Parks Conservation and Lands

Living With Possums

The Brushie

The Common Brushtail Possum (Trichosurus vulpecula) is the best known of all the possums because it has adapted to living in our cities and suburbs. It especially likes the leafy suburbs of Canberra.

Identifying a Brush-tailed Possum

The Brush-tailed Possum is a marsupial about the size of a domestic cat, with silver-grey fur above and a white to pale grey belly. Males have a reddish chest, tinted by a scent gland. The ears are long and oval-shaped and its tail is long, black and bushy. The underside of the tail is bare, enabling it to grip branches.

Brush-tailed Possums can often be seen on the ground but prefer the safety of trees. They are nocturnal, sleeping during the day and coming out at night to feed mainly on eucalypt leaves and flowers. However, they also eat fruit and common garden plants. They particularly like rosebuds. The compost heap is also highly attractive to possums for an easy meal of fruit and vegetable scraps.

Possums in Your Home

Possums normally make their homes in tree hollows but if none are available they will use any suitable, dark place including the space between the ceiling and roof of houses and in garages.

Here they can cause sleepless nights for the humans living below as they move about and interact with other possums.

Rats and mice will also inhabit the roof space and although smaller than a possum, they can still make a lot of noise. The presence of rats and mice is sometimes obvious due to their distinctive smell and droppings.

Possums can sometimes be hard to locate as they can curl up in tiny places or may be sleeping under your insulation. If you suspect a possum in your roof, try looking in the ceiling space during the day with a torch or outside the house just after dark when possums emerge to feed.

Evicting Possums

To exclude a possum from your ceiling cavity, block off the entry point at night when the possum is out feeding.

The entry point can be found by entering the roof cavity and looking for any daylight shining through any holes. Possums do not need much space to squeeze through–a 9 cm gap is usually sufficient. Wood or metal nailed over the hole will prevent re-entry. However, possums are strong and may be able to move loose tiles and bricks aside so regularly check it.

Sprinkling camphor or naphthalene in the ceiling will also deter them.

If you don’t hear the possums for a few nights, it has probably found a new home. It may remain in the area if it finds a suitable place to nest or it may move to a new location.

Blocking the entry is the only way to guarantee that the possum will not return. If the possum is removed by trapping, its home site becomes vacant, ready for another possum to move in. The problem continues. Also possums are strongly attached to their home-site and will return to it over long distances.

Encouraging Wildlife in Your Yard

Possums can be delightful creatures with their impressive acrobatics and cute and cuddly appearance. However, they have very sharp claws so are best enjoyed from a distance. You can encourage them to stay in your neighbourhood by providing an alternative home such as nesting boxes made of a hollow log blocked at one end, or some other form of home-made shelter. It should be waterproof and placed 4-5 m above the ground .

Possums and the Law

Possums are protected under the Nature Conservation Act 1980 and it is illegal for an unauthorised person to trap or harm them. Trapping, removing or killing a possum without a licence carries severe penalties.

If you have tried unsuccessfully to exclude a possum from your roof cavity, then contact a licensed pest control company that is authorised to trap possums and that can assist in finding and blocking entry points.

For More Information

Contact the Wildlife Rangers for detailed advice about possums.

• Northside (02) 6207 1679
• Southside (02) 6207 2127
• Canberra Connect 13 22 81

To report sick or injured native wildlife or for information on becoming an RSPCA wildlife carer, phone 02) 6287 8100, after hours 0413 495 031.

Do not attempt to look after sick or injured wildlife if you are not a licensed and trained carer with RSPCA Wildlife.

Living with Possums Brochure ( PDF 723Kb)