Janie,

I don't know what to tell you about how to get rid of them, but here is the website for Possum Rescue that you might want to check out.

Also what about calling your county extension agent? I'm sure that there is someone there that can help you. I know that sometimes the county will loan you a trap to catch them in.

Also you might call an exterminator to see if they can give you any suggestions. I have heard of raccoons living in the attics of houses, so maybe you have one or many (?) up there???

GOOD LUCK and keep us informed.

Linda

P.S. If my DH left me alone with a possum in the house, I think that he might have to pay severely for it.

Several years ago, we had a young opossum in our backyard. I called around until I got in touch with an expert and here is what he told me to do. If you have a cat carrier and a broom and leather glooves, you should be able to scoot it into the carrier with the broom and close it up. They are nocturnal, so it is okay to let it rest during the day then in the evening take it to a wooded area (preferably nearby in case it's mom is nearby) and release it. They will bear their teeth, but that is mostly for show. They rarely bite - but just in case that is why I suggested the heavy leather gloves. When I released our possum, I opened the door and practically had to shake him out of the carrier. When he did get out, he took off for the nearest tree.

you need to take some pictures of them !

I wonder if something has happened to the mama? I'll spare you my long possum story, but will tell you that when my dad dispatched a possum that was wreaking havoc on his barn cats and chickens, he wasn't aware that she had babies. He found out, though, when one of them went looking for mama, found its way into the house in the middle of the night and snuggled up to Dad's hairy leg. At first, Dad thought it was just Mom, but finally awakened enough to realize the situation and that tough, tall Texan got a major case of the heebie-geebies that Mom will never forget. :-)

Dad suspects that the baby possum got in through the dryer vent. Their dryer had just broken, and their new one hadn't been delivered yet. I'd be looking for a hole in the wall or floor near your office.

You can call the animal control folks by calling the police department's non-emergency number. Where I used to live, they'd come trap the animal for you and take it away. Good luck!

Boy I wish I had one! Definitely contact Possum Rescue, sounds like something happened to mama possum.

I'm not fond of being close to possums so much. They are welcome to the outdoors, but I draw the line at my house. Here, animal control will come get them for you and they take them out to a local arboreteum and let them loose there. Do you have a pet by any chance? They do tend to be drawn out by a food source and they love pet food.

If you can't get your local animal control to help you, then you may see if they will give you a live trap (usually for a returnable deposit). Put some tasty dog or cat food in there and wait until someone comes to get a snack.

I hate to tell you this...but it is Spring....and if you have seen two and they aren't particularly large, then you probably do have a family somewhere. They like attics and garages............

Good luck (and personally, I wouldn't touch one and risk getting bitten, gloves or no gloves..but then I'm a weenie that way.)

Meant to add....if your animal control won't come relocate the critters, then you can try looking up numbers under wildlife rehabilitator or ask animal control if they know of one. They should have a suggestion for you as to where Mr. or Mrs. or the Kids Opossum can go.

No, I wouldn't touch them either. It is a wild animal and you never know how they might react. I had my gloves on for when I closed the cage door - just in case. This little guy that was in our yard was so scared, he stayed at the back of the cat kennel all day.

ROFLMBAO!!! Hog tie that thang Baby!!!

Get a feed sack and encourage it to go in.. They love dark spots..Roll up the end and relocate..Understanding it will reproduce..Still laughing my BAO!!!
Chena

Maybe you should get a trap and set it to catch them. We had tons of possoms and raccoons in our yard so we took them way off to the country one year.

If this doesn't work then maybe you should get your DH to do that funny dance of his. That might run off the wild animals. LOL

If you can pick it up by the tail, it won't bite you. Personally, I almost never pick them up or carry them by the tail, and I handle hundreds a years, but if you are scared of it, that is a safe way.

If you know a wildlife rehabber to give it to, that is always best, but if you can catch it, and turn it loose in a safe area, that is probably a good thing to do. Be sure it has a source of water nearby, and if I was going to turn it loose, I would give it a little meal first. Some moistened dry cat food and some water at least. A little banana or something if you feel so inclined.

Keep in mind, they are beneficial animals and the least likely of all mammals to carry rabies. Little ones can be very defensive tho, so be careful that you don't get bit.

Just reach down, pick it up by it's tail and hold it away from your body. Release it somewhere that it can get to water.

Oh I would pay to see Janie do that. LOL

Janie, you gonna pick it up?

You might check out this website for a contact in your area http://www.southeasternoutdoors.com/wildlife/rehabilitators/texas-rehabilitators.html

Seriously, try the county Ag office. If they don't do it, then they know someone who will. Good luck.

I saw one some evening and thought it was a creepy old man peering over the fence!

OK Janie! We are waiting to hear how you handled the possum situation? OK! Where are you??

Well, I still have not caught the possum. Where I thought he was all day is not where he was, apparently.

Carol Ann, you are being sooooooooooooooooooooooo bad!

I cannot pick him up. I am afraid of him. And I bet he is every bit as afraid of me!

So, I have the live trap set in the living room. Baited with little cat food and a piece of orange. I think they like oranges. At least, from the looks of my Satsuma at harvest time, they like oranges!

I am going to Austin on Thursday to watch my sweet little Grand Daughter graduate from high school. (BooHoo, the baby is grown up too fast!) I might talk to some of those people at the rehab places about taking this one.

He/she is not hurt tho, would it be better to just turn it loose?

Marilyn, you are the one who does rehab with possums, aren't you?

I appreciate all y'all's helpful advice.

Kylie, stop laughing! Right now!

Janie

I'm sorry to tell you this Janie, but, opossums look for places that smell like their burroughs. Have you ever smelled an opossum's burrough's? It's not a quite pleasant smell, you know. BTW, when was the last time you really cleaned your house? Nah, just kidding.

Omar

I've had many a possum in the house because I used to leave the doors open and they'd walk in. Then they figured out how to use the cat door. *sigh* Possums like cat food.

If you know what room it is is, you can close that off from the rest of the house and leave the door open at night and it will probably leave.

Possums allegedly are not territorial and move from place to place, transient style. They eat garbage and keep everything nice and clean. They're just little critters trying to get by in this big ol' world.

Geez, I told you not to assume that he was here because the house is messy! I prolly should douse it with bleach, followed by pine sol, followed by lysol spray, and light a good vanilla candle. THAT ought to ward off any future visits by possums! LOL

He is not in the trap this morning. Maybe he left the way he got in. I MUST FIND HIS ENTRY WAY! If he can come in, a snake can come in!

Janie

Janie, I'm trying not to laugh but for some reason I can just picture you sitting at the table while the possum is on the floor under the table eating scraps. LOL

...or you trying to pick up the baby possum while your DH looks on yawning.
Thanks for all the adventure. Never a dull moment with Janie.

And so the saga continues.

Janie, are you sleeping well or jumping with every sound? *g*

OK, everyone is walking by looking at me like I'm crazy. I guess a woman at a desk laughing about possums isn't an everyday event in their life. They should come here.

Keep your legs shaved or it'll cozy up to you at night. If you do pick it up by the tail I bet you can impress your husband with your dancing!

They also eat bugs. I like anything that eats bugs.

Ya'll are a hoot.
Tally HO!

teeheehee! Carol, you are ***wicked***!!! 8D

Janie, is it eating something? Do you have pet food sitting out? That's what kept mine acoming back. If it bears its teeth and hisses, just yell at it and it will scram. They're really sweet little beasties.

No food out, there is nothing for them to eat, unless they are eating the cucumbers I have been harvesting.

Keep my legs shaved?!!! Y'all are just bad! BAD!

I hope, if there are any bugs here, that the varmit eats them! I just wants this critter gone.

Janie