Opossums pests???

[Ross Howard]

Thanks spirit wings just what we in the country need more pigeon eaters. Fix up your pens get a dog leave a radio on over night whatever but don't make your problem our problem. We are not a dumping ground for feral cats , possum , coon etc . Look after your own we do.

[Quazar]

Originally Posted by honeyrobber

Possums are marsupials so if they have babies they will be with their mother this time of year. Remember them being nomads coment above. They do not nest and go back to it each night. Fathers have no further duties with the babies once made.

Not quite true. they are nomads, but will settle in one place with family (usually in a hollow log or under a house) and continue to return untill food in that area becomes harder to find, or untill the home becomes unsafe, then they will move on. Incidently, the young when born are absolutely tiny (you can fit about 10 on a SPOON)

Actually, they are not really that aggresive or destructive & eat garbage, fruit, vegetables, green plants, snails, slugs, snakes, and insects, including cockroaches, crickets, and beetles. They catch and eat rats and mice. They also eat dead animals of all types, I suppose if hungry enough they may eat pigeons but doubtful if they would actually try to get into a loft unless there was a space big enough.

[Vova]

Thanks for your opinions guys. @sprit wings, exactly what I will do this weekend when I go to my grandmas lol

[almondman]

Originally Posted by almondman

They are also very good climbers, making getting at the birds fairly easy at times. And I have actually had a possum cut their nose/face so bad digging through the buried wire that when I caught it to remove it from my fly pen, part of its nose and upper lip were left behind. I have never seen such self mutilization. Must have been one hungry critter. And after all that trauma, it never did get a bird.

Quazar - I would beg to differ with your opinion that they would not try to get into a loft. May not be their normal hunting grounds, but they tried on at least one occasion. I know of other times when possums were caught in chicken coops stealing eggs, and on several occasions, eating chicks. This happened on my in-law's farm. And although they are normally not that aggressive, be very careful if you get one cornered.

[Quazar]

Its strange, as they dont normally dig either, unless they were really in starvation mode, but yes they do eat eggs also.
They are wild animals, and I certainly wouldnt want to corner one.

[spirit wings]

Originally Posted by Ross Howard

Thanks spirit wings just what we in the country need more pigeon eaters. Fix up your pens get a dog leave a radio on over night whatever but don't make your problem our problem. We are not a dumping ground for feral cats , possum , coon etc . Look after your own we do.

I never even thought of a different solution. this critter should not be condemed because he wonderd on to a property with pigeons, or was attracted by them because we want them. really they are harmless if you shore your poutlry/pigeons up the way they should be, so no worries if one comes bumbling around. have to have some respect for mothers natures creatures IMO.

[Ross Howard]

That's right spirit wings shore up your pens the way they should be & release them where you found them.

[spirit wings]

Originally Posted by Ross Howard

That's right spirit wings shore up your pens the way they should be & release them where you found them.

what is so hard to understand about taking a critter down the road to an unpopulated area/ forest where he will not get into trouble and releasing it. If peope decide to live in the woods or in the country these animals all are a part of it. I would not let it loose in someones back yard and that is what you are trying to make it out to be which is wrong.. I usually go places like my friends 200 acre place., no one living even near her, I release there allot of times.. Im not stupid.

[Jay3]

sw, no, you may not release them near other homes, but many do. I have seen it lots of times, where people will dump cats "in the country", on a dirt road, but very near houses. And they all end up at the house at the end of that dirt road. One summer we were at the park in our town with our dogs, and a guy drove up and released a few squirrels that had been emptying the bird feeders in his yard. He told us that in the last couple of months, he had released 18 squirrels there! Well that park had woods behind it, but also abutting it were homes. And a couple of the homes were very close to where he was releasing these problem animals. There are too many people out there that don't care about the problem they are creating for someone else, as long as they get rid of the problem. And most don't have a friend with 200 acres of woodland. Yes, people that live in the country do have to learn to live with these things, but I can sympathize with them not needing the problem made worse. And I think that is where Ross Howard was coming from with that comment. People should be more responsible about where they bring these animals.

If you make your loft and aviary predator proof, as much as possible, then you don't have to make these pests some one elses problem. If people who have birds would put more effort and a little bit better materials into their lofts, they wouldn't have to worry about losing their birds. If you put value on your birds, then you shouldn't mind spending a bit more to keep them safe. Their safety is up to the keeper. If something gets in because you use cheaper materials, then that is your fault, not the animals, who is just doing what animals do. Build a safe environment for them, and they will be safe. There will always be predators around. No way around that.

[spirit wings]

Originally Posted by Jay3

sw, no, you may not release them near other homes, but many do. I have seen it lots of times, where people will dump cats "in the country", on a dirt road, but very near houses. And they all end up at the house at the end of that dirt road. One summer we were at the park in our town with our dogs, and a guy drove up and released a few squirrels that had been emptying the bird feeders in his yard. He told us that in the last couple of months, he had released 18 squirrels there! Well that park had woods behind it, but also abutting it were homes. And a couple of the homes were very close to where he was releasing these problem animals. There are too many people out there that don't care about the problem they are creating for someone else, as long as they get rid of the problem. And most don't have a friend with 200 acres of woodland. Yes, people that live in the country do have to learn to live with these things, but I can sympathize with them not needing the problem made worse. And I think that is where Ross Howard was coming from with that comment. People should be more responsible about where they bring these animals.

If you make your loft and aviary predator proof, as much as possible, then you don't have to make these pests some one elses problem. If people who have birds would put more effort and a little bit better materials into their lofts, they wouldn't have to worry about losing their birds. If you put value on your birds, then you shouldn't mind spending a bit more to keep them safe. Their safety is up to the keeper. If something gets in because you use cheaper materials, then that is your fault, not the animals, who is just doing what animals do. Build a safe environment for them, and they will be safe. There will always be predators around. No way around that.

what does your no mean? Iam talking about a wild animal here, not a feral animal and esp not cats and dogs, so Im not really interested in that, as it never enterd my mind, so Im not the one to be preachy too find the offenders of your subject. something so simple as letting a oppossom go weither he was trapped or rehabbed should not be so hard to understand and no need to go off on a direction with domestic animals and what happens with poor choices of others.... even though Im sure it happens. what can I do about that subject?, It does not even pertain to me ATM. but great for you for telling others about your knowledge on the subject of pets being dumped.


The oppossom if rehabbed or trapped would be released in a place which it can thrive but not in a populated area.. plain and simple. the picture the thread starter posted is an oppossom is'nt it? (yes that is supposed to be sarcastic)

[Jay3]

Originally Posted by spirit wings

what does your no mean? Iam talking about a wild animal here, not a feral animal and esp not cats and dogs, so Im not really interested in that, as it never enterd my mind, so Im not the one to be preachy too, something so simple as letting a oppossom go weither he was trapped or rehabbed should not be so hard to understand and no need to go off on a direction with domestic animals.. even though Im sure it happens. what can I do about that subject?, It does not even pertain to me ATM. but great for you for telling others about your knowledge on the subject of pets being dumped.


The oppossom if rehabbed or trapped would be released in a place which it can thrive but not in a populated area.. plain and simple. the picture the thread starter posted is an oppossom is'nt it? (yes that is supposed to be sarcastic)

What is so hard to understand that people living in the country are tired of people dumping both domesticated and wild animals near their property? That was my point. People do it all the time, so people living in the country are sick of it. If they would bring a wild animal to a place far from other homes, fine. But many times they don't. I'm pretty sure when rehabbers release, they do so in a place away from homes, as they don't want the animals to be someone elses problem. And they want them to be safe. Most people don't care.

[altgirl35]

don't hurt me, i'm just trying to survive in a world taken over by humans

[Jay3]

Originally Posted by altgirl35

don't hurt me, i'm just trying to survive in a world taken over by humans

Aww! That's cute!. I know..............it isn't their fault. They are just trying to survive. We get them in our yard on occasion too. They don't bother me. I know they can't get to my birds, and they mind their own business, and I let them be. Eventually they will move on.

[Ross Howard]

Well said jay 3 up here in Canada the MNR allows us to live trap wild critters fix the trouble spot if they got in to something & release un harmed 100' from where you trapped them. Most folks don't realize that if you release away from there home area other critters take exception to the stranger ( like you would in your home) & kill , injure etc the stranger who ends up dying a slow death , illness etc. So it's really not the best thing to do if you really care for the critter. Being l live right beside a 300 acre forest in a very rural area I have had to make my pens very critter proof , dogs , lights , heavy wire good wood etc but just recently had a possum rip a hole in a corner over night .& kill a hen. I repaired the hole with tin caught the possum in trap next night when it came back for more . Shook the hell out of the trap , let the dogs give him hell barking .& banging the trap , poured water on him & turned him loose back in the forest (his home)& so far no more problems with him. Just sayin where you found him leave him just make it unpopular for them there .

[spirit wings]

Originally Posted by Jay3

What is so hard to understand that people living in the country are tired of people dumping both domesticated and wild animals near their property? That was my point. People do it all the time, so people living in the country are sick of it. If they would bring a wild animal to a place far from other homes, fine. But many times they don't. I'm pretty sure when rehabbers release, they do so in a place away from homes, as they don't want the animals to be someone elses problem. And they want them to be safe. Most people don't care.

Im not even going to mention domestic animals.
why was it your point? did I say I thought someone should do that? not sure why it was even brought up. but thats ok. If one lives in the country how would one know where a possum came from anyway...lol.. oh my goodness. I might see one tonight, I live in the country and then I will be sure to get mad because someone COULD of dumped it off.. my birds are protected so no worries anyway.. which makes me think what the point of all this crap is for anyway..