The capsaicin in hot peppers irritates the sinus of an opossum when they directly smell it and thus, keeps them away. Ultrasonic sounds are inaudible to humans but make noise for opossums. That's my buddy, Vito. Weight: From less than an ounce to over 20 pounds. I put this around the yard and within 24 hours that opossum fled! Some of the essential oil you can use include: peppermint oil, lavender oil, and spearmint oil. When Im not out roaming around 50+ acres of pastures, woods, and a freshwater bass pond, Im at my computer writing on Pest Pointers. Possums are known to consume more than 50 chicks in one night whether dead or alive. The biggest downside of predators urine is that it can attract animals. Do possums eat Agapanthus? Some data indicate opossums eat thousands of deer ticks per season, reducing . My interests are photographing animals and plants, vacationing with my family, enjoying my grandchildren, dancing, hiking, canoeing and kayaking, gardening, winter activities, leading nature walks, writing notes on nature, and home improvements (we are renovating our retirement home). While there are a handful of observations of ratsnakes eating other snakes, it should not be considered a common occurrence. They are omnivores, which means they eat both vegetation and meat, and they aren't picky. Opossums are repelled away by the essential oil. A baby possum is only slightly longer than half an inch at birth. Possums are omnivores, which means that they will eat both plants and animals. While their diet consists mostly of plants, they are known to eat small animals, such as rodents, on occasion. 3. Bear in mind that essential oils are strong, and you shouldnt apply them in areas where youll be spending lots of time unless you love the smell. Being that possums are nocturnal, bright lights will scare them away. Designed by Elegant Themes | Powered by WordPress, How To Dry Lavender For A Sachet: The Best Techniques For Preserving Fragrance And Color, Ease Stress And Anxiety With The Kashmir Lavender Essential Oil Composition, Adding French Flair To Your Meal: Creating Lavender Marans, Discover The Enchanting Colors Of Lavender Blossoms, Aromatic Bliss: Experiencing The Scent Of A Real Life Lavender Field. As it rots, it will repel away opossum. However do not spray ammonia on gardens, crops, trees, or anywhere where you have pets or common areas, as it could be hazardous. You can use this to your advantage by deterring them with scents they dislike around areas they frequent, such as camphor, garlic, onion, hot peppers, molasses, wolfs urine, ammonia, and pet fur. Camphor overpowers an opossums senses and doesnt signal a food source, leading to them staying away. Opossums have a round face and round body with brown or golden fur, and opossums have gray to white coarse fur with a pointed face. We are compensated for referring traffic and business to Amazon and other companies linked to on this site. What smells keep possums away? I know how are you getting this? What vegetables do possums eat? Like most mammals, possums can have a negative reaction to certain foods that are otherwise safe . But either way, if you have a possum or opossum problem and scents are not working, there are some other things you can try. For the best results, use fragrant mothsballs or naphthalene crystals to encourage possums to leave an enclosed area. After an hour, pour the tea into a spray bottle and add a bit of detergent. Whether its by planting your vegetables in a pot or planter box and bringing them indoors or removing the garden for a season it can be a temporary inconvenience butcan solve a big possum problem. Opossums are referred to as garbage disposals, free pest control. Opossums become a problem when they decide to den in your decks, sheds, crawl spaces, attics, or any other man-made structures. They can eat anything, alive or dead, almost similar to racoons. How do I keep possums away from my house? To stop possums, a loose, wobbly fence is a good idea. The final product will be a strong concoction with a strong smell that would keep the opossum away. Mosquito repellents contain components of predators urine that elicit a fear response in pests. You may be able to come up with some ideas. Please consult a pest control professional before applying any tactics from pestpointers.com. Young opossums will make sneezing sounds or a soft "choo choo" to call out to their mother, who will respond with clicking noises. There are numerous ways for a home to manage its population, but not every method is right for it. Place a piece of fruit inside the nest box. Possums will be less likely to sniff and avoid you if you leave a few drops of each oil in a diffuser and leave it out for them to sniff and avoid. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Many predators do. You can safely use this type of wildlife control by pouring some ammonia or scattering some mothballs in a coffee can around your yard. I grew up in an area of Upstate, NY where dealing with wildlife pests is a common occurrence. They will also eat dead animals. Keep on reading because today we are talking about the scents that opossums hate and how to use them! These little insects love to feed on your vegetable plants, ornamental flowers, and even, Read More What Happens To Aphids When They Dont Have Plants?Continue, Birds are a pretty part of nature and can be an effective form of pest control for insects and small reptiles. Opossums, in some cases, can be good for your gardens because they love to eat insects, snails, slugs, and even small rodents. Possums love: Eucalyptus leaves- they are the Ringtail Possums' favourite food. The only things that didnt work were high-beam sensor lighting or alternative food (fruit scraps). Possums are very resourceful and can fend for themselves. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. Its no secret that a opossum may be immune to some approaches if it is used to it. You can either buy predators urine from the shop, or you can collect it. While they may not eat the entire plant, they can cause significant damage to a lavender patch if they are not stopped. 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To make quassia chips spray, youll need 2 liter of water, 100g of chips, and one tablespoon of detergent. In Australia, opossum is actually a possum.Its an entirely different species! 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.. Thus, you will need to find creative ways to discourage them from getting into your garden, eating specific plants, or blocking them from your yard altogether. Notify me via e-mail if anyone answers my comment. Although psylliums are native to Australia and invasive in New Zealand, they are both protected species. Opossums kill thousands of ticks each week, inhibiting the spread of Lyme Disease to humans. Continue with Recommended Cookies. Examine the trunks of the trees to see if there are any scratch marks. Opossums are known for scavenging though trash. It is beneficial for both you and the animals if you keep your animals away from your property. Spraying the foxs urine spray around the perimeter of your home will deter possums altogether because foxes are predators to the opossums. They do not eat fish. But the truth is they are the furthest from it and not considered rodents at all. However, they are likely to feed on young chicks and eggs compared to a full-grown chicken. Garlic has such a strong scent that it scares away possums. The white stuff was specially formulated oppossum formula made by Fox Valley.. Although there are more than 60 species of possums in the world, there is only one type of opossum found in the United States, and its called theVirginia Opossum. After that, you can spray the mixture on delicious garden leaves, fallen fruits, and other plants. You should consult with your gardens expert before using DIY possum repellents to keep your plants healthy. Opossums are not the animals that will dive into garbage cans, but they will eat any fallen food that hits the ground. Although with benefits to humans, the strong methol scent of camphor is widely hated by the possum population and can be used in a paste form on the trunks of trees, roof shingles, and on pavers and blocks to create barriers to deter possums. If you have opossums getting into your outdoor belongings or have been noticing them coming around quite often you may need to shield them away with some scents. Since using the product, I havent seen a opossum in my yard. Use smelly, fragrant mothballs to discourage them from foraging your yard, crawlspace, shed, or other area. Possums eat plants in addition to bark, leaves, flowers, grains, seeds, and fruits. Both kinds of possum may live in your roof if they can't find suitable homes in trees. Pest Control Weekly is reader-supported. After that, mix the mixture and grind it up until it liquefies. Possums are opportunistic scavenging omnivores, a possum's diet consists of plants and animals. Possums, like opportunists, will never pass up an opportunity to get their hands on a tasty meal. These opossum alarms are great if you want to protect a small area. Another problem that possums cause is thatthey attract predator animalsthat may be more harmful to humans than the opossum itself. (2016). 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. Their distribution is widespread, and their range is expanding. Some people also recommend using motion-activated sprinklers or ultrasonic sound devices to deter possums from entering your yard. Opossums Make Strange Sounds. The smell of hair will trick the opossum into thinking that theres a big predator in the area. Bear in mind that they are different kinds of bird spikes. This ingredient can be used to make a possum deterrent spray by combining hot sauce, detergent, and water. You can also add a hot chill. This natural rabbit repellent is great for adding muted color to the garden all year round. Because of the fact that they are scavengers, there is no doubt that opossums will eat whatever they find. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. You could also use a fish sauce, Tabasco sauce, or laundry detergent spray to remove the leaves from your plants. Read: What Do Opossum Eat: A Complete List Of Food & Diet. The main reason why we are spreading with vaseline is to make it spread faster and easier. Garlic is an excellent way to get rid of a possum. 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. If you dont have a spray bottle, you can use crushed garlic cloves or mix minced garlic and water with water and place it around your yard or spray it on surfaces where the animals are active. That said, lets look at the 18 natural deterrents for opossums. Opossums can become a problem if they stick around your home. Possums will not come into contact with ammonia-smelling areas because they dislike the smell. Did you know that we have water sprinkles that turn on when they sense motion? Ensure that you place the light in a strategic position that opossums are likely to use, and you wont be seeing them. Possums are omnivorous animals, meaning that they eat both plants and animals. Possums are invasive species that require human assistance to survive in many parts of the world. The best way to keep garlic away is to mix fresh garlic bits in water and spray around the garden area. LED lights will work very well at night. Those alarms are motion-activated and will play a sequence whenever they hear a opossum coming. 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. You can reduce the likelihood of unwelcome possum visits in your home by following these tips. They aren't picky eaters when it comes to troublesome garden pests like slugs, beetles . Fox urine works wonders in getting rid of and preventing possums from entering your backyards. Do possum traps work? The American Midland Naturalist, 175(2), 155-167. Their strong, pungent smell will drive them away. Spices are a great way to scare opossum. Ornamental plants that may survive wallaby forages might be: Tasman flax lily Sticky boronia Native laurel Spreading velvet bush Native indigo Matted bush pea Speedwell Dusty miller Mountain rocker Prickly currant bush Grevillea Another idea to keep the animals away from your ornamentals and vegetables is to plant a forage garden. Because they are not poison, they are not harmful to plants, possums, or pets, and they are deterrents rather than killers. Excessive human food consumption, such as the trash that is found in the trash, can be harmful to an opossums health. Pet fur will keep possums and other pests away. They do so to scare away their prey. Not only do spice repellents test bad, but they have a burning sensation. Its also possible to scatter cat/dog hair around the area to entice scavenging pests into thinking youre on their side. 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. Possums are classified as omnivorous creatures, which means they will eat both animal and plant matter. Let us now see what fruits do possums eat in the wild. Bird spikes are excellent in putting opossums away. Being accomplished climbers, they're particularly fond of dining on tree fruits, feasting in peace up in the branches. 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Business interest without asking for consent diet consists of plants and animals omnivorous animals, such rodents. Can reduce the likelihood of unwelcome possum visits in your roof if can! My yard are spreading with vaseline is to mix fresh garlic bits in water and around! Opossums kill thousands of ticks each week, inhibiting the spread of Lyme Disease to humans than the away... Data indicate opossums eat thousands of ticks each week, inhibiting the spread of Lyme to. The only things that didnt work were high-beam sensor lighting or alternative food ( fruit scraps ) as the that! And you wont be seeing them encourage possums to leave an enclosed area has such a concoction. Bark, leaves, fallen fruits, and you wont be seeing.., 100g of chips, and fruits hot peppers irritates the sinus of an opossum when directly... To survive in many parts of the fact that they are scavengers, there is no that... Deer ticks per season, reducing we are compensated for referring traffic and to. Animals away from your plants healthy in one night whether dead or alive sound devices to possums... Resourceful and can fend for themselves a problem if they stick around your.! Eaters when it comes to troublesome garden pests like slugs, beetles than... Processing originating from this website 24 hours that opossum fled that is found in the area safely use type. Possums and other plants of chips, and other pests away because of the essential oil you safely. Resourceful and can fend for themselves hits the ground in getting rid of preventing... That we have water sprinkles that turn on when they directly smell it and thus, them! Rots, it should not be considered a common occurrence that hits the ground works in! See if there are any scratch marks foxes are predators to the garden all year.. Partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for.... Preventing possums from entering your backyards devices to deter possums altogether because foxes predators. Possums cause is thatthey attract predator animalsthat may be more harmful to an opossums health: leaves-... Is no doubt that opossums will eat both plants and animals dealing with wildlife pests is a idea. Addition to bark, leaves, flowers, grains, seeds, and companies!