Evicted possum
For a couple of weeks now, we have heard movement on the roof. But when we went outside we couldn’t see the culprit. The footsteps were heavy – this was no rat, we thought possibly a cat on the roof. Then I went up on the roof to investigate. And there I found a large hole in the eves and a tile nudged loose. The noises, coupled with their timing – just after dusk and around dawn finally pointed to one thing – a possum.
Not wanting to hurt the creature – they really are cute – we called the Possum Man. Yesterday he arrived in the early morning and made lots of noise scrambling around the roof. The end result was a one-way door that would let the possum out, but wouldn’t let him back in again.
Last night I heard the noises. Possums are creatures of habit, and we had sealed off his usual route in and out – and we were warned that possums get upset when their habits are frustrated. At three and four AM the possum was clearly disturbed, stomping around in his hobnailed boots.
And this evening I heard footsteps on the tiles. Not on the ceiling, but outside, on the roof. I grabbed the camera and tripod and a flashlight and hurried outside. By this time the possum had given up on the roof and marched huffily up the wires to the top of the telegraph pole in our backyard.
I shone the torch, and he just stared back forlornly. Tonight the realisation was setting in that he had been evicted, and would have to find a new home at the top of a tree, rather than curled up in our cosy roof among the insulation batts. And so I took a couple of photos of the artful lodger.
They are about the size of a large rabbit, with the agility of a cat – possums can climb anything, and make use of telegraph wires like a seasoned tightrope walker. They make it look so easy waddling along the wires as though they were on firm ground. Occasionally they’d stop and look intently at something with those keen eyes, then carry on as though nothing had happened. Tonight, though, our lodger just curled up and sulked, looking accusingly at the flashlight and camera.
Sharon has a great picture of another possum that used to live by the roof of her office at the University so you can see what these gentle creatures look like in daylight
Cheers
Jerry
Comment by ReneO
Jerry, just checked in to see your photos of the possum, I’m part of Sharon’s groupies,LOL I must say your (Aussie) possum’s are a bit more handsome then the ones here in the USA, this cousin is more rodent like, ours are opossums,the only marsuypeal we have. Have problems with them where I live too, had many encounter with them. Thanks for the photos ReneO
Posted on February 17, 2007 at 12:24 am
Comment by Liz
Hi, We have had a possum in our roof and found the place he was getting in via and finally we were able to catch him coming out last night and we scrambled up on the roof and blocked his access. We also sprayed ‘Possum Off’ along the fence that he was using to get to our roof, as we had observed him on several occasions coming out of the roof and then along the fence. However, tonight there was no sign of him and I started to feel fairly confident that we had evicted him successfully, but you mentioned that yours came back to make a hell of a racket on not being able to get in the roof? We heard absolutely nothing at all when day light broke at his usual time to come back and I’m a light sleeper. I’m wondering if its because we sprayed the “Possum off” on the fence or has he eluded us and found another entry point? If he has then he didn’t come out at his usual time tonight and I did stand and watch from it being quite light outside until it was pitch dark. We saw all of the other possums, three sets of Mum & babies which are normally there on the neighbours property trees but not our male resident? Do you think we have beaten him to his tactics? I’m a bit worried now as he’s been so cunning. We thoroughly blocked with very heavy wire and even wired all the funnel chimneys that are on the roof and go into the bathrooms as we did have one come down that once and into our combustible fire, fortunately for him it wasn’t lit at the time. We managed to throw a towel over him and get him outside without too much hassle. Anyhow any comments or tips would be appreciated.
Posted on October 29, 2007 at 11:11 pm