Opossums in the attic!

[coachlaw]

Ok, so I get home this evening and hear what sounds like a pack of dogs in my attic! I've been through this before with my fishing camp and it sounded like coons up there. I searched and searched, finally finding where something had crawled up the conduit from my outside A/C unit into the attic and ripped open the soffit vent. I spoke to a neighbor and he told me to throw some moth balls up there and put a radio up there turned all the way up and they'll probably leave.



Up in the attic I went, garnering a big lump on my head when some movement in a corner startled me. OUCH! Well, when the stars went away, I saw the culprits. There were two opposums, one very large, perhaps 20lbs or so. The other was about half the size. Heaven knows how many are really up there.



So, do y'all think leaving the light on, moth balls, and leaving a radio blaring up there will do the job? I just want them to leave, and when they do I'll fix the hole they made. I don't want to patch it up and have them suffer and destroy my house trying to get out. Shooting them isn't really an option, and no, I do not want to eat them. The lights and radio are blaring up there and they're still running around like a pack of dogs.



I'm actually glad it wasn't raccoons, but I don't want anything but me and my cat living in my house.

[Jhua]

Had the same problem at my parents house after we left the garage open and they crawled up a vent.. Stayed up and lit black cats in the attic, put up some lights after leaving the garage open. a few black cats later, my dad saw them scampering out the hole and running out of the garage.

[coachlaw]

Darn, I just missed all the fireworks stands being open too!

[Jhua]

But, loud noises should work too! Hope you get those critters out!

[Milkjug]

I've always said you have a few "Possums in your attic"...

Har har, maybe patch the hole at night? They should be leaving to go feed or do whatever then.

[ronniec]

Sandy, will be back in town tonite, give me a call. Have live catch trap and they hafta eat. Get some sardines and my trap and bait em up

[reeltime]

x2 on live trap or bullet or two.

[Robalo]

call Granny Clampett-she'll make possum stew outta them. Throw some cayenne pepper in there also, loud noises and seal the entry once they leave to eat. Giant rats is all they are.

[Gulfcoast13]

trap the suckers.

[coachlaw]

Well, there are young ones up there. Live trap only gets the adults from what I hear. So that is out unless nothing else works.

My problem is that they do not seem to leave at night. They were rumbling around up there until I went to sleep at 3am. Dad gum I'm tired today.

[Rusty S]

They have the 2-pack live traps on sale at Tractor Supply for $25, catch the momma and keep her in the trap and then put on a heavy long sleeve shirt and a pair of welding gloves and just corner and pickup the young, opossums aren't that smart. rs

[lurefisher]

Just grab them by the tail huh rs ? Do you need some help in relocating them Coach ?

[Robalo]

.22 rat shot will work. Just make sure ya face shoot em-they have thick hides (I used to trap and skin animals when I was a kid-they are tough buggers to kill) and you could just do the grab and haul like Rusty said-they aren't real fast and ya need to grab either their tail or scruff of their neck-teeth are sharp and claws are too, so double up on gloves and use a thick, heavy coat.

[SCHU]

How about some type of high frequency sound emitting gadget?

[Rusty S]

Just grab them by the tail huh rs ? Do you need some help in relocating them Coach ?

You can pick up an armadillo by the tail, not so much an opossum, unless you want to fling that critter across the attic. I used to grab them by the back of the neck, they will make a squeal that will rattle your eardrums at first, then they will just act paralyzed with their mouth open. FYI, the lifespan of an opossum is 2-3 years, I had a friend in South Carolina that would catch a baby and raise it as a pet. They would die of old age between 2-3 yrs. old, they are one of the most interesting animals in nature, when I had my pest control business I relocated dozens of them---they could get themselves in some crazy places. I love talking about opossums, and no I don't want one for a pet nor have I ever had one as a pet, they don't fare too well against the 4-legged Sandy. rs