Possums - MUST kavetch!!!

[deerman]

Here a pic of him

 

[Kojack]

We use tuna in a can, but we take a bit of the tuna and put it under the can so that they have to try to turn it over. the reason for that is that we came up with too many empty tuna cans in an empty trap and dang it I like a tuna sandwich... I dont want to give it away without taking the life of a Possom (dang devils creatures)

 

[Kojack]

WOW deerman that is an incredible pic. Ive caught all kinds of things in traps and snares but NEVER an owl.... HOW COOL!

 

[Sitka]

I'm surprised that you can't fix the coop to keep them out. Possums are easier to keep out than raccoons.

 

[Iowa Roo Mom]

Let's not turn this into a "Make a super coop and problem solved" thread- that is not what threehorses needs right now!

I am sorry to hear about your possum problem- edited for inappropriate/illegal suggestion.. But remember- DO NOT USE IF YOU HAVE PETS THAT YOU CANNOT LOCK UP!!!

ETA: Do you have anyone who can dispatch the critters for you once you have trapped them? If not get youself a good .22 and practice up. It is the quikest and most humane way I have found so far. Good luck...

 

[Sitka]

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Yes, it will work ... on any animal that eats it. Dog, cat, chicken.

 

[deerman]

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Its not them getting in the coop, trouble is their droppings on hay before and after its cut, they carry a disease that is deadly to horses. Most people with horses need to control their numbers.

Threehorse has found out the hard way, thats how her horse got sick.

 

[threehorses]

Wow I wonder what was edited out. O.O
I'm building a coop for my bantams (who weren't near the possums.)

But that's not the problem. The problem is that I"ve had over six grown possoms in my barn in 3 months. (We saw one killed in the road last night - number six).

It's gotten to be a literal infestation of them. Probably because all the pastures around me are being razed and turning into subdivisions.

And I can't coop up horses, or their pasture, which is a source of possum droppings. So the possums must unfortunately go. I've allowed them here for over 15 years, only removing the real trouble makers. I caused my own heartache.

 

[deerman]

I cause alot of my trouble too,as i set alot of land aside for wildlife.
I set live trap around my pens .Remove any that come looking for a meal.

The predator numbers do need control, when they run out of prey.Thats when they start working so hard to get into wire pens.

Your trouble is the numbers have got so large. They have been run out of their home range. Your barn has become their new home.

Far as killing them, better than the numbers getting so large they start starving. They have few preadators now so thats where we come in.

The great horn owl is one of the coons,skunks,and possum predators.

In my live traps i use eggs from my incubator, break them in the back. they will go in and lick up the broken eggs.

The owl was trap because i put the trap in front of fresh kill rooster, he can back to get it.

 

[threehorses]

There was another one tonight, deerman! Seriously - I'm going crazy here. That's five possums within 3 days, and six within 2 months.

And yes - I agree about starving. I've seen it before where they get scroungy, diseases, and sick. (Now I'm wondering if that's not where my case of blood sucking lice came from...) And they're so safe here - I have four acres fenced in with chain link 6' tall. They can get in by climbing, but dogs and other natural predators cannot. So they come here.

We used to have a nice big horned owl pair, but I hadn't heard them in a while. I do wish he'd come back (though I'm sure our little screech owls are fine with him being gone.) The hawks don't get the night shift.

This one possum was going for two duck eggs that we found today. Since we're having such bad possum problems, I'm going to set up both the eggs and the catfood smear.

Probably my problem is that before the horse incident, I really just ducked my head at killing the non-raccoons. I know they're losing habitat and we didn't see many. I know that they clean up carcasses - there's a reason for everything. But.. unfortunately the pendulum has swung too far. I love wildlife, and that's the shame of it really isn't it?

Thank you for your good advice.

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