Possum... yikes!

[chicknmania]

Well, he's not going to lunge at you. He's going to play dead. That's what possums do And you can keep him playing dead by poking him, or otherwise scaring him.

By all means stay away from their 50 teeth though, of course.

Personally, I have a real problem with killing predators, and we go to great lengths to keep from having to do that. Occasionally it's
unavoidable.

 

[CluckyCharms]

Now you all have me wondering why ours are so freaked out by our presence then. I've always heard the term "playing possum" but our opossums here aren't like that. We step outside and they tear off in the other direction. Well, they don't really tear off - they waddle off, but they appear to be doing it as fast as possible. It's not exactly a waddle either, I'm not sure what I would call their movement but it's funny looking. We do have a very active Sheltie who "actively participates" in running them off, but it doesn't matter if he is with us when we go outside or not...they waddlehaul their butts goodbye when they see us.

How come everyone else's opossums don't? We do live in the city, but there are still a LOT of opossums here. I wonder if it is because they have acclimated themselves to living in an urban environment and have learned somehow that they'll get crushed by a car if they don't move the heck out of the way?

In any case- ours don't play dead or sit still or anything of the sort when they know we see them.

 

[jeepguy982001]

a bb gun can be a humane way. You just have to get a good pellet gun not the old style red riders and hit it in the right spot. And their not cheap. cheaper then a rifle where i live its too close to neigbors to use my rifles or shotguns. I've caught and killed a few coons one shot and their out. And opossums are like people with different personalities some will play dead and i've seen some act like rambo.

 

[CluckyCharms]

a bb gun can be a humane way. You just have to get a good pellet gun not the old style red riders and hit it in the right spot. And their not cheap. cheaper then a rifle where i live its too close to neigbors to use my rifles or shotguns. I've caught and killed a few coons one shot and their out. And opossums are like people with different personalities some will play dead and i've seen some act like rambo.

You had to say "red rider" didn't you. Every time someone says that I'm reminded of A Christmas Story; "You'll shoot your eye out!!"

 

[Ashburnham]

Makes me glad our possums are strictly vegetarian!

 

[jeepguy982001]

at clucky charms yea i had too lol. bb guns when i was little we'd shoot each other playing army. But now a days they can shoot just as fast as a .22 without the noise.

 

[chicknmania]

Well, yeah, they will run if they have the opportunity! It's when they're cornered that they play dead. Which it would be, in the trap.
Most live traps are made so you won't get bitten, but whatever.
We use loud talk radio, turned on and off at various times througout the day, and it works extremely well at deterring predators.
Possums are very shy really and usually will not go near something like that. The only thing it doesn't deter as well iis skunks.
In your case, you could put a radio on a timer maybe, to go off and on throughout the night. No idea how you are set up really, maybe
that wouldn't work well for your situatio.n. We don't need the radio at night b/c ours are shut up in the barn and they can roost high.

 

[chicknmania]

Makes me glad our possums are strictly vegetarian!

 

[flockman]

The opossums we get here are. :] lol I step outside and they tear off right quick.

Well I guess this is what I get for talking about possums. I found not 1 but 2 in the coop.

Well 1 down and 1 more to get. Maybe he will be back tomorrow. I will be waiting.

 

[Smithyard Farm]

Oh no! not good.

Just was out and do not see the little critter yet.... It was about this time last night I saw him... Thought my uncle had a trap... he lent it out, and hasn't gotten it back yet. have to think of something else soon. In the meantime... I looked all around the pen, I don't see any scratch marks, or scat or anything, so maybe he just hung on the fence . and decided he wasn't gonna be gettin any dinner and went on his way.... fingers crossed!