Possums in Ceiling

billy3000 on 27/12/2021 - 23:15

Howdy

We have a possum in our ceiling, at least 1!

We live in a 2 storey 5 year old town house and the possum is living in the ceiling space of the ground floor. There is no internal manhole (in the ground floor ceiling) and there are no obvious holes internally or externally.

I have been pretty convinced it was a rat problem and have put baits etc up.. Didn't work.

Finally tonight I used an old mobile stuck through a downlight hole with a motion sensor cam app and got a pic.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/dNG1nWELcA7K4i6DA

Will be calling a possum person to remove.. Do you guys think it's a bodycorp issue or something we should just pay for? I have seen estimates of $400 to $500. Bodycorp office opens on the 4th Jan. How urgent is this? How many damage could it do?

Thoughts?

Home & Garden

Comments

  • FLICKIT on 27/12/2021 - 23:25
    +9

    I'd remove the rat baits, you don't want a possum dying and rotting in your ceiling !

    • billy3000 on 27/12/2021 - 23:36
      +1

      Thanks. Will do this.

      • King Tightarse on 01/01/2022 - 18:16

        Hey out of curiosity, which app did you use to get that photo?

  • altomic on 27/12/2021 - 23:27
    +8

    I had a similar issue with a possum.
    possums are nocturnal.
    at night it leaves to find food.
    there will be an exit/entrance somewhere.
    you need to find that exit (they can be small).
    find that entrance point and wait till after midnight i.e. after it has left home and gone off to find food, and then plug the hole.

    done.

    possum won't do any damage. they don't chew cables. they may urinate or poo up there but it's not a major drama.

    • billy3000 on 27/12/2021 - 23:36
      +1

      Thanks. I have had a really good look for holes and haven't found any.. Think I need a professional for this job.

    • Lastchancetosee on 28/12/2021 - 08:44
      +3

      Beg to differ on damage. We rented a house that had a possum family, and apart from the dreadful racket every night, their accumulated urine and faeces started to stain the ceiling.

      Finally convinced the landlord to get rid of them, and the possum catcher said it was disgusting up there.

      It was a pity, as they used to come and look in the window at night, watching the mother and babies running up and down the tree was amusing.

      • mapax on 28/12/2021 - 09:11
        +2

        Yep, I have rescued possums from houses where the plaster has collapsed and the possum has fallen into the house. I think I’ve previously mentioned about the one where the ceiling collapsed onto the bed leaving a huge mess of scat and damp plaster.

        • altomic on 28/12/2021 - 17:38

          sorry, yes. should clarify. don't leave it long term. a few weeks = no drama. a few years = problem.

  • MS Paint on 27/12/2021 - 23:45

    Why did the Possum cross the road?

    • iNeed2Pee on 27/12/2021 - 23:47
      +4

      To visit his flat mate!

      • MS Paint on 27/12/2021 - 23:59
        +4

        I like that answer but mine was because his d!çk was stuck in the chicken.

  • Gratt on 27/12/2021 - 23:49
    +2

    Usually body corp as is above your ceiling where your responsibility usually ends.

    I agree with altomic. That possum must have an entry exit somewhere close by to your photo point. Closing it off at night would be the best idea. If you don't the problem will return. The hole needs only to be as big as your closed fist for a possum to gain access.

  • onetwothreefour on 28/12/2021 - 00:01
    +3

    I also had a possum living in my roof. I waited until it came down at night, around 10pm then boarded up the whole temporarily then fixed it properly at the weekend. It took me a couple of goes as it was determined to get back to it's home but eventually I fixed the hole so it couldn't get back in.

  • lachhelix on 28/12/2021 - 00:10
    +1

    On the plus side - your possum looks kinda cute…
    I had a bunch in my ceiling but they eventually left (after about a week) of their own accord lol

    • MS Paint on 28/12/2021 - 00:17
      +6

      their own accord

      VTEC for the win

      • lachhelix on 28/12/2021 - 01:46
        +1

        Hector is going to be running 3 Honda Civics with spoon engines, 3 T66 turbos, with NOS, and a Motec system exhaust.

  • miwahni on 28/12/2021 - 00:39
    +2

    I had a similar problem, although I knew where the possum was gaining access. It defied my efforts to keep it out so eventually I called Pesky Possum (I'm in Brisbane, not sure where you are), cost $330 for him to come out in daylight and build a one-way trap in the access point - possum could get out but couldn't get back in. After two days, by which time we were sure they were gone (I'm sure there was more than one, all wearing hobnail boots too) he came back and removed the trap and blocked off the access. No problems since.

  • AdosHouse on 28/12/2021 - 03:58
    -1

    Buy/Catch a snake and chuck it in there. Problem will be solved quickly.

  • RockyRaccoon on 28/12/2021 - 06:54
    +5

    Failing the above remedies, buy a strobe light and put it in the ceiling.

    Exit any nocturnal animals.

  • Euphemistic on 28/12/2021 - 08:04
    +2

    Set up your motion camer outside for a few night to see where it getting out.

  • shaybisc on 28/12/2021 - 08:27

    Got to to be a big gap somewhere. What's the minimum size hole a possum can get through?

    • Euphemistic on 28/12/2021 - 09:54
      +1

      Brush tail or ringtail? Some ringtails are pretty small.

  • payless69 on 28/12/2021 - 08:31

    body corp for sure

  • ihbh on 28/12/2021 - 09:01
    +1

    Outside:

    • Typical entry/exit points are where sections of roof join; look under, but can be on top.
    • Check for fur on the tiles.

    Inside:

    • Can you hear it running in a particular area at a similar time in the evening/morning, then no sound then it jumping into a tree. This can provide a clue as to where the entry/exit point is.
    • Euphemistic on 28/12/2021 - 09:55

      Additionally, where their fur rubs across stuff it leaves a greasy dark coloured stain.

      • sraymond on 28/12/2021 - 10:29

        That’s rats not possums.

  • thatonethere on 28/12/2021 - 09:33

    You could try and dissuade it temporarily by chucking up some temporary lights which stay on 24x7 in the cavity but unlikely you can completely light up the entire space.

    The urine and droppings can cause a lot of visual damage to the ceiling and the smell can last for years.

    They will exit the cavity about 9pm to look for food and water so you may have a chance to spot them exiting.

    I would say a bodycorp issue as it will be a structural issue. However if you get the chance to find the hole yourself you will reduce the cost to the BC which gets charged back to you unless you are renting

    • Bargain-er on 28/12/2021 - 23:39
      +1

      I heard some "digging" sound at one spot in ceiling around 9 pm for 2 nights. I think it is trying to squeeze its body out of the roof… You won't know around what time of day/night possum usually coming back from supper yea? May be before dusk? I want to cut the branch near the exit point. Also i was told during hot day possum won't go inside cavity… Too hot inside… May be my chance to block the entrance. Thanks

      • thatonethere on 29/12/2021 - 15:21

        From experience about 3 or 4am.

        You can stuff the hole with screwed up chicken wire. Push a lot thru the hole so they can't dig it out easy. Then maybe spray seal and mesh in some pebbles.

        They will have a go getting back a few nights

        • Bargain-er on 29/12/2021 - 15:26

          So much work… The roof is on level 2. Dun think i have the guts climbing up… Thanks for helping

  • Traveller107 on 28/12/2021 - 09:53
    +8

    Had a similar problem. It was a possum with it's baby in our Queenslander. Spoke with our regular pesty who told me what sort of entry points to look for. He also explained to me that if there is a newborn with her then they would be extremely vulnerable and guaranteed to die in a territorial fight if relocated.

    I eventually found a warped weatherboard that had a tiny gap serving as access point for them. Screwed it shut and made a possum box and screwed it to the weatherboard where the access point was and placed some fruits in it. The possum started living in that possum box with its little one from there on.

    House was sealed and possum free. Possum was safe in her little private box in her same old territory. Baby possum was safe and healthy and happy.

    • Traveller107 on 28/12/2021 - 10:16

      So you'll have to look harder for the entry point coz there is one for sure and could be incredibly tiny. And whoever is hired to remove the possum please ensure they do it properly coz there are a lot of cowboys who'll do it wrong and inhumanely that might lead to the possum dying.
      Before you hire someone please try the possum box method it's the most humane, cheap, reliable and best option available as recommended by rspca and councils.

  • pharkurnell on 28/12/2021 - 10:22

    Your quote is pretty $$ expensive compared to what we paid at dads old place few years ago

    and in Vic they are only allowed to move the possum 50mtrs, so if they dont block the way in - they will be back in an hour.

    https://www.peterthepossumman.com.au/faqs/

    Possums are protected by the Victorian and South Australian Governments and therefore cannot be relocated. They may be taken from their nests, which may be in your roof, but they must be released 50 metres from where they were trapped.

  • Penumbrous on 28/12/2021 - 10:38

    I've had one put its claws threw the plaster next to my kids bed at dusk, so other than needing to fix the wall it took the kid a year to get over it.
    If you can find the hole a one way trap door is a good option so you do t need to cover at night. I built one out of timber off cuts, old chicken mesh and a woolies shopping bag to fit in a tile space.

  • jizmo on 28/12/2021 - 18:31

    If you have overhead power/cable coming into the property. Get some poly pipe over a foot long and slit down the center so you can slip it over the wire when the possum sees the poly pipe they know the can't walk over it as it rolls over the cable and they can't get in.

  • CandyMan on 29/12/2021 - 00:58

    You need something like this and an apple

    https://www.easypestsupplies.com.au/possum-trap

    • thatonethere on 29/12/2021 - 15:25
      +1

      Just check as they are illegal to use without a licence for most people (unless you are a licensed pest remover or a farmer).

      Also trapped possum is quite dangerous if enraged or scared.

      Leave to the pro s

  • Davo1111 on 29/12/2021 - 15:30

    sooo youve inspected for holes, but havent actually been up on the roof.

  • mr_asstight on 04/01/2022 - 14:21

    caught mine with a cheap $30 live animal trap. used fresh apples + bread. caught within 24 hours.

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