solar panel possum

Pesky possums invading your roof space

For many Australians, possums are not simply cute furry animals seen scurrying across overhead tree branches at night, but also are frustratingly destructive pests which have moved into our backyards, homes and sheds to eat our home grown garden produce and leave our verandas stinking from their frequent urination and droppings.

There are 23 described species of possums known in Australia, these two below are the most likely to be thumping across your roof or growling in the night:

The Brushtail Possum

Is the size of a domestic cat and the second biggest possum in Australia, a nocturnal, semi-tree dwelling marsupial that is indigenous to Australia.

The Brushtail Possum has a pointed face and pink nose, with long oval ears and bushy black tail.

The Ringtail Possum

Is another Australian marsupial, lives in various habitats and eats a diversity of flowers, plants and fruits.

The Common Ringtail Possum is the size of a small cat and mainly grey with white fur on the tip of its lengthy prehensile tail, behind its eyes and on its belly.

Did you know?

  • They mark their territory with scent glands and urine, which smells pungent and is unhygienic
  • Possums can carry a variety of ticks, mites, parasites, and bacterial infections, some of which can be transmitted to animals and humans
  • Possum faeces may also carry the buruli bacteria, which can cause skin ulcers in humans
  • Possums living in the ceiling can cause damage over time to the ceiling lining from constant urination resulting in having to replace ceiling sheeting
  • Possums are protected under the Wildlife Act 1975, meaning they must not be harmed or kept in cages, they can be removed from your roof cavity but need to be released within 50 metres of the capture site that day

Possum-proofing the roof of a house is often overlooked until the thumping of possum feet overhead wakes you up in the middle of the night or a brown stain suddenly appears on the ceiling where a brushtail possum is using your roof space as its toilet.

Gutter Knight solves this annoying yet common problem by installing a high quality gutter guard system that covers the whole guttering system stopping possums from entering around the guttering system.

*If possums have already made residence within your roof they will need to be removed first by a possum removal expert.