Possum problem - electric fence?

[variant22]

I don't exactly live on a rural block, but I do have a bit of a possum issue. I like to grow a few fruit trees and the possums near destroyed them last year by eating all the new foliage. I managed to revive a few but now need a solution before the onslaught that spring brings.

I have tried Poss-off type stuff (washes off with rain) but I need a more permanent solution. I am thinking of an electric fence, but I have no idea if this will work? I do not really want to cover all my plants as they are free standing and somewhat decorative. I need something that can protect my back fence as my house has bush behind.

[whitewood]

I don't have a solution but I have doubts that an electric fence would be legal in the suburbs. I'd check with the local Council first. Maybe a phone call to the local wildlife Society may be worth it to get their advice on how to keep them off your trees.

Whitewood

[damian]

If the trees are small put chicken wire cages around them. If they are large bird netting, or make a cover out of flyscreen or shade cloth. The latter will also stop bugs eating your fruit. Take it off while they are flowering obviously.

Also coffee. Save your old coffee grinds, reboil and spray it on the underside of leaves. The smell masks the trees odour, keeps bugs away and may repel possums.

Or send an email to gardening australia. They love this stuff :)

[Cliff Rogers]

Carpet snakes also work. :D

[variant22]

I have been putting coffee grounds around. It really does not deter them and if I am away for a couple of days then my trees are stripped. The electric fence is pretty much a last resort unless there are other permanent solutions outside of netting/dogs/snakes?

[malb]

We have a fair sized poss colony around our place. They used to devour next doors roses as soon as they flowered. and trash other plants.

Our solution is to feed them every night, couple of loaves of cheap multigrain bread and a couple of kilos of downgrade apples or whatever reject fruit we have on hand keeps them happy. They queue for tea about an hour after dark, have their feed, then relax and enjoy poss life till it's time to nod off for the day.

Also have a couple of fruit trees reserved for birds to munch, keeps hem happy as well.

[Matador]

Hi variant22 ,

I don't know what part of Australia you are at but if you can tune into ABC Wide Bay . Every Friday at 10:00 am to 11:00 am a bloke call Tom Wyatt he has a garden talk back program every Friday . You can ring the station and ask him a question he has a spray that will deter possums . If he can help no one can . I think the recipe is cup of urine to four an half litres water with a wetting agent chemspread and spray the trees . The possums smells the urine and think there has been another animal has been there and the urine wont harm you . Tom Wyatt is great . That is where I get all my ideas from . I have a few fruit trees myself and it keeps the possums away . You can also boil up a heap of hot chillies let cool strain and a cup of it into the spray with wetting agent and when the first possum eats the fruit he will tell the rest . The chillie spray is good to keep bats away as well Tom Wyatt you can also contact him on Facebook and Twitter and ask him question there . Hopefully that help .


Cheers Graham

[damian]

Carpet snakes also work. :D

I have a 7' skin strung over my desk at work. Bit of a talking point here. The owners is a LOT bigger now, the skin is from about 07.

I suggested coffee sprayed on the leaves. You have to mask the scent of the fruit and leaves. Grinds on the ground only stops snails and such.

[variant22]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I may well have to tune into the ABC and as for some help. That aside, all the current proposed solutions are temporary. Having to feed the little buggers or spray the plants every couple of days is out of the question. I am not home enough to be able to keep up a high maintenance routine. I figured a decent electric fence would give them the shock of their lives and they would be off. I guess it was a little too optimistic. I saw one on my surveillance system eating the young foliage on my peach tree. I went outside and carefully hit it with a broom. Not being the sadistic type, I was pretty careful not to hurt it. The little bugger just looked at me and continued munching away. I poked at it, made a noise and it just sat there looking at me like I was stupid (it may well be right!). Needless to say it wrecked about 5 of my young trees last year.

[whitewood]

I posted earlier re the electric fence. I have followed some of the other post since. A family close to me run a free range chook farm and seem to be away from the property a few days at a time. When I asked how they handled the foxes he said they spray urine around the fence. I didn't ask where he got the supply but it is keeping 2000 chooks alive that live in the open on the bank of a river and surrounded by bush. Worth a thought as it is cheap and easy to come by .
Whitewood

[tea lady]

What about those plastic sleeves on the trunks? I think a friend of mine has saved her magnolias from a bald life with them. :think:

Found some electric possum fences. :cool: Electronic Possum Control (http://www.sureguard.com.au/possum_electric_fence.html)

Pvc tubes like this Is what I was looking for. Just needs to be wide enough for the possum to not be able to climb past. :shrug:
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4118/4903738555_d86f006414.jpg

[Oldneweng]

Possums need to be able to reach the foliage to eat it. If possible block their access. If the trees can be reached from fences etc it may be hard. A smooth metal sheet cylinder 600 to 750mm long placed around trunks will stop them climbing the trunk. You need to be able to prevent them from reaching the tree from other points. Trim the trees so all folage is higher than 600 to 750mm. If possible prevent access from other trees, fences etc by trimming, sheet metal or similar guards.

If you use a sheet metal cylinder around trunks make sure it is smooth all around including a neat sean with no gaps for a claw to enter. Pop rivets are best as they are smooth and rounded.

Hope this can be of use to you.

Dean

[Ironwood]

I used to have quite a few possums that hung around the shed, they werent much of a problem.
But I did have a rat problem a while back, so I bought a bucket "TomCat" rat baits, I put a couple around under the benches, it got rid of the rats.
About a month later, the possums got into the shed and got the lid off the bucket and ate the lot.
I havent seen a possum since.

I am not suggesting to poison them by any means. Just saying what happened to my unfortunate lot.

[whitewood]

Still following your thread. Looked at the electric fence for possums. Given the cost I would be trying the urine solution first. Most marsupials mark their territory with urine. I can't see why it wouldn't work. Wild life carers may be able to help as to quantity and spacing.

Whitewood

[Oldneweng]

Tea Lady's sleeves would be ok as well except that if they are less than 600mm long as the centre one appears to be there is a possibility that the little darlings will get past them. The figure is not exact but like all these things, if you are too short by just 5mm, not only will they not work but may give the possums incentive to try harder next time. This comes with experience with dogs and fences. Other peoples dogs. I was the advisor who was ignored because my advice was too hard to carry out. I don't think they ever solved the problem. If a dog can get over a fence don't extend the fence a foot at a time as you will just be training the dog to scale increasingly higher fences. It has to work first time. Just my experience. The original possum advice is from DIY books.

Dean

[cava]

Whilst it is illegal, we have previously trapped them and taken them 5-6 klms away before releasing them. After a few trips to get the remanents - it worked, and no possums!

[bsrlee]

Dumped (re-located) possums usually die fairly nastily - possums are extreemly territorial. A 240 volt electric fence would be more humane.

If you know any 'crazy cat ladies' you may be able to do a deal for used cat litter - fertilizer & possum deterrent in one.

Or, if you are brave, just pee on the possums yourself :q

[Farmer Geoff]

By a '240 volt fence' hopefully you mean a mains powered energiser - which will have output of a few thousand volts but a pulsating current of only about one tenth of an amp. Volts frighten, amps kill. Touching an electric fence is similar to touching a spark plus lead. It is a thud, not a tingle. Some years ago a gardener in Darwin rigged up a 240v electric fence and went to jail after a child died while retreiving a football.

There is lightweight netting available which is designed to be electrified eg Electric Netting Fence (http://www.allsun.com.au/Electranets.html) - depending on location, any fence electrification may require council approval and neighbours should be consulted, warning signs erected etc otherwise public liability insurer may not help with an assault claim.

[Oldneweng]

Dumped (re-located) possums usually die fairly nastily - possums are extreemly territorial. A 240 volt electric fence would be more humane.

If you know any 'crazy cat ladies' you may be able to do a deal for used cat litter - fertilizer & possum deterrent in one.

Or, if you are brave, just pee on the possums yourself :q

I was going to comment on relocation but was beaten to it. If you pee on the possum just make sure that it is not climbing on a 240v or other electric fence at the time or you may relocate yourself. LOL

Dean

[red box]

I don't exactly live on a rural block, but I do have a bit of a possum issue. I like to grow a few fruit trees and the possums near destroyed them last year by eating all the new foliage. I managed to revive a few but now need a solution before the onslaught that spring brings.

I have tried Poss-off type stuff (washes off with rain) but I need a more permanent solution. I am thinking of an electric fence, but I have no idea if this will work? I do not really want to cover all my plants as they are free standing and somewhat decorative. I need something that can protect my back fence as my house has bush behind.

Doubt an electric fence will work, & there is the OH&S issue mentioned in other post(s). Guardian dogs look after free range chooks, sheep, goats, fairy penguins, crops, cattle & horses & other livestock. If you have a fenced block & can deal with the barking issue, it might be worth trying. Here is a link to a comprehensive manual, which is also worth perusing in it's own right "http://www.invasiveanimals.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/Guardian-Dogs-web.pdf"
Good luck

[Newboy]

I use a .22 rifle.

[Big Shed]

I use a .22 rifle.

You won't in Oz, they're native and protected.

[Newboy]

You won't in Oz, they're native and protected.

No offense intended. They are the only native marsupial up here.

But, if you can't shoot them, what would you eat?

[Ball Peen]

Grits'n stuff :)

Earl Scruggs used possum fat as a pomade. Before he would play he would rub his picks through his hair as a lube. really.

[Kiwi Bloke]

Yes I feel sorry for you guys cause I was just hearing about the troubles you have over there from a couple who have left Aussie to move back here after Chch needed more skilled workers.
Here of course, they are treated as noxious pests so instead of swerving to miss them when driving, we purposely swerve to get them!
Id be seriously peeved if they got into our precious fruit trees like i read of one of the reports on this thread. Whow! What about dogs, Can you somehow allow the pet dog to go grab them? Need to be a bit bigger than a corgi but an old sheep dog I had some years ago, used to get real excited about them and grab it & shake it/them until they went limp (dead).
Sounds like your animal rangers need the same treatment if these critters are in built up areas. Let them live in the hills I say. There must surely be enough bush in the hills or rurally for them to enable them to produce enough off spring to keep a reasonable "community" of them going.
Best luck!!!!