PDA

View Full Version : Design for a Possum Trap



BobS
2nd July 2005, 09:04 AM
Has anyone got a link or design for a possum trap. I'm particularly interested in ideas for the door trip mechanism.

I've just finished sealing up any possible entrance - but I think I've locked him (or them) inside :(

PS anyone want a possum !!

Regards
Bob S

ozwinner
2nd July 2005, 09:12 AM
At least they wont come back.....:D


Al :)

multinut
2nd July 2005, 09:34 AM
Bobs
if i was you
i would be unblocking the holes
then i would put my hifi speakers in the area and continue to play loud music
i have heard that possums dont like loud sounds through the day
then i would block up the holes again
hopefully without the possum inside

if you do happen to trap it inside and all escapes are blocked
then in a few months time it will be very smelly

or just contact WIRES
they could probably lend or hire you a trap

cheers
multinut
:cool:

Simomatra
2nd July 2005, 09:58 AM
Best of luck.

I had possum,s. thought that I had them all out when I sealed up but alas I forgot one.

The stench was unbelievable and all the holes I had to cut to find and dispose of it

Have been rid of them now for six months. Had to lop a tree that was close to the house as that was how they were entering.

Catching and taking them away does not help as they find thier way back every time

Have fun

Sam

Gumby
2nd July 2005, 10:48 AM
Catching and taking them away does not help as they find thier way back every time

Sam

Must be that new breed of Homing Possum :D :D

Tikki
2nd July 2005, 11:02 AM
Hi Bob

Here's one idea for a trap ...

http://hwy.com.au/~wiresmdg/stories/trapdoor.html

I have a free standing one in the shed (cat cage actually :D ). Will drag it out later today and take some pics for you if the above design is not suitable.

Cheers
Tikki :)

bitingmidge
2nd July 2005, 12:09 PM
Catching and taking them away does not help as they find thier way back every time

There was a bloke busted in Brisbane a few years ago, near an inner-city garden/park with 80 :eek: possums in his stationwagon, in sugar bags.

Turns out he was a greyhound trainer, and was arrested and charged.

His defence was that he had collected them all on his property, and was concerned that his dogs would catch them so was releasing them in the city for there own well-being.

The magistrate didn't seem to think he was altogetherly being truthful as I recall!

P

Sturdee
2nd July 2005, 05:20 PM
Catching and taking them away does not help as they find their way back every time


Sam


Not the ones I caught and dropped of 40 k away. Haven't had anymore. :D


Peter.

BobS
2nd July 2005, 06:05 PM
Well the trap is made and set - however due to the rushed/urgent nature of the job I refuse to post a photo of it ........ well OK maybe one if it works :)

Stay tuned

Bob S

E. maculata
4th July 2005, 11:01 PM
Try putting lights in the roof cavity, we had nocturnal visitations and so we installed a few 60 watt globes up high on the trusses, with the switch downstairs, turned em on for a week straight.........viola possums found a nice dark place to dwell instead, their relatives tried it on a few months later but they too decided that it was too light at our joint :rolleyes:

Ashore
4th July 2005, 11:05 PM
Not the ones I caught and dropped of 40 k away. Haven't had anymore. :D
Peter.am told the same rusult can be achieved at 2 k if you use a boat







The trouble with life is there's no background music.

Forest Gump
5th July 2005, 12:53 AM
I rekon I had about 4 families in the roof at one stage, one family in each corner. There was a lot of fighting going on up in the roof, when they came in just before daylight.

I had a light in the roof and campur as well, plugged every hole around the roof area that I could find but they still managed to get in.

They found a spot to get in under the house and climbed up the walls.

Daniel

Landseka
5th July 2005, 12:46 PM
Bobs

or just contact WIRES

cheers
multinut
:cool:
If the wires are connected to 240v you shouldn't have a repeat problem. :rolleyes:

Regards

Neil

barrysumpter
30th March 2006, 05:57 PM
At one time, I was so into getting rid of my possums I called myself "Possum Hunter".

I could smell them.

I could see where they were getting in by the possum sign of Possum Poo and Possum fur.

Trappped quite a few.

I don't ever, ever want to get between a possum and where ever he is going.

Freakin bulldogs that climb trees.

They fiercely fight for their homes when they get them.
And are nomadic when they loose them.

You'll often find leaving possums 20k away will get rid of the current ones.
But the ones that lost last nights fight will be scouting for a new place.

And can smell where other possums have entered your house before.

We had peter the possum man (freakin fortune) come out and seal all but one entrance, trap at that entrace, remove whatever he trapped for a week. Not possums for the last few days.

He swore he let the possum go in a sanctuary far away.

Three days later we had possums trying to get into the same place and would work at it for 15 to 20 mins intervals four or five times a night for the next week.

Freakin bull dogs that climb!

jow104
30th March 2006, 06:17 PM
Funny thing is when ever a lady calls me possum I get all excited and seem to get that loving feeling coming on. Funny how words mean different things on different continents.

ozwinner
30th March 2006, 06:24 PM
Still sounds like a possum trap to me..

Al:p

Carry Pine
3rd April 2006, 06:36 PM
Sorry to hear of your problem with possums. We got so desperate, we bought!!! a trap....and the bloody thing worked. Cost me $65 but we had already had 2 months of sleeplessness between the hours of 2am and daybreak when it came back to nest in the wall cavity.
If you are still having problems, message me. Willing to lend trap.

pitbull
4th April 2006, 03:44 AM
am told the same rusult can be achieved at 2 k if you use a boat

Use a sack and you will get away with 6 feet( Straight Down)!:rolleyes:





The trouble with life is there's no background music.

Farm boy
4th April 2006, 08:08 PM
i know its cruel but my father in law loves his fruit trees so did the possums he now hangs rabbit traps off the branches and doesnt have a possum problem anymore

ernknot
30th May 2006, 07:53 PM
Funny thing is when ever a lady calls me possum I get all excited and seem to get that loving feeling coming on. Funny how words mean different things on different continents.
Now you know why they call you Possum

rockola
1st June 2006, 01:03 PM
i know its cruel but my father in law loves his fruit trees so did the possums he now hangs rabbit traps off the branches and doesnt have a possum problem anymoreWe have a macadamia next to the house, last year it was full of nuts -> possum nightclub in the attic. This year, next to no nuts -> only the occasional nocturnal visitor.

Last year I'd gladly have skipped the rabbit trap bit and just hung the #*&(#@&*(! possums from the tree... I'm much more in tune with nature now.

BrisBen
2nd June 2006, 12:14 AM
Knew a bloke who caught a carpet snake and put it in the roof, only problem was getting a very fat snake out of the roof a couple of months later!

I also heard throwing a couple of rubber snakes from a toy shop around can deter them

Another more drastic measure is to pee into a bottle and pour a little bit around in the ceiling void/roofspace. They apparently think others have taken over their space...at least that is what someone told me

I'm not sure about the light thing - if they can sleep through daylight in a tree, there would be nothing better than a nice warm globe to keep them warm at night

Buzza
27th June 2006, 11:33 PM
In Australia, possums are protected by law, and just being caught with one or two in a cage can spell disaster in a court room. The offence is trapping in a container type device.

The answer is to work at closing all entry holes, and make sure this is done with strong material. Whilst doing that, keep in mind a even a huge Norway Rat can get underneath a half an inch to get inside the roof cavity and chew your electric wiring etc. So close those holes up real good. Left to live in there, their urine will begin to seep through and stain the ceiling, and eventually the ceiling will sag and collapse.

When you get to the main entry/exit hole, that's where you place your trap, which is an open ended, builders mesh, square shaped one. This has a one way door in it, allowing all the possums to exit your roof, but not return to it. The door lays in the direction of "OUT", so that when they push against it, it opens upward. When they try to return, pushing aginst it will have pressure bearing downward onto the floor of the cage, keeping it shut. At this point, they will become very frustrated and bad trempered. Do not try to approach any possum, leave them to wander off. They can savage humans with a vengeance.

The fighting in the roof, usually banishes the less capable possum to the wall cavities, and the tougher guys have the ceiling cavities to nest in. Starving or poisoning them, will have them rotting away in your house, and this will attract the "Meat Ants" to add to your woes. Electrocution happens often, causing even more damage, and maybe even a roof fire.

BobS
3rd July 2006, 11:08 PM
Thanks Bazza,

Since starting this thread I've learnt/heard a lot about possums and their attributes (!!). Firstly I was told that once you have possums in your immediate area then will have mark the area as theirs and if you trap them and remove them you'll just make the area available to the another pair nearby.

My solution was to nail wire mesh over the entrance holes and then I used a hollow log to build two possum boxes, I placed them in trees about 50mtrs from the house.

The result - they kept trying to get back in for several nights but eventually they gave up and now all is peaceful.

I've now heard that once they get in they will mark the area with their scent (well that's the polite way of putting it !!) so even with the access holes closed their scent will keep bringing them back. If possible you need to scrub the area with a solution of disinfectant and ammonia.

Regards,
Bob S and the possums

Buzza
5th July 2006, 12:02 AM
BUZZA back again.

I wouldn't worry at all about their scent attracting newbie possums back to you villa, so long as the entry and exit holes are well covered. Hot air goes upward, and so will the scent of the possums. This shouldn't affect you, but if you are concerned, then in the cooler part of the year, with full respitory safety gear, you could vacumn your ceiling cavity for the dried feaces and have a good clean out. Any animal or bird feaces drying out will turn to dust, and if it gets down into the house, can cause serious health problems even culminating in death. This especially applies to rats and mice. Starlings and such are not much better.

Pooh to them all I say. :D

Wongo
24th July 2006, 12:05 AM
http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com.au/showthread.php?p=342604#post342604

jow104
24th July 2006, 12:58 AM
Not being a resident of Oz. I have no natural aversions to possums, but if they were in my neighborhood here in the UK I would ascertain the possums enemy (such as a cat or whatever) and let them sort it out.

ernknot
25th July 2006, 12:00 AM
The possum would win. These things here in Oz are monsters.

brians_baby_08
13th November 2008, 12:39 AM
hey i need to know how to make one of the possum ?:D


Has anyone got a link or design for a possum trap. I'm particularly interested in ideas for the door trip mechanism.

I've just finished sealing up any possible entrance - but I think I've locked him (or them) inside :(

PS anyone want a possum !!

Regards
Bob S