While many homes in Adelaide have possum visitors every now and then, they don’t make the most ideal houseguests. Here’s why:

Aggressive behaviour

While they generally prefer to avoid confrontation, possums will certainly display defensive behaviour if they feel threatened. You’ll see them bare their teeth, hiss or screech at you during unexpected encounters, and they may even bite or swipe if you get too close!

They’re messy

Lacking in table manners, possums will leave behind food scraps and droppings at feeding sites, and help themselves to flowers, fruit and vegetables from your garden.

Nocturnal disturbance

Because they are usually active at night, you’ll tend to hear them running on your roof and making unusual noises just as you’re winding down to sleep.

Property damage

With razor sharp teeth and claws, hungry possums are capable of gnawing on electrical cables, chewing on insulation and scratching ducts. This can increase the risk of electrical disruptions and fires occurring in your home.

Spreading diseases

Possums can carry a range of nasty germs and parasites which can be spread through human contact. This can lead to diseases such as Buruli Ulcer, leptospirosis, wobbly possum disease, tularaemia and bovine tuberculosis.

Keeping your roof space clean and possum-free isn’t difficult if you’re proactive in taking the following steps:

Proof entry points

Maintaining the integrity of your rooftop is a key factor in preventing possums from coming inside. Regularly inspect your roof for any potential sites of entry and cover or seal them. You can install mesh screens over vent and water tank openings, and grates over chimneys. Repair and replace dislodged roof tiles.

Yard maintenance

Remove easy access to your roof by trimming back trees, foliage, shrubs and bushes away from your home. Having fewer large trees in your yard will also provide less opportunities for possums to nest in your backyard. Dispose of all fallen and rotten fruit and vegetables, and sweep up piles of leaf litter. Secure rubbish bins, and keep outdoor dining areas clean.

Remove food sources

With an appetite for plant-based food, possums prefer feasting on fruit, vegetables, flowers and leaves. You can lower your chances of attracting possums if you reduce the number of plants in your yard. Do not leave pet food bowls out.

Natural repellents

Strong-smelling household items can be effective in keeping pesky possums away from your yard. You can make sprays by mixing water with garlic, camphor, quassia chips, fish sauce or even bleach and apply them around your yard. These will need to be reapplied regularly.

If the constant distraction of possums lurking around your roof and backyard is keeping you up at night, Allstate is here to help.

Since 1986, Allstate has offered high quality pest control services to homes and businesses in all suburbs of Adelaide. Available 24/7 for urgent enquiries, our licensed and highly trained technicians are fully equipped to tackle possum outbreaks in a safe and humane manner, whether you’re in a residential, commercial or industrial setting.

All our pest control treatments come with competitive warranties and access to payment plans, so you can reclaim your sleep (and sanity!) from pesky possum guests running rampant in your roof – sooner rather than later.

Here’s how to tell if you have possums in your yard:

Noises at night

As nocturnal animals, possums are most active after dark. So if you hear sounds like hissing, coughing and screeching outside, there’s a good chance you could have possums hanging around.

Movement

Agile and good at climbing, possums will make banging and thudding sounds as they scurry along your fence, roof, gutters and tree branches.

Droppings

Possums leave behind faeces that are cylindrical shaped, dark in colour and around 15mm long.

Urine

If you spot large puddles or stains that give off an ammonia-like scent, this could be the work of possums.

Damage to gutters

Look for scratches, dents or mould along your gutters.

If you’re noticing a possum problem around your home and yard, it’s not just a simple case of catching and moving the possum somewhere else by yourself.

Possum relocation permits

Regarded as protected wildlife in South Australia, possums can only be managed by individuals who have a Trap and Release permit issued by the Department for Environment and Heritage. This permit allows possums to be caught and relocated to another area within a 50m radius.

Don’t forget to inspect potted plants, mulch, hay and manure for signs of fire ants.

Cover all entry points

Being small in size, fire ants can squeeze through tiny gaps, cracks, crevices and holes to gain access inside your home. We recommend carefully inspecting your home for these tiny openings and sealing them off.

Allstate’s 6-step possum management program

At Allstate, our technicians are fully licensed with Trap and Release permits to control all possum issues.
Our technicians have a comprehensive approach to making sure that your home and yard stay possum-free for the long term. We follow a 6-step humane possum management program as detailed below:

• Step 1: We inspect your home, particularly the roof, for all possible entry points
  
• Step 2: We install a one-way door at the main access point
  
• Step 3: We seal the remaining entry points to prevent possums from re-entering your roof space
  
• Step 4: We leave a cage trap near the main access point to trap any possums. Our technicians will check the trap daily to make sure that the possum is safe and to minimise stress
  
• Step 5: Once the possum (or possums) have been caught, we will clean the roof space to remove all possum scent pheromone markers
  
• Step 6: The final step involves setting up a nesting box on a tree within 50m of your yard to give the possum a new home

Sometimes, the noises you hear in your roof turn out not to be possums, but rodents or birds. Fortunately, your Allstate technician is well trained to look out for signs of other pests, and will let always you know if they spot any other issues.

Since possums make their nests in your roof space, pay attention to activity that seems to be concentrated in the area above your ceiling. Possum infestation signs can include:

• Noises in your roof: Hissing, screeching and coughing noises; lip-smacking sounds are also commonly used by elder possums to call out to mates and baby possums.
• Movement: Due to their weight, movement sounds can be heard, such as heavy banging and loud thudding.
• Urine: Possum urine is often a large puddle with a strong ammonia-like odour; look for dark brown stains on your floors or drywall. 
• Droppings: Possum droppings are usually more than 15mm long, dark-coloured and cylindrical shaped.
• Damages: Damages to home insulation, electric wiring, and scratches around entry points are signs. 
• Missing food: As omnivores, possums eat anything. But they love pet food, especially cat food. They’ll also eat dog food. 
• Rubbish bins: Possums love rummaging through trash, so take note if yours looks particularly chaotic.
• House gutters: If your home has overhanging tree branches, check the condition of nearby gutters to see if they are damaged with scratches or gutter rash (mould); this is a strong sign that possums have made their way inside your home.
• Dead possums: Professional services are crucial for dead possum removal due to the health risks associated with leaving carcasses on properties. Dead possum carcasses can attract other pests and spread diseases, making effective removal essential for property owners.