Opossums

[mstricer]

What bait is the best to use in a trap, to catch one?

 

[bantamboy93]

i caught one the other night with a can of sardines.

 

[ozark_chickies]

You can use cat food. I have caught them using Special Kitty dry food, and it stinks. I have also caught them using chicken guts.

 

[mstricer]

Thanks everyone. I googled and found they like apples and peanut butter. We set up too traps, one with apple on a stick, one with sardines. The one with sardines probably won't catch anything, the old man won't listen (whats new) when I said to attach the can some how to the trap or nail in ground, I just think he was tried. As he would later say "What I've moved 900 lbs of sand for you today".
Michele

 

[cmom]

I caught a big Opossum in a leg trap. It was digging under the fence to my chicken's yard. It killed one bird and came back for more but I put a couple of traps where it dug under the fence. Now I have an electric fence and nothing messes with it.

 

[mstricer]

That's what happened to me. It took a chick from a momma, but didn't bother the the mother hen. It actually made a decision easier for me, the chick had fused toes on both feet and I was debating whether to cull. The critter made the decision for me. Moved momma back to big coop and in process of making this little coop more predator proof. Didn't catch critter yet.

 

[johnsons-r-us]

I was wondering if they will eat the chicken feed? Or do they just come for eggs and chicks? We have many around as I see them on the roadside sometimes. Just wondering if there's something I can do to NOT attract them to the coop?

 

[Abirdbrain]

Possums are a predator, but also a better scavenger. They like Eggs beyond belief, I have found shell piles under a favorite tree close by. Racoons like dry cat food more than possums do, but they all go for Chicken tenders. I have tried raw chicken necks tied to the trap.

In my area they are wary of a metal trap. I trap a lot of cats tho.. GRrrr.

Catch and release program.

 

[ozark_chickies]

Quote:
Yes they will eat chicken food, but won't stop there.

 

[chickivicki]

Caught an opossum last night with fat from a ham steak! Have been trying chicken with no luck.... the ham did the trick!