|
|
 go back to main opossum page
How To Trap For Opossum
Equipment
Most jobs where possums have entered an attic or home require the animal to be trapped for.
Some animal removal can be done with one way doors. It is rare when the
critter can be
snared or grabbed by hand. When trapping pest possums, you will need a large animal trap. The model
our Plantation animal removal experts use
is the Havahart 1079. This is the standard large animal trap we use for everything from raccoon to armadillo.
Smaller animal species such as bats in the attic require different
techniques.
A large cage trap will work acceptably for smaller opossum, but ideally rodent
size traps would be used as well. If animal problem requires trapping for juvenile or baby opossum, use a combination of
large traps, squirrel-size cage traps, and rat snap traps.
Bait
People often think that the secret of trapping successfully is using the right bait, but this is incorrect.
Just about any type of food from white bread to marsh mellows will work
fine for bait. In general, Wildlife Patrol baits for
opossum with marsh mellows, cat food, dog food, tuna fish, or a combination of the above
food items.
Where To Set
There are 3 choices for trap location: one the rooftop at the house entry point, on the ground near the
spot where the animal climbs on the roof, or inside the attic when the
animal nests during the day. The best location is at
the entry point, see this raccoon page for an example of setting a trap at an entry point.
Some entry points cannot be trapped at depending on the architecture of the
roof and so the next best move is put the trap on the ground near the tree or
down spout or linai screen that the animal is using to climb to the roof.
Trapping inside the attic is a good move as long as someone can check the trap
at least 2x a day to see if its caught. Getting the baited trap as close to where the animal is heard in the ceiling is ideal,
but just having a baited trap in the attic near the attic hatch (without
risking traveling a difficult attic) may solve the problem.
Use 3-4 traps If the entry point cannot be trapped, then use
several animal traps at once to expedite the process. Having more
than one trap increases your odds in solving the animal problem. |
 |
The differences between catching raccoon and possum:
mother possums will not enter a trap to rescue their young; meaning you cannot set possum babies
as bait for the mother as you can with raccoon
raccoons hardly ever enter crawlspaces underneath a home (they will try to
find a better location) - if you hear an animal underneath the home, its almost always possums or ratspossums are much easier
than raccoons to catch in baited traps in the attic; raccoons will not seek food when they are resting in the attic
possums are much, much easier to grab or snare than are raccoons.
Possums will typically face a trapper and hold their ground with their mouth
open while a raccoon will run away.
|
