I had a couple of possum come onto the porch and stay about a half hour each time, often spending a lot of time behind the wood I have stacked. I'm not sure if they were deciding whether or not to set up a new home there or not, but I really didn't want to take a chance. I would have found a way of dissuading them if I knew they really did hunt and kill mice, but after doing tons of looking, I couldn't find anything that showed them eating a live wild mouse. YouTube has one where a possum eats a live white mouse, but those mice are usually used as pets and have been domesticated a long time ago so they don't know what a predator actually is. As far as I can tell, all they eat are dead animals, or anything else they can find and really I have plenty of others that do the same, and don't leave turds on my porch. Here are the two visitors, separate short videos. The male measured out at about 24 inches from it's nose to it's butt, and the female measured out at about 18 inches. The female: The male: And here they are invited to their eternal slumber! I know the first video is difficult to see, but the second will give y'all a better idea. The male: The female: (I'm not sure what caused the static at the 29 second mark) And here are some pictures to boot: The male: The female: And their invitation. A no muss, no fuss trap, just don't have your hand or anything else near it when it's armed. It's a conibear (Duke) 220 with a modified trigger in a bucket set with chunky applesauce for bait. I would have used an apple, but didn't have any on hand. Using the right bait will keep any pets out of the traps. Apples for Possum, Peanut Butter for Raccoon.
I should probably mention: I don't keep any kind of food on the porch, and any kitchen trash spends a maximum of 15 seconds on the porch before I throw it in the bed of the pickup truck and take it for proper disposal. So really there is no reason for those giant rats to be on my porch.
Those are nasty looking animals. Congrats on the quick disposal. Why did you use the traps instead of a gun? I don't really have trap experience.
Well, generally I'm asleep when they come around, though not always. This way it kind of like that "Set it and forget it thing." If I were awake at the time, I still couldn't use my revolver, rifle, or shotgun simply because the critters were on my porch and a shot from any of my firearms would do some damage. And really, I have enough repairs to make on my home without adding more to it. I don't own any small caliber firearms like a 22. I do have a .177 pellet rifle, but I'd be better off trying to beat it to death with the stock. But the pellet rifle works great for chippies, squirrels, mice, and house sparrows. I'm not an avid trapper, and generally only trap when there are no other options. Then depending on my quarry, will depend on the type trap. Cage traps for relocating, offset foothold traps for those critters that won't go in a cage, and kill traps like the one I used for the possum.
Just remember, city possum eat garbage. Country possum eat everything from nuts and berries to carrion. Personally, I'd rather eat a country possum. Just Game Recipes - Opposum recipes.
I guess it could always be worse! I had a problem with skunks a few years ago. I caught 7 skunks in 2 weeks, I relocated them. If they didn't stink so bad they'd be okay, they're pretty calm, unlike a opossum. I've read that some old timers ate them in a pinch, I'd have to be real hungry maybe starving. French Fried Skunk Recipe - Food.com
I don't think I would ever eat a skunk, no matter how it was prepared or how hungry I was. Anyway, I kind of like them. They're cute and are enemies of the subterranean yellow jackets and moles, of which I have quite a few. So I tend to leave them alone and when I do see them, I make sure I don't startle them.
When they are young like that they are nothing but cute! Especially with those Micky Mouse ears! I really wouldn't mind having one as a pet, but the chances of my finding a really young one to raise is probably slim to none.
That's what thought the mother fell into a paint bucket a drowned the baby's ran away all but one... Remember they do grow up.
Sad but true. The majority of animals are cute at the beginning, domestic or wild, but as they grow some can look downright scary and can be dangerous. But who can resist a cute little animal (kitten, puppy, possum, skunk, etc) A wild animal is still wild even if it was hand raised. Domestic animals were ultimately bred that way, weeding out certain strengths and weakness's. Ultimately, it's not a good idea to keep a wild animal as a pet.
mom has them come up on the back porch (she has a "barn cat" she feeds there I know...) ive had to fish a few drowned ones out of the pool over the years
