Possum problems west of Melbourne

The Common Brushtail and Ringtail Possums are often found in residential areas west of Melbourne. Brushtail possums are roughly the size of a cat, with large pointed ears, grey fur and a bushy black tail.

Common Ringtail Possums have round ears and are a lot smaller than their Brushtail cousins, in fact only about half their size. Ringtail possums have a grey back with rusty sides and a curled tail with a white tip.

Both Possums are well adapted to living in urban areas as they like to eat the leaves, flowers and fruits of native trees and shrubs commonly found in our gardens. Brushtail Possums are also found of fungi, bird's eggs and baby birds.

Never Feed Possums!   A lot of the food we eat is dangerous to possums. Remember possums are protected under the Wildlife Act 1975, so it's an offence to kill them. Furthermore, householders and wildlife controllers are only permitted to capture Possums using appropriate traps.

While it's certainly frustrating having a possum family take up residence in your roof or discovering them eating your favourite shrubs and flowers, it is possible to successfully live with possums. The key to successful co-existence with a possum is to firstly close off any gaps in the roof, to prevent it from getting back in after it has been removed. Then trap and relocate the possum to a suitable habitat nearby, namely a nest box positioned at least 3 metres above ground level.

Nest boxes are easily constructed from non-treated timber, at least 25mm thick to provide sufficient insulation. Boxes are also commercially available, the website of the Department of Sustainability and Environment, Victoria has a list of Possum Nest Box Suppliers ... www.dse.vic.gov.au