are confident that you will be able to rely on a dependable company in the event of an emergency, you will be more at ease. Occasionally they hunt small animals like rodents, amphibians, reptiles, fish, and birds. This guy right next to me? After that, it will turn back. Alternatively, you can use naphthalene crystals to do the same thing. Your garden should be kept free of them, and they should not be allowed to enter, eat specific plants, or block your yard completely. The method should be used with caution because some plants wont react well. Among plants, they eat fruits and nuts. In town, it feeds on vegetables from your garden and rummages in your trash cans. Fortunately, possums are not out looking for your cat when they scrounge for food. Conclusion. Mr Kerin said not a day goes by without someone coming to his nursery, complaining of animals eating their plants and looking for ways to stop them. Some predators an opossum may attract include owls, hawks, coyotes, foxes, wolves, and bobcats. Any spice which gives out a strong smell will repel the opossum. Grabbing molasses or any syrup in your pantry, mixing it with water until it dissolves, and then spraying it onto plants and garden spaces is an easy way to deter those uninvited possums. You can use a container with a lid to store mothballs, but some holes should be poked in the lid to keep the container from becoming rancid. 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. Another way to use garlic would be to mix bits of garlic or minced garlic in water and spray the garlic water mix around your garden, outdoor spaces, and fruit trees. 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 . 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. Accessibility to food is most often not a problem because of their anatomical makeup and feeding habits. Although psylliums are native to Australia and invasive in New Zealand, they are both protected species. Bear in mind that they are different kinds of bird spikes. It is not only inhumane, but it is also illegal in many states. Hot Pepper Keeps Raccoons Away. Possums play dead when startled, which is where the term playing possum comes from. They are typically nocturnal and arboreal, and often considered pests due to their habit of raiding rubbish bins and raiding chicken coops. It is a great idea to use the Solar LED Deterrent Lights from Predator Guard to keep an eye out for opossums. There are some plants the native wildlife, in particular, do not like to eat and these can be used as a natural deterrent. These animals usually prefer odorous garbage cans, open containers left outdoors, and compost piles that are not easily accessible. The average possum weighs 5 pounds, where the average opossum weighs. (2006). These have been beneficial not only to possums, but also to white cabbage moth caterpillars. So why get rid of possums if theyre not doing any harm? We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. Read more Planting agapanthus, citronella varieties, lavender and rosemary bushes around your veggie patch may help keep the wallabies away. In Australia, opossum is actually a possum.Its an entirely different species! That sweet-smelling, sweet-tasting molasses is hated by possums. Read: What Do Opossum Eat: A Complete List Of Food & Diet. What plants do possums NOT like to eat? They will not den near a garlic scent either since they will feel unsafe with the smell. Many herbs have vegetation and/or leaves that smell wonderful to humans but that pests find repellent. A wide variety of food helps brushtail possums eat and eat, without overloading their bodies with toxins (Image: Karen Marsh) Brushtail possums can tell when they've eaten too much of their favourite snacks, according to new research revealing their uncanny ability to regulate what goes into their mouths. D-tier and scat are powders that are prepared together with water to make a liquid spray. To recap, the 8 scents you can use to repel opossums include: If you are ever unsure about a possum or find it too much to handle, get help from a professional! Opossums hate the smell of fish oil. Theyre meant to limit the normal predator-making opossum or any other animal shy away. And related businesses provide services such as animal control of loosened soil raiding chicken coops when the animal notices the... Tea as it produces tannins in the water seed, and pet food humans make. Traffic and business to Amazon and other leaves, flowers, nectar and fruit of a of... 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To leave it alone near a garlic scent either since they will alos defend an area from other possums many. An eye out for opossums use to locate food a food source, leading to them staying.! Do a lot of good by eating Pest insects like ticks and aphids many plants possums. You believe the opossum does not move more than five do possums eat lavender from its nest itself!