Possums are migrating throughout Melbourne and summer is when possums are the most active. Thus, it is the best idea that if you do not want to have to co-exist with them in your garden that you take protective measures with your trees. To do so it is best if you hire a Daryl’s Tree Care arborist as we have years of experience in preventing possums from entering your beloved trees and other normal tree care.
However, if you think you have a possum this article looks at some ways you are able to tell. We also have to warn you not to attempt to move the possums as they are a protected species that are territorial and have sharp claws and teeth. If you must relocate possums because where they are living is dangerous or disturbing to your wellbeing, they must be moved by a registered wildlife group and can only be moved 25 metres from the current home. Therefore, if you don’t want possums in your garden, possum proof it today.
How to identify possums in your garden
Firstly, if you have a mature tree that has a hollow hideout inside of it this is the perfect place for a possum to live because it is dark, undisturbed and can be a source of food as well as a home. You will notice if you have possums in your older trees if there will be long claw scratches along the trunks and chips taken out major branches.
Secondly, possums pick a home based on the availability of fruit and flowers in the surrounding area, so if you have a decorative garden full of fruit trees and flowers chances are a possum might take up residence nearby. You will be able to tell if a possum has been eating your fruit or flowers because there will be significantly less “produced”. Unlike birds, possums are more likely to take the whole fruit and flowers and not just leave pieces taken out of it.
Thirdly, there are balls of woven twigs or leaves in your garden or in your trees. This is a sign of there being ringtail possums in your garden. Unlike other rodents, possums like to make nests to sleep in (unless there is insulation in your roof) therefore it is a particularly easy way to identify if possums live nearby.
Finally, are there rather large pellet looking droppings in your garden, this is the most obvious way to tell if there are possums in your garden. Possums often will leave droppings around there shelters or where they have been eating as a way of determining their territory to other possums that may be looking for somewhere to live.
So what can you do to protect your garden, if you don’t want possums?
Well, you should hire professional arborists from Daryl’s Tree Care to prune your trees back and ensure that there are more than 2 metres of space between each surface. This is to ensure that possums of all sizes are unable to jump between a roof and a tree or a tree and a tree to establish a new home.
If you hire Daryl’s Tree Care we will also install a metal casing for mature trees that is wide enough to stop possums from jumping or climbing on the tree(s). This will help ensure possums don’t move into your more mature trees. Finally, arborists from Daryl’s Tree Care will install a possum fence to go above your current fencing and stop possums from getting into your garden completely. This fencing is completely safe to the possums and will only give them a light shock should they try and get through it.
This summer make sure your home and garden are possum proof with Daryl’s Tree Care call us today on 9069 2617 or send us an email and we will get back to you as soon as we can!
