There was a opossum in the back yard last night....

[OneTenthofOnePercent]

We have a fenced in yard so our dog can go out and stay in the yard. Boston terrier, ~20lbs.
Let him out last night and he was acting kinda weird. I walked out to see why he acting goofy.
Sure enough there was big fat beady eyed opossum sitting on top the fence about 10 feet away.
I must've walked right by it and when I noticed coming back it creeped the shit outta me.
It was sitting on TOP the fence and was every bit as big as Spork.
I tried to scare it off by clapping/stomping/screaming about 10ft away... no luck. Seemed kinda brave.
So I stayed between the dog and the critter and ushered the dog back in promptly.

After we went in the thing sat on the fence about 10 feet from the door for a good half hour.
The thought of something lurking so close around the door in our yard that could kill our family pet upset me.
Heck, what if it carries rabies or attacks someone else in the house besides myself.
I gave some serious thought to going back out and taking care of it - pistol with a can (pfft..pfft.. done.)
Even went so far as to load up a small gun, turn off the security lights, and took aim a few times.
Sitting on top the fence (no backstop & in a neighborhood) ultimately saved it, though I wasn't worried about missing.
I went back in the house with mixed feelings. Calling animal control (@ 11:30pm) was probably worthless.

I have a few questions...
1) Are opossums really good for anything (besides destroying your trashcans)?
2) How would you take care of something like this?
3) Will guns as a solution to opossums (or other feral pests) garner me any points?

PS: Yes, I know that getting caught discharging a firearm in a city neighborhood is likely "less than legal".
That was the other contributing factor as to why it's still alive.

[tridim]

1. Let the animals live.

Your home is encroaching on their habitat.

[proteus_lives]

41. Or maybe they wandered into a human habitat.

[K8-EEE]

52. "oh look something alive, where's my gun?"

Unlike guns, possums are not dangerous or destructive.

[AtheistCrusader]

75. Would you like to pay for the 300$ in vet bills I had to go through?

Dangerous and destructive to housecats, tell you what.

One of those cats never came back, though I suspect Coyotes.. But you never know.

[Callisto32]

77. Bull-Shit

[4_TN_TITANS]

86. "possums are not dangerous or destructive"

You obviously don't have chickens. I've shot many a possum and racoon. Possums will decimate a flock of chickens because the birds are defenseless in the dark. Otherwise, I leave them alone, they are nature's sanitation workers and will eat anything dead or rotten.

[AtheistCrusader]

71. As much as it would amuse me to picture my house marauding around the neighborhood at night

it hasn't moved in about 50 years. So no, not really.

[11 Bravo]

2. If you wish to employ non-lethal means, consider popping the little critter with an air-soft gun.

It won't kill him, but it will sting, and the opossum will definitely split.

[OneTenthofOnePercent]

6. Hmmm, I do have a paintball gun. I didn't think about that. n/t

[Ian David]

24. Paintballs work too, plus they're bio-degradable. n/t

[TheWraith]

28. Or you can buy non-lethal shotgun shells for this sort of thing.

Rubber buckshot or rubber ball rounds. I'd like to have some of those available in case the neighbor's dogs come up here again, since I definitely don't want to shoot the dogs.

I had a similar situation last winter, but the opossum was actually cornering one of my cats on my front porch, so I chased it out and took a couple shots. It was moving fast though, and I wasn't as practiced with my 12 gauge as I am now, so it got away. But it definitely caught a few pellets of birdshot, and it stayed away after that.

Often though, just the knowledge that they've been threatened is enough to keep troublesome animals away.

[AtheistCrusader]

73. No such thing as a non-lethal shotgun round. Perhaps you meant 'less lethal'.

To an animal the size of an Opossum, I'd think it would lean more toward lethal than less lethal, mass taken into account.

[bertman]

62. 11 Bravo, that's not a good idea even if it seems like it. I know because my wife is a

wildlife rehabber. Two months ago, she got a call from a homeowner who had an injured possum in her driveway. She got it into a box and took it to the wildlife rehab clinic (wildlife hospital) where she is operations director. They thawed it out--this was during the low teens weather we were having her--and examined it and found that it was peppered with BB's. Long story short: They kept the possum until yesterday when they euthanized it. The animal had been recovering and they wanted to put it back in the wild, but it was having vision problems from the BB shot in its eye, plus some other effects from its wounds.

Sad to say, in its two-month stay at the clinic, the vet and volunteers had grown fond of her. (I nicknamed her Tarzhay (Target) in a burst of dark humor, but they aren't allowed to name the animals). They had been feeding and caring for her daily, and of course, pulling for her to get well so she could be released. The euthanizing was very hard on everyone involved.

My suggestion would be spraying it with a water hose or just leaving it alone.

[cherokeeprogressive]

68. Been there, tried that. Ever heard of "playing opossum"?

Had pretty much the same situation. Even with a pellet gun, the opossum never even flinched. Of course, I quite possibly could have killed it with a pellet gun, but chose to pump the gun only so many times as to make a pellet sting, and NEVER shot anywhere near the head.

Thirty minutes, at least as many pellets, and the opossum never even flinched. Finally, I turned all the yard lights on, and after another hour or so it finally just left.

[Warpy]

3. It wasn't bothering you!

1. all critters are necessary parts of the ecosystem.
2. get the dog in and wait for it to get bored and go away.
3. no. They'd be much more concerned for their lives.

Everything you need to know about them, including the extremely rare incidence of rabies, is at http://www.opossumsocietyus.org/frequently_asked_questions.htm

I used to see them waddling down the street when I'd come home just after midnight in Boston. Chances are the guy had just rolled out of its nest and was trying to wake up.

[OneTenthofOnePercent]

11. Thank for the link.

I am actually more worried about the dog than people in the house (it's a curious excitable small dog).
If it doesn't have rabies then I'll just kick it or something if it goes postal.

[Lasher]

4. Opossums are more resistant to rabies than any other mammal

So I wouldn't worry about that aspect. Stay away from those teeth though.

[Tejas]

45. They can carry numerous diseases - examples are

tuberculosis, relapsing fever, herpes virus, tularemia, salmonella, spotted fever, toxoplasmosis, coccidiosis, trichomoniasis, Chagas Disease, yellow fever, and rabies (rarely). They are important reservoirs for leptospirosis (hemorrhagic jaundice) in wildlife and humans. Leptospirosis is transmitted through the urine and feces of infected animals. Humans frequently pick up the disease by eating unwashed produce or windfall fruit, or by putting unwashed hands to their mouth (gum, cigarettes, etc.). Opossums are also heavily infested with fleas, ticks, mites and lice which are known carriers and transmitters of disease.

http://co.el-dorado.ca.us/ag/wildlife/possum.html


:)

[Mojorabbit]

61. I have raised hundreds and hundreds

of orphaned possums and doctored up plenty of adults. They can carry disease but it is rare. I am still here and have never caught anything from them. Nor from rabbits, squirrels, songbirds and armadillos.

[closeupready]

5. That's so weird - my only run-in with a possum was almost identical to yours!

Years ago, when I lived in Chicago on the North Side, in a crowded neighborhood, I was walking home one night, and sitting right on top of a fence, still as if it was a wax replica, outside an apartment building was a possum. I looked right at it, but it didn't move at all. It freaked me out, because it was BIG, like a small dog, and ugly like a rat.

Don't know what to tell you, except yes, these vermin can be deadly to housepets, cats especially. Raccoons and skunks and coyotes often kill cats and sometimes dogs.

[SoCalNative]

13. Opossums are not vermin

They are marsupials, not rodents.

[Jamastiene]

21. Opposums are not vermin. They EAT vermin and carrion,

among other things.

[K8-EEE]

103. Possoms def do more good than harm

Slugs are the worst thing for my So. Cal garden and if Opie the Possum wants to spend all night hunting for them, great!

There are lots of non-lethal ways to keep things like cats out of your garden. Crushed red peppers (like you put on pizza) really did work for us. Kept the cats out of the lettuce bed.

[grace0418]

54. I live on the north side of Chicago, see possums more than I see rats.

Big guys too.

[closeupready]

84. This was near Lawrence/Lincoln/Western trisection, near Meyer's, i.e., not suburban in the least.

Which shouldn't be a surprise because of course, they've had even coyotes downtown. LOL

[grace0418]

105. Small world!!

That's my neighborhood exactly! Although Meyer's is now Gene's, a super awesome gourmet/European deli. The old Meyer's sign hangs from the second story atrium.

[unabelladonna]

7. they're not very pretty

but they're harmless. let it be.

[LiberalFighter]

8. Should be good to eat.

If you want to scare it away try shooting a strong squirt of water at it. Or chlorox mixed with water. Of course, make sure it won't jump at you. It may have rabies.

Personally, if I thought they were a serious nuisance or danger I would call animal/game control.

If you are thinking of using a rifle make sure about game laws in your state.

[Webster Green]

9. If there's no food for it there, it will probably move along..

I think they're kind of cute. One crawled through the cat door and snuggled up with me in bed one time. That freaked me out though.

I would never consider killing an animal just because it's hanging around the neighborhood.

Are humans good for anything?

[OneTenthofOnePercent]

14. HOLY CRAP! (I think I just gagged a little)

If a opossum was ever in my bed, especially with me, it would not ba alive much longer.
That's just freaky and scary.

[PavePusher]

37. Beware the Possum love! n/t

[proteus_lives]

40. "Are humans good for anything?"

Math, science, literature, space travel, philosophy, love and exploration.

What are good animals good for?

[Webster Green]

44. I hate math, so that doesn't count.

Actually humans are animals too, so we are all in this together. :P

As for our little furry, feathery, and finny friends, well....they're just cute as heck, and shouldn't be messed with, just cuz they're truckin' through the neighborhood.

[Tess49]

59. OMG!! In your bed!!

[Webster Green]

85. I think it was looking for warmth..

Perhaps it lost it's momma somehow. Maybe someone shot it's momma for trespassing.

I grabbed a big thick towel to pick it up and put it outside. They have what looks like hundreds of sharp little teeth.

I'll never forget the moment when I woke up, and we were looking at each another. That was pretty strange. :-)

[Scurrilous]

10. I think the opposum has more to worry about than your dog.

I've seen small terriers (Jack Russells) easily kill opposums (even full grown ones).

[AtheistCrusader]

72. That makes sense, since Terriers are bred for destroying small rodents around their size.

Granted, a Opossum is a marsupial, but that makes little difference to the terrier.

[WhiteTara]

12. Possums are not predators

but rather opportunistic. They eat garbage, insects and pet food. If you don't want to lure wildlife into the yard, be sure and feed your animals in the house and don't leave their food outside.

We have a possum living in the woods outside our house. He hangs out in the trees and the dog sits down below and circles the tree until it's time to come in.

I wouldn't kill it because it really is not harmful to you or yours. It won't kill you pets and don't forget, you live in its neighborhood, not the other way around.

[OneTenthofOnePercent]

16. Thanks. Ithat the kind of info I was looking for. I guess it's mostly harmless. n/t

[WhiteTara]

100. if you scare it bad enough, it will lay down and

play possum...er dead.

They are sort of cute in a strange way. They are the only marsupial in the Americas.

[Uben]

15. Contact a veterinary office

All of our veterinaries around here have traps for animals that they will lend out for a couple of days. Trap it and release it in the countryside. It seems I have to do this at least once a year.
Racoons and feral cats are generally the culprits. Occasionally an oppossum. Once even had a gray fox living under my house! Hey, they're just lookin for an easier life, too.

[Coyote_Bandit]

17. I too spied a possum on top of my fence

It was early Saturday morning. Daylight though. The critter was sullen and didn't want to move. I got a big long stick and poked it to see where it went. After a lot of hissing it ran down the top of the fence, hopped off, and hid itself under my neighbor's backyard storage barn.

I too have small dogs - old dogs - that would not fare well in a confrontation with a hungry, angry or aggressive possum.

I'm setting a live trap with the hope of catching the critter and carrying him off to a nearby city park. It is a large park and is surrounded by some non-park land that serves the purpose of storm water drainage. Should be some trash cans there for him to forage from as well as several places for him to den up.

[Walk away]

18. Unless you see him regularly out in the day time or walking in circles...

and acting sick, chances are that he is just a little neighborhood critter. The poor think may have babies nearby. Just because you have a gun doesn't mean you have to shoot living things.

All you really need to do is make some noise and turn on a light before you let the dog out. I have motion sensor lights at my perimeters for just that purpose. I am not frightened of intruders but if you have guns then you obviously feel the need for protection. The cost of the lights are minimal and are much better protection against trespassers and furry creatures than a weapon.

It's a better solution than taking the chance of killing a neighbor through your fence if you miss the poor critter.

[OneTenthofOnePercent]

22. Clearing up a few things.

"I am not frightened of intruders but if you have guns then you obviously feel the need for protection."

I have guns because they (and their history) are fascinating. They're fun to shoot too. My choice to buy guns had nothing to do with fear or the need for protection. In fact, I originally got my CCW so I could drive to the range with loaded magazines instead of wasting paid-time at the range laoding them. Most of my guns are not the best for personal protection. Competition, plinking and protection. If you are curious, I was goign to use a .22lr with a silencer and subsonic bullets. That would not make it through the fence, an esterior house wall, and likely not even the possum. Killing somone with a missed shot (from 10' away - lol) was not a big concern.

[Walk away]

38. I am not curious about your gun at all. Just glad that you don't live...

anywhere near me. It would be a nighmare to have someone shooting their "toys" on the other side of my fence. I'm sure your neighbors are like minded to you and don't mind you shooting a gun off in your yard. I'm sure they like it. And hitting little Bobby in the eye is no big deal as long as you can't kill him.

Enjoy your backyard pistol range. I hope the poor critters live through it all.

[Jamastiene]

19. Unless you see the opossum acting strangely

or out in the daytime, it most likely isn't rabid. Actually, it is extremely rare for opossums to get rabies, because their body temperature is so low that it is difficult for the rabies virus to survive in the animal's body.

http://www.opossumsocietyus.org/frequently_asked_questions.htm#Do%20opossums%20carry%20rabies?

Opossums eat insects, snails, rodents, berries, over-ripe fruit, grasses, leaves, and carrion; occasionally will eat snakes, ground eggs, corn or other vegetables. In a lot of cases, getting rid of the opossum opens the door for worse problems with rodents. It's better to have opossums in your yard than half the stuff they eat. So, they do have a good purpose.

Opossums have a tendency to freeze when faced with a fight or flight situation. So, that opossum you faced was most likely more scared than brave. They are not likely to attack pets or you unless cornered or confronted in some way that they cannot either escape or play dead. Outdoor cats are often seen sharing a plate of cat food with opossums, actually. They tend to tolerate other pets their own size for the most part.

That said, if you still just want to make the opossum go away, here are some tips:
http://www.opossum.org/discourage.html

[Euromutt]

20. I wouldn't be overly concerned; just keep a strong flashlight handy

I think the possum's lack of reaction to your making noise at it was less a result of courage on its part, as of the fact that possums--as far I can tell--don't have very good eyesight, are a bit dim, and are not very quick on the uptake. I've had a possum practically shamble into me when I was standing outside having a smoke one night.

My take is that, with you ten feet away, it probably didn't cotton on that the noises were directed at it; it just froze, hoping it wouldn't get noticed, and waited for either any threat to manifest itself more closely, or the noises to stop. Which is why, I would guess, it stayed in the same spot for half an hour, until it was convinced the coast was clear and it was safe to move on.

I've found that shining a flashlight on them is the most effective way to let possums know "yes, I mean you; move along!"

[Jamastiene]

26. Great advice.

Thanks.

[damntexdem]

23. They're good for playing -- opossum.

;-)

A few years ago, one got into my garage, and one night I had left the window rolled down on my car. I drove to work and back and made sure the window was up that night. The next morning, I looked into the back of the car and noticed paper debris on the floor. I started picking it up but stopped when I heard a hiss coming from under the driver's seat. I shone a flashlight under there only to see an opossum curled up there, but looking mad (actually, I think they always look mad). It had obviously been under there the day before when I drove to work, parked all day, and drove back. I backed the car out and left it in the driveway, with pet food trailing out of the car and onto the drive -- but the damn thing wouldn't come out. I finally found someone in the yellow pages who dealt with such animals in the city. He came out and managed to put a wire noose (at the end of a long pole) around the neck of the thing, and pull it out of the car. He caged it, and he swore that he would release it in the wild -- at least that's part of what I paid my $50 for.

And, yes, it was in a city neighborhood, fairly close to the center of a city of about a half million; but it was just off of a river that served as a corridor for animals to wander into the city. The reason to not discharge a firearm in the city, the reason there are laws against it, is that you might miss the animal and hit someone or someone's property -- or you might do that even if you hit the opossum. It's much better to let someone who knows what they're doing deal with it.

[jody]

25. Pogo for President or at least VP. We need a philosopher from the Okefenokee in DC.

[kimmerspixelated]

27. I saw an opposum bite a skunk's butt!

On my back porch when we forgot about the cat food! They were fighting over it! Imagine biting a skunk's butt! WHy not bite the other non-offending end?

[AtheistCrusader]

70. I doubt it cared.

Opossums are nearly immune to everything, including snake bites, even from diamondbacks.

[MikeE]

29. Opossums are harmless

It would not bother the dgg. I actually kept one for a winter when I was a kid. He is probably looking for food.

[AtheistCrusader]

69. Nothing with 50 teeth is harmless.

These things CAN be aggressive, and can maim or kill domesticated animals. Exception, not the rule, and they vary across the nation, but do not assume they are fluffy friends.

The one that was tearing up my cats died. It was 23lbs. HUGE, and very aggressive. Despite popular caracatures, they are very fast when they want to be.

[cowman]

30. When we

moved from Las Vegas to Pahrump, which is a very rural part of NV, back in 94, we had a lot of coyotes around, this one coyote kept trying to get into my back yard to get at my dog,and try as I might, it just would not scare away. It would leave for the night but would be back the next night. I called the Sheriff's Dept. who told me to just shoot it, I had some reservations about that but I had a daughter and wife and animals to think about so one night I loaded up the .22 and shot and killed it. Haven't had any more problems with coyotes but do get a lot of jackrabbits in my front yard

[Tim01]

31. You can eat them. nt

[Captain Hilts]

32. And you're posting this in the 'guns' page because.....? nt

[IADEMO2004]

33. Rabbits do more damage than a opossum (natures vacuum cleaner).

And if you kill it then you have a soon to be sinking mess to clean up. When it gets cold here they will den under our front step and they leave when it warms.

[SteveM]

34. 'Coons, 'Posses, 'Dillos are always around my place. Don't worry

They inhabit even downtown areas (and live in or about the "Tower" on the Univ. of Texas campus). They are not a problem. Just secure your trash so they can't get at it, and they will eventually move on. Occasionally, these guys get under the house -- maybe to look for snakes, who are looking for toads, who are looking for big insects, who are looking for me. So, I don't bother them. I just wish the 'coons wouldn't eat all the pecans before I have a chance at them!

[scubadude]

35. When I was kid on the farm...

Opossums used to show up every summer. It was pretty funny. First, the dogs would start barking madly. I'd go out to see what was up, and there would be the opossum, lying "dead". The dogs would grab them by the tail and drag them around, sometimes they would play tug-o-war with them. Always, after not getting any kind of attention from the "dead" opossum, the dogs would lose interest and run off. Soon, the opossum would disappear.

It is amazing how well these guys play dead. Even I thought they were dead. Other than perhaps doing some digging, they are totally benign, and eventually I grew to really enjoy their occasional antics.

Scuba

[Jamastiene]

106. That playing dead trick really does work in a lot of cases.

When one of my cat gets too frisky while playing and grabs my hand, all I have to do to make them let go is relax my hand. I make my hand play dead and she lets get then. It's a neat trick.

[Glassunion]

36. +1 for a few reasons....

1. Opossums rarely post any kind of a threat to people. So letting it go was a good idea.
2. If it did have rabies, odds are you would see it exhibit signs of it. (Unless of course it is in the early stages) They would generally be aggressive instead of passive. In all of my encounters with them, you can usually walk right up to them screaming your head off and they will not move. The only thing you are accomplishing is one of your neighbors might catch you on video, and you might see yourself on you-tube under the label "Bat-Shit crazy guy yelling at an Opossum". So letting it go was a good idea.
3. Good idea not to shoot up the neighborhood, you know why.

Calling animal control really does nothing, with a few exceptions. At the farm I used to live on, we would set traps. Our issue was groundhogs were continually borrowing under the house, and causing it to sink on one side. The house is a historic piece of property built in the 1700's and was incredibly expensive to have it jacked back up every 3 years and the holes filled in. Back to my point, we would set up traps and when we caught one, would then call animal control. In our area they were obligated to remove captured animals. So I would check and see what your locality has on the books as far as regulations on the matter.

In the past 17 years that I have lived out here, I have only had to put one animal down. There was a groundhog who was very aggressive, and vocal toward our dogs. He came around a bit over a couple of days, and it got to the point that our dogs, who usually enjoyed a come as you go lifestyle with the doggie doors, could only go out while we were home and could keep an eye on them. On the third day, my dog was barking at his doghouse. So I went to investigate, and found the poor little guy in my dog's house. He looked like he had the Hollywood version of rabies. Frothy mouth, and he was "barking" and "growling" like crazy. He also seemed to have a partial paralysis on one side. So I did decide to put the poor thing down. Animal control did confirm the poor guy had rabies.

Anyway, here is how I look at it. You live on a farm, get used to living with nature. If you live in a neighborhood, get used to living with nature. Remember most neighborhoods were once wild.

[IADEMO2004]

39. Don't put yourself in the same class as my dumbass congressman Steve King

http://www.radioiowa.com/2010/02/16/king-uses-pistol-to-kill-raccoon/

He killed a raccoon breaking into his house of straw or sticks with a $1800 .50 cal. handgun

[Glassunion]

43. Wha?

:rofl:

Overkill, would be an understatement...

.50 on the left... .32acp on the right... a .22lr would have sufficed.

[pipoman]

47. Well, I have shot a few opossums

they are unbelievably hard to kill. I have shot them with .38, 9mm, and a shotgun. The shotgun was the only thing that was one round effective.

[Glassunion]

65. WTF?

Are they like the Steven Segal of the animal kingdom? Were you trying to kill one with a vest on?

Ok, they are hard to kill. But being shot with that caliber had to make the poor little sob explode?

[pipoman]

76. Not really wanting to get graphic

they aren't like anything else I've dispatched..raccoons, skunks, coyotes, even badgers...opossums are just tougher IMO.

[OneTenthofOnePercent]

95. Interesting.

I would not be comfortable with discharging a centerfire round in the city.
Shot the 9mm in the backyard on a few occasions (with the can on it). Didn't draw any attention at all.
But it was shot into a soft dirt pile with no opportunity for riccochet.

I'm not sure I'd want to use a bigger caliber on a opossum.
I guess I'll sitck to paintball guns.

[pipoman]

98. Even out here I just usually leave the wildlife alone

unless they get too close to our relatively small living area. Opossums are dirty smelly harmless animals looking for a meal. The last one I shot, I felt sort of bad, knowing he was just looking for a bite to eat. I guess I am getting soft in my old age...

Here is my opossum thread with pictures..

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=105&topic_id=7138620

[guardian]

107. opossums are incredibly tough

As a boy I saw a dog tear into one. Even after the opossum was 'dead' the dog kept biting and shaking it. The dog left it to ripen in the sun a little before coming back to eat it (these were farm dogs and much of their diet came from what they caught/killed). An hour later the opossum was gone. I'm sure nothing else touched it. It was just 'playing opossum'. Quite effective...really fooled us and the dog.

[AtheistCrusader]

74. Might have been a baby eagle, which is a 9mm.

[TheWraith]

53. A .50 cal handgun sounds just like that prick.

They're famously expensive and impractical for most uses. They're mainly "range toys" to be shown off to other rich idiots. Give me a .45 ACP any day of the week.

[Lasher]

63. I hate to see an animal suffer

Some might consider a .45 ACP to be overkill too, for an animal such as this. I don't. I have seen many opossums and have never bothered them. But a properly placed shot in the head with your Model 1911 would not be heard by the animal. I would only use such a pistol at very close range though.

[X_Digger]

42. Funnily enough, they make great pets when you raise them yourself.

I'll have to get my mom to send me the polaroid from the late 70s of me and my possum kits (our dog killed the mother, and the babies were still hanging on her.)

They don't stink (when raised indoors), they can be house trained or litter box trained, and as long as you keep those sharp claws trimmed, they don't damage anything.

eta: of course, I'm sure you'd get fined six ways to sunday for doing that today, and not getting the babies to a wildlife rehabilitator, but hey, it was the country. At one time or another, I had a ground hog, a racoon, possums, a squirrel, rabbits (same dog who killed the possum killed momma rabbit).. if it was small and furry, I raised at least one of em.

[Dappleganger]

46. Our son uses a small slingshot with gravel to shoo away critters..

those possums are everywhere in the early morning, digging through the flower beds. If we see one causing too much trouble he'll grab his sling and give it a sting on the behind, then he runs away. No harm, no foul.

[GreenStormCloud]

48. Opossum Recipes

http://ushotstuff.com/wg/OpossumSmp.htm

This animal, too, has musk glands which must be removed when it is cleaned. It does not, however, have strong flavored or smelly fat, although most cooks remove all the body fat. This is best done by chilling first to harden the fat making it easier to pull off.

The meat is light and fine-grained. Some people like to marinate it before cooking for 4 to 6 hours (in 1/2 teaspoon ground sage, 2 tablespoons sugar, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1/4 cup vinegar to 2 cups water or cider to cover); but this is not really necessary. The 'possum can reach 9 pounds, serving a family generously.

(Recipes follow)

[K8-EEE]

49. Endangered species, leave it alone

Here in LA you can't kill them. They are an endangered species. I have them in my yard they have never hurt me or any of my animals.

They "play possum" when confronted. They freeze. The more noise you make the more they will "play dead."

The only legal way (here anyway) is a live trap. They are fairly easy to trap and people take them out to Griffith Park or whatever. But I am live and let live with them and they are not destructive.

I wish gun nuts were an endangered species but that's another story.

[pipoman]

57. There ain't nothing endangered

about Didelphis virginiana, they are quite prolific across the US...quite prolific.. It is also likely illegal to relocate "out to Griffith Park" without written permission.

Opossums are not native to California. They are not threatened or endangered, nor are they classified as game animals or furbearers. It is a violation of California state law for any wildlife to be kept as pets. Only authorized wildlife rehabilitators may keep injured or orphaned wildlife, and then only for limited periods of time. California Fish and Game Regulations prohibit the relocation of opossums and other wildlife without written permission of the Department. For further information on the legal status of opossums and other wildlife, contact your California Department of Fish and Game Regional Office.

http://co.el-dorado.ca.us/ag/wildlife/possum.html

[K8-EEE]

87. Yes you do need written permission

Try getting written permission to go on a possum hunt in a city back yard with your damn guns!

[K8-EEE]

88. Yes you do need written permission

Try getting written permission to go on a possum hunt in a city back yard with your damn guns!

[Spoonman]

89. Try to catch me!

They never have, and I doubt they ever will!

Beeman Crow Magnum .25 caliber air rifle - >100 squirrels, roughly 15 Opossum, 12 Raccoons, 9 feral cats, >25 crows, and 11 huge rats!

Get the hell out of my vegetable garden vermin!

[K8-EEE]

90. Wow super impressive

I also have a vegetable garden but prefer non-insane ways of pest control.

[Spoonman]

99. Insane?

Would that be a professional opinion? (doubt it)

Maybe your reply borders on insane, given it was based on ZERO knowledge of the facts.

Hmmmmm
Maybe I live on 7 acres
Maybe my vegetable garden is 2.5 acres
Maybe my wife sells the majority of what it produces to a local farmers market to supplement our income
Maybe we lose $700-$800 a year in crop deprivation

Maybe you just suffer from an over active unrealistic emotional issue.

PS – I eat the squirrels; they make a tasty dumpling and gravy dinner! I’m having it tonight in fact, made from the 9 I wacked on Sunday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[pipoman]

91. So

I pointed out that your post #49 was simply and completely wrong...you know, where you said, "Endangered species, leave it alone Here in LA you can't kill them. They are an endangered species" and "The only legal way (here anyway) is a live trap. They are fairly easy to trap and people take them out to Griffith Park or whatever.". To which I pointed out that the certainly not 'endangered' which is absurd, but then not only did you advocate trapping them and transporting them, which is illegal in CA without permission, but transplanting your potentially disease infested vermin in a park occupied every day by children, golfers, and old people...brilliant. To all of this, your only response is this..really? How about, oh, calling animal control or an exterminator?

[K8-EEE]

101. "People" meaning the professional people!

They take them to approved areas, and Griffith Park is the largest city park in the United States with wildlife areas and a zoo bridal trails and play areas.

I said I leave mine alone -- yes I would call animal reg if I had a problem and chose a LEGAL and humane solution which in Los Angeles county is TRAPPING AND RELOCATION. That is the only legal way. It is not legal to go around shooting non-game wildlife at least not here.

Besides they are beneficial, they eat bugs, slugs, and oranges that would collect insects if it was left on the ground. I've been co-existing with them for 20 years as have my dogs and cats.

[pipoman]

102. This is my take on opossums based on my personal experience

I posted this thread with pics in 2007 http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=105&topic_id=7138620

[K8-EEE]

104. Interesting

If you feed animals outside you're sort of inviting critters. Really the only way is to have an enclosed (such as a chain link fence) feeding area for the domestic animals, if there's food out all over the place, I mean you'll shoot that one and some other one will come, it doesn't really solve the problem unless you want to constantly be sniping wildlife that comes to your all you can eat outdoor buffet.

It's nice to see you at least think twice about it.

I feed my animals in the house -- the possoms eat dates and oranges that fall on the ground (they don't climb that high) and they eat slugs, spiders, and keep rats away.

[GreenStormCloud]

81. Common possums are not endangered, but some species are.

Ledbetters opposum and the mountain pygmy are endancered, possibly some other species.

[pipoman]

92. No US species,

K8-EEE specified LA, CA, which has no endangered species of the opossum.

[pipoman]

50. Why did the chicken cross the road?

To show the opossum it could be done..

Seriously, we get them out on the farm all the time. I leave them alone unless they become nuisance, we had one living under our porch, several when we had chickens. I have dispatched a few. They are pretty tough, amazingly tough.

[UpInArms]

51. opossums = soft-shelled armadillos

except they are shyer -

let them be but close all the doors to exterior buildings (they will try to get warm inside anything that is available - they will also act like they are dead when they are not, so don't light them on fire - just go to bed and they will be gone in the morning.

[janet118]

55. Aww . . . don't kill the possum . . .

I used to see one on my deck at night. He was harmless and it was kind of fun to watch him. If he were rabid, you would know. If you want to get rid of him, use a squirt gun, not a real one.

[alittlelark]

56. Get a high velocity water gun, add a little ammonia

to the water and take aim. Keep it by the back door. It won't hurt the critter, but they sure RUN.

We have opossums, skunks and raccoons frequently, none of our pets have been hurt by them.

[JoeyT]

58. Unless you've got

chickens or some other kind of poultry that it'll try to eat there's really no need to kill it.

They don't really attack people, and if you'd clapped at a rabid possum you'd have figured out it was rabid pretty quickly.
In all the times I've dealt with them I've yet to see one play possum. Mostly I've seen them try to stare things down and when that failed they show their teeth and hiss.

As for what they're good for, they're good about keeping carrion levels in an area down. They'll try to eat anything that doesn't try to eat them. (And nothing eats possums.)

[Mojorabbit]

60. I do wildlife rehab

and have raised a gazillion baby possums. They rarely get rabies as they have such a slow metabolism and they run a low temp.
They eat all kinds of bugs and even small rodents. They are harmless. The best thing to do is leave it be. They are not ones to start any fights with pets. They will hiss to scare you off then when that does not work they will play dead.

[bertman]

64. I think you've gotten some good info, OneTenthofOnePerCent. Here are a couple of

possum stories:

Back when my youngest stepdaughter was five or six we heard her screaming bloody murder in the bathroom one morning. When my wife went in to see what was the matter, my stepdaughter was standing on a chair and pointing at a table and said "Mommy, there's a mouse under there." It was a baby possum about the size of large kitten. There was a family of them in our crawlspace and one had climbed up through a hole in the floor.

Okay, not all that funny.

My wife, the wildlife rehabber, got three baby possums to rehab. Their mom had been killed by a car, so she had to hand feed them, clean the cage, etc. One morning when she went to feed them there were only two and a half possums in the cage. Bummer.

No family loyalty whatsoever.

Nowadays she lets other rehabbers do the possums. She does the bunnies and squirrels.

We have a dog and two cats who spend lots of time in the yard. Also a possum who visits at night when the other critters tend to be in the house. We also have a fox who lives under the shed next door. Also a herd of deer, lots of squirrels, a pair of hawks, a barred owl family, and a coyote who rarely shows itself, and a woodchuck who roams around in the spring. They all seem to do just fine without us bothering them and they don't bother us.

It's amazing how many wild animals live with us and most of us rarely see them.

[paulsby]

66. i just spoke to a game agent about this last night. what a coincidence!

i'm a cop myself, but i'm not any kind of expert on this area of the law.

we've had a coyote in our backyard (just south of seattle).

of course laws vary jurisdiction to jurisdiction, but my city has a "no shoot" law which essentially means unless it's self defense, it's a citation.

and yes, if an animal was attacking me, that would be self defense. but that would not happen with a coyote almost certainly.

it would be legal to take it out with a pellet gun, bow and arrow, etc. in my jurisdiction, but technically i would need to get some kind of permit first. coyotes are not considered varmints, but are considered a form of game.

generally speaking, in most jurisdictions, varmints can be killed w/o a permit.

otoh, it is perfectly legal to kill one's own cat or dog, believe it or not. as long as it is not done "cruelly"

almost every city has a "no shoot" law that makes discharge within city limits illegal if not within a range, or for self defense.

in the county, they have "shoot" and "no shoot" areas.

[Chulanowa]

67. I had a black bear sit in my tree, staring into the kitchen for several hours while we ate dinner

it eventually figured out that it couldn't use its eerie mind powers to make us give it food, and it wandered off. He was neat to watch, though!

No reason to pop off shots at animals that wander into your yard, unless you're either planning to eat them, or they're planning to eat you or the furrier members of your household. Opossums are about the most harmless animals you'll ever find in your yard; squirrels are more savage, cats are more likely to be carrying disease, and crows and ravens will make a bigger mess of your garbage.

[rrneck]

97. These aren't the droids you're looking for. nt

[shadowrider]

78. Opossums are harmless

I live in the woods and they come up on my deck all the time. Drives my indoor cat nuts, but all they're looking for is a free meal. I actually think it's kinda cool to watch mama and her babies come up on the deck.

[jeepnstein]

79. Respect the Possum!

[shadowrider]

80. Opossums too..:)

[dgibby]

82. I feed feral cats on my front porch.

One night I looked out just in time to see one of the cats and a possum chowing down together. Guess they were buddies. I knew the possums were hanging around to eat, but never saw them eating WITH the cats.

[jeepnstein]

83. "Cats"? Really?

[pipoman]

93. Now that, is funny...

:rofl:

[dashrif]

94. a possum

I would not shoot but skunk around my house yes if I could catch it, I have lost count on the number of times my dogs have been sprayed

the skunk smell never hits you right away it is usually after they jump in your lap on a side note peroxide baking soda and dawn soap mixed into a paste gets the smell out we keep a bunch around

[pipoman]

96. Funny about that,

I have shot skunks around our farmstead, even as a kid, now I believe we have a spotted skunk living out here, I saw it a few weeks ago and my wife saw it last night. When I saw it I told her I had seen a black and white feral cat, I thought at the time that the spots were strangely symmetrical but didn't say anything. Last night she said she saw what appeared to run like a skunk but was spotted. Spotted skunks are threatened in Kansas, though nationally they are not classified. I can't wait to shoot him this spring!! With my camera of coarse...can't wait..I would love to get a shot of their characteristic handstand spray, it might almost be worth getting sprayed if wearing protective gear...hmmm..non-fatal darwin?