Possums are classified as pests primarily because they are nuisance animals. In simple terms, these creatures mainly cause inconvenience and annoyance as opposed to causing significant property damage or harm. The common problems associated with possums include the animals making a habitat in attics, sheds and porches within the homestead. They will also often stir up the collected rubbish and antagonise pets in the home.
There is one acceptable solution if you have possums in your home: entrapment and release. This is because they are protected animals under the law. However, if you want to prevent further infiltration and recurrence of possum infestation, consider using these simple guidelines.
Seal Potential Entryways
You should inspect your home for potential entryways for possums. If you have had this pest in your property in the past, you should find the original point of access by assessing the area where you found the possums. As mentioned earlier, the common places that they will stay include in sheds, under structures and in attics.
If there are doors, you should keep them shut properly, even if they experience heavy usage. If there is access to the crawlspace beneath your house or other elevated structures, you should build a steel exclusion barrier. This will keep the possums out effectively.
Eliminate Attractants
Possums are attracted to specific areas or homes because of certain conditions. Simply speaking, these pests do not pick a random place to reside in; they must have access to food in addition to good shelter. Often, it is the availability of nourishment that will attract them to your property. You can prevent possum infiltration by eliminating the attractants.
You should keep the garbage containing food items away from the open outdoors. You can dispose the trash straight away, place the trash in an enclosed space like the garage or even find a sealable container for outdoor use. Possums also feed on pet and bird food. You should consider fencing the areas where you place these to avoid the attraction of the pests.
Set Humane Traps
You should consider setting traps if there is a significant threat of possums in your area. Ideally, you should employ a professional technician to perform the trapping task because there are consequences attached to harming protected creatures. Typically, possums are not difficult to trap, and they are usually captured in cages. A large steel cage with a sturdy structure will often do the trick. If you do capture a possum, consult a pest control expert like Allstate Pest Control for safe removal.