How to get rid of a possum?

[centrarchid]

It's not a poor design at all. It's that it was a great digger. Yea I could have dug a 5ft trench and hardware mess along with concrete. But my poor wallet along with my poor design went with 1ft deep mess and 4x4's. don't worry, the possiums didn't go to waste. They are buried in the ground next to my compost so my worms can find a meal too.

Opossums do not dig. Somebody else is about when digging is noted.

 

[centrarchid]

You know what they say about opinions. Please feel free to read the forum rules.

Trapping and killing coons and possums is an effective way of dealing with the problem.

4 the birds appears to be writing from practical experience when using confinement of birds. Once you go far enough to confine birds, you need to invest a little more in design so that predators you will be attracting are less apt to cause trouble. I and my guardians kill a good number of varmints annually but it is something I like to minimize.

 

[Ken Phillips]

I know you are terrified of him. Do not be afraid .Do not catch him by hand but otherwise he will not harm you. You have heard the old saying playing opossum. Club him and he will instantly pretend to be dead! Then with one well placed club to the skull and he will be no more! Stand your ground!! Just like George Zimmerman did!!

 

[quigley257]

4 the birds appears to be writing from practical experience when using confinement of birds. Once you go far enough to confine birds, you need to invest a little more in design so that predators you will be attracting are less apt to cause trouble. I and my guardians kill a good number of varmints annually but it is something I like to minimize.

I understand. Any coop worth building is worth making secure up to at least coyote size predators and as small as weasel size. My flock is safe as can be inside the coop but they are also allowed to range during the day. Thinning out possums and coons is worthwhile whether you have chickens or not. There are reasons that the DNR consider them varmints and can be taken at all times using many different methods. I don't appreciate people coming into the predator/pest forums and telling people not to kill animals. While it is possible to thwart certain pests using non-lethal methods, they are usually much more time consuming and expensive.

 

[4 the Birds]

I understand. Any coop worth building is worth making secure up to at least coyote size predators and as small as weasel size. My flock is safe as can be inside the coop but they are also allowed to range during the day. Thinning out possums and coons is worthwhile whether you have chickens or not. There are reasons that the DNR consider them varmints and can be taken at all times using many different methods. I don't appreciate people coming into the predator/pest forums and telling people not to kill animals. While it is possible to thwart certain pests using non-lethal methods, they are usually much more time consuming and expensive.

Opposums are ugly and mean looking but they do not deserve to be "thinned" or killed because they are getting into a chicken coop. A well designed coop/run will keep out any opossum. Opposums are active and hunt at night when chickens are not free ranging. Simply close up your well built/fortified coop at night and there should be no problems. You can kill predators as they come and keep coming...... or you can fortify your coop/run and live in harmony with nature. I choose to live in harmony and my "opinion" reflects that.

Here are a few facts about Opossums

• Opossums help gardens by eating snails, slugs, insects, snakes, rats and overripe fruit.
• Opossums are not a public health threat.
• There is far less of a risk of infection from opossums than from house pets.
• The opossum's greatest enemies are cars and domestic pets.
• Another predator of opossums is people, who hunt them for food, sport, and pelts.
• Opossums are not territorial and move to wherever food is available.
• Opossums do not have good eyesight or hearing -- they rely mainly on their sense of smell.
• Opossums are very clean animals and groom themselves much like a cat does.

 

[shmccarthy]

Well where I live, a few years ago there was a major over abundance of them. It's the same thing I am dealing with, with the raccoons right now. I shot and buried a lot of possums because they would get in the garbage, chase the cat, and get into the garage. We "thinned out" their numbers and hardly see them here now. We have a group of 5 raccoons visiting the deer feed every night now that I am taking care of.
This *is* the predators and pests forum and although you are very entitled to your opinion, arguing the ethics of what people choose to do on their own property is not allowed. I don't want to be *that* person, but that's how this thread will get locked. It says in the rules for the predators and pests thread that arguing someone's method, or asking not to kill the animals based on ethics and opinion alone is not allowed. You are entitled to your opinion and we are entitled to ours.

 

[bobbi-j]

I don't leave feed out at night. They lay in the afternoon. He kills the chickens eats the innereds and leaves. Leaving meat will attract cats, electifying will hurt my dogs. I caught the possum in the coop in the middle of murdering my Cochin, So I know he's not scavenging.

OP, it seems that you don't really want advice. You have argued with every solution offered. It seems to me that electric would be your best option if you choose to use it. Believe me, if your dogs have any brains at all, they will learn after the first time to stay away from the wire. It's not going to cause them permanent damage, and the zap is over with almost immediately (yes, this is the voice of experience speaking...

) Electric fencing is quick and easy to set up, not all that expensive, and you don't have to worry about dealing with a trapped animal that way. They'll just go away. It will also help discourage other critters that may go nosing around your coop.

 

[cafarmgirl]

Ditto what bobbi-j said re the use of hot wire. That is what I use around my coop/run and it works perfectly. I also have dogs and cats. The cats have never touched it, both dogs have touched it once and only once. It deters any critter that wants to come nosing and sniffing around my pens. It's easy and effective.

 

[4 the Birds]

Well where I live, a few years ago there was a major over abundance of them. It's the same thing I am dealing with, with the raccoons right now. I shot and buried a lot of possums because they would get in the garbage, chase the cat, and get into the garage. We "thinned out" their numbers and hardly see them here now. We have a group of 5 raccoons visiting the deer feed every night now that I am taking care of.
This *is* the predators and pests forum and although you are very entitled to your opinion, arguing the ethics of what people choose to do on their own property is not allowed. I don't want to be *that* person, but that's how this thread will get locked. It says in the rules for the predators and pests thread that arguing someone's method, or asking not to kill the animals based on ethics and opinion alone is not allowed. You are entitled to your opinion and we are entitled to ours.

Not arguing anything. Simply offering an alternative solution to a problem..... Is that within the rules? Doesn't it make more sense to secure the coop and run (elec. wire was mentioned) instead of waiting to "take care" of the next predator? Coons will scavenge your garbage because they smell it. Try bagging it up, put it in a can with a secure lid. Feeding deer will obviously attract nuisance animals. And around here..... Deer ARE a nuisance.

I guess that I just don't see the logic.

By the way..... I am not against killing. I have not eaten a good opossum for awhile.

 

[shmccarthy]

Going to college and only being able to work part time, I personally, can't afford to buy anything expensive, including electric fencing. I definitely would if I could. One more means of protection. I can't stand the raccoons getting into my corn though. That deer is hopefully going to feed my family for about 6-8 months and I definitely want to get them nice and plump before hand didn't want to start something, just where I live, everyone is very pro-gun/hunting so that's literally what everyone does here. I love my babies and I want to do everything in my power to make sure they are safe