Wild animal help?

Question

We have a posson living under our house and we don't mind it being there but he is digging into the garbage at night is there anyway to hid food around the yard at night so he eats and don't dig in the garbage and what do I put out I don't want to get to close so that he don't start coming up to humans

Answer 1

Please ignore any suggestions to shoot the animal, as that would be illegal, unless you were a licensed hunter and it was the proper season. Also, use no other lethal methods to deal with the animal, as that also would be illegal.

Trapping and relocating the animal is also illegal unless you have the proper permits. If you want the animal trapped and relocated, contact a Nuisance Wildlife Control Professional. They have the experience, and the necessary permits, to live-trap and relocate nuisance wildlife. You can find one here: http://www.wildlife-removal.com/faq.htm

The best answers are those that suggest securing your trash and making it impossible for the possum to get into. Also, do not put food out for the possum. If you do, one possum will be the least of your problems. Depending on where you live, and what other wildlife you have in the area, putting food out for the possum could attract rats, mice, raccoons, other possum, fox, coyotes, bears...and then you have a real problem.

While it is true that possum are not a vector for rabies (they do not contract or transmit the disease) because of their low body temperature, they do present other health hazards. They are host to parasites, and thus are vectors for the diseases that fleas, ticks, etc can transmit. They also leave a lot of droppings, which pose the usual excrement health risks, which can include leptospirosis or Salmonella.

It is true that possum are not particularly agressive animals, but if surprised or cornered, they do know how to use those teeth! And if you or any of your neighbors have any pets, a possum can do some real damage in a fight with a small dog or cat.

The best bet is to keep it out of the garbage, do not provide any other source of food, and see if it goes away on its own. If not, you may want to have it relocated before the end of autumn, so it has a chance to survive the winter in a new location.

Answer 2

There is some excellent, and misleading information here.
Store trash in container with proper lid or keep trash in bags in garage, until the purchase of suitable trash can. Wal-Mart sells 45 gal. plastic type w/lid, that even a raccoon has difficulty removing.
You needn't fear Opossums,( not rodents like rats) just scavenging. One of nature's best recyclers & consume anything. Strictly nocturnal, so keep pet food put up at night & don't set out food.
No chance of rabies, spreading/receiving other diseases. Possum will either play dead or escape when able. Beneficial to have possums around, most of the time, people don't even know they've been there. Leave them alone, upon finishing the yard, they will move on to somewhere else.

Answer 3

Opossums can contract rabies but the chances are very low since their body temperature is 93 degrees and the rabies virus likes animals with much higher temperatures.
The do however have 50 dog-like teeth and can bite but their eyesight is poor and it takes alot of badgering to get them to become aggressive.
The best bet is to put your garbage cans into wooden bins with secure locking tops. Opossums are not as dextrous as raccoons and can not unlock a top, they can slide it off though. The other option is to pour a cup of ammonia all over the trash every night. It will deter the opossum from rummaging inside the trash can.

Answer 4

Opossums do not carry rabies or any diseases humans can catch; their body temperature is lower than ours and doesn't host the same kinds of germs.
Opossums will eat a lot of things. If you have possums, you will never have snails!
They are known to love cat food and dog food but so do a lot of nuisance animals. The possum can certainly get its own food without your help and without your trash too.
I think the best thing would be to put the trash into a container that the possum can't get into. If the possum can get into it, so can rats and other unpleasant creatures. (Sure I like rats in their place, but not getting into my stuff and ruining things.)
I like possums; once in a while one of my dogs will frighten one and it will faint in my back yard. They seem to have some consciousness even when in a faint, as they get deader the closer you come to them, and seem to revive a little as you move away. Once I picked up a "dead" possum and my daughter took a picture of it. At the sound of the camera, its ears swiveled toward it. I put it down, it revived and walked away.
They don't always faint, though; usually they run away or, if cornered, they can bite. But no rabies.

Answer 5

Opossum are NOT a vector for rabies. They are NOT aggressive toward people. However, if you mess with one, you'll be sorry.

Keep you pet food indoors. Secure your trash cans. Don't fee the animals. Close off all entrants to the basement.

Get a live trap, trap it and take it out to a forest. Or call a trapper. Or get a gun and shoot it.

The possum is NOT gonna get used to people and start approaching them.

Answer 6

Well, what u could do is put the garbage can(s) in a garage or or a shed.that should keep him out!lol.if ur worried about him starving,you could always put out some leftovers from dinner,but put it out later at night so other unnocturnal animals dont get to it first.

Answer 7

You should not leave food out for the oppossum and you should secure your trash so that it can not get into the trash. If you (or anyone else) continues to feed it and/or let it eat your trash it will become very used to people and might approach.

Answer 8

You could get metal trashcans with padlocks on them. You don't need to put a lock on it just something to keep it shut. Then, you could save the food that you don't eat and stick it in a dish. You could put the food FAR away from your house. He should find it.

Answer 9

actually marge shooting any animal that destroys or damages your property. or that may cause worry of disease and infestation is not illegal. Not to say that I promote violence to animals, far from it. But we all have a right to protect our property and our family.

Answer 10

call animal control and have it removed, it can carry rabies and can be vicious.