No, we can only remove it 50m from where we catch it. It is a territorial animal.

No, we will repair the hole(s) where it is currently getting in and any that it could possibly get through later.

• Possums will urinate through your roof leaving yellow stains on your ceiling or walls.
• They will also poo all through the roof space.
• Possums can get caught in lighting wires in your roof and damage lights. They won´t normally eat the wires but rats will. Both possums and rats are a fire hazard for this reason.
• They can die in your roof and stink to high heaven. You´ll know if you have a dead possum in your roof.
• Possums make nests in insulation by tearing it up and moving it around your roof.
• Possums, rats and birds can all carry lice, ticks and other nasties, making them a health hazard.

None of these are effective.

Cut back tree branches that give possums access to your roof: 1.5m minimum from guttering.

Yes we can with live traps.

It normally takes up to 2-3 Days.

Yes they can because the possum has a natural instinct to try and re-enter “his home” in your roof. This is where another form of housing should be tried, in the form of possum boxes. These nesting boxes can be put in a tree or any safe comfortable area. Urbanization sprawl has made it harder for possums to survive in their natural habitat.

All possums are protected in Sydney under the provisions of the Wildlife Act 1975.

A Governor in CouncilOrdermade on 8 July 2003 was published in Government Gazette G28, pages 1766-1767 on10 July 2003. This Order permits the trapping of Common Brushtail Possums living in buildings for the purpose of releasing them on the same property ortaking them to a registered vet for euthanasia. Relocation of possums is prohibited. Common Ringtail Possums remain fully protected and may not be trapped.

The Order also permits the trapping of Common Brushtail Possums living in municipal parks and municipal gardens, as part of a possum management plan that includes non-lethal measures, and only by holders of a Commercial Wildlife (Wildlife Controller) Licence Type 1 endorsed for taking possums.

No. Only a registered veterinarian can legally euthanase Common Brushtail Possums. All other possums, including the Common Ringtail Possum, remain fully protected in Sydney and must not be euthanised or relocated.

Possums are native wildlife. All native wildlife is protected under the Wildlife Act1975. (For the purposes of the Wildlife Act, native wildlifeincludes birds, mammals, reptiles and amphibians that occur naturally inAustralia). This protection follows community expectations that place theresponsibility on all of us to look after our native wildlife.

We do not recommend that you have Common Brushtail Possums destroyed. We encourage people to learn to live with possums, since they are partof our urban environment. (see also Living with Possums).

As a general principle, removal of native wildlife from the wild into captivity is prohibited because it is considered unethical to take a wild animal and place it in captivity. In addition, some species are in small numbers and removal of individuals of these species could have an adverse impact on the survival of populations of that species in the wild. However, you can purchase captive-bred possums to keep as pets, however you must first apply for, or already have, a Private Wildlife Licence.

Yes. The mother will either have her young in her pouch or on her back. It will not be left behind. Be aware that there may be more than one adult possum in your roof.

The law only allows the trapping of Common Brushtail Possums that are living in buildings.There is advice in the book let Living with Possums about dealing with problems of possums damaging plants.

In a secure position on the roof or inside the roof space but remember, the law only permits the trapping of Common Brushtail Possums that are living in buildings.All traps must be located in an area that is protected from rain or wind, direct sunlight and domestic animals at all times.

Common Ringtail Possums must be released after sunset on the day of capture as near as practicable to the capture site, on the same property.

Common Brushtail Possums have a black, bushy tail, while Common Ringtail Possums havea tail that has short fur and a white tip. Occasionally, a Common Brushtail Possum has a white tipped tail, but its fur is long. (See also About possums in Sydney for more information and photos of these possums).

You will need to locate the entry point or points, then make and install a one-way flap that will allow possums out, but not back. This flap can be made from metal orper spex, hinged at the top.

No. As long as the possums have an alternative nest site, such as a nest box in a tree or a natural tree hollow, this is not a problem. (See also nest box suppliers).

No, the baby will be either in the mother’s pouch or on her back. It is possible that thereis more than one adult possum in the roof. If you use a one-way flap, this willnot be a problem.

In any healthy possum population, there are young animals looking for a territory in which to establish themselves, after being forced out of their mother’s territory.

Possums should not be fed. Feeding possums or other wildlife can lead to dietaryimbalance, dependence on the food source, artificially high densities ofpossums, attraction of rats and pest birds and attraction of predators. Whendensities become artificially high this may cause fighting and in such casesmany injuries (presumably caused by fighting) have been found on possums. Feeding possums will not necessarily stop them from eating your garden plants.

Common Brushtail Possums usually have a single young in spring, although some are bornin autumn. The baby spends six months in the mother’s pouch, then one or two months being carried on her back, until it is weaned. Common Ringtail Possumshave from one to three young, usually two, born in autumn or winter. Gestation period for the Common Brushtail Possum is 16-18 days and is similar in the Common Ringtail Possum.

It is important that possum access to the roof space is blocked. If you install a one-way flap that allows possums to leave but not return, then the possums willhave to find alternative accommodation elsewhere in their territory.

Pruneover hanging branches, to prevent the possums from being over the drive way orcar, park the car else where, or put up a carport.

There are floppy fence designs to exclude possums in the Living with Possums booklet. If your dog barks at possums, it needs to be trained not to. See your vet about dog training techniques.

Place collars around tree trunks. Isolate trees from each other by pruning branches. Install floppy fences to exclude possums or erect netting over the plants needing protection.

We know of no repellents or deterrents that have been properly evaluated and demonstrated to be effective. However, some repellents may work under some situations.

Injured possums should be taken to a vet or to a wildlife shelter. Contact the DSE Customer Service Centre on 136 186 for wildlife shelter contact numbers.

One way is to watch at dusk or soon after to see where the possum emerges. Alternatively, inspect the roof and eaves carefully for scratches, staining or hairsleft where the possum enters the roof space.

There must be other openings, possibly at ground level. Watch at dusk or soon after to see if you can see the possum emerging. Possums can lift tiles to enter roofs. In this case, it is not easy to see where they are getting in. A solution is tohave the tiles re-tied.

Possums investigate objects in their territory. The nest box will be found quite readily.

No. A nest box suitable for Common Brushtail Possums may also be used by Common Ringtail Possums, although Common Ringtail Possums usually construct their own nest of twigs and leaves in dense foliage of a tree or shrub.

Possums make heavy thumping noises in the roof, and loud calls. Rats are common in roofs,and they make light scampering noises. Rats also frequently gnaw rapidly ontimber or other materials.

Possum populations increase to a level determined by the resources in their habitat.If there are plenty of nesting sites and nutritious food, then an area will support more possums than another area with fewer nesting sites or less nutritious food. Removing possums without changing the other factors that permit high numbers to build up, allows populations to return quickly to the same numbers. The presence of predators such as owls may also affect thenumbers of possums in a particular area.

A study on the fate of relocated Common Brushtail Possums by Deakin University and studies by Latrobe University and the University of New South Wales on Common Ringtail Possums showed that the overwhelming majority of relocated possums die, often from predation.In addition, removal of a possum creates a vacant territory that is soon filled by another animal. This could explain why you think they always return.

Possums area part of suburban living. They reach higher numbers in the suburbs than in the bush because suburban habitats provide a wide range of highly nutritious plant foods and abundant nesting sites in the roofs of buildings. Possums are theonly marsupials that have been able to adapt to suburban living and are a great example of Australia’s unique wildlife. Possums have managed to survive inareas that were bush, and have now been taken over by humans.

Relocation of possums to another area almost invariably results in their death instressful circumstances. It is not humane. Simply removing a possum seldomsolves a problem, since another one usually replaces it in a short time, and causes the same problem. Relocation of possums is also illegal, and carries afine of up to $5,000.