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Post by johnnybandit on Apr 14, 2024 18:20:05 GMT -5
Frankly.... IF possums are coming into your yard frequently, they are more likely to bring more ticks into your yard rather than reduce any existing population. Possibly not if they are residents of your yard?
Unless your yard is a couple hundred acres, a possum or possums do not live in your yard.......
They are nomadic...... With a basic home range of several hundred acres......... And can be much larger than that depending on season, environmental variables( drought, heavy rains, unseasonable temperatures, food availability)
Even if you have a 5 or 10 acre "yard" the possums you occasionally see do not live in your yard.... They pass through in their travels..... People that live on larger parcels of land.... 100 acres or more... do not tend to refer to their land as a yard........
Quite Frankly..... Unless you are artificially feeding and watering them..... Leaving cat food outside, livestock feed around, careless with your garbage etc and having a constant water source aka a pet water bowl, livestock water tank, ornamental pond, etc.
Without artificial resources present, 10 or 20 acres does not have the food sources available year round to support a possum, much less a population of possums.
As for ticks..... The average residential yard does not have the resources to support those either.... Of course many people have pets..... But pets do not make for a long term viable food source for ticks.... Because what happens when a pet in a residential area gets a tick or two on it? The owner treats the pet, most often treats the yard..... So no more ticks..... Until some form of wildlife brings them back onto the property......
I may see a possum in my yard now and then.... Same for Raccoons...... But it is rare..... Until my two neighbors Loquat trees start bearing fruit.... March through May... Then I get possums and raccoons all the time...
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Post by Deleted on Apr 14, 2024 18:29:37 GMT -5
Sir. You have forgotten more than I will ever learn about wildlife of that I am sure.
However, I believe you might be wrong about “urban” possums. There are houses next to houses some less than 20’ apart. They don’t have the range to roam as you describe. My dogs bark when my “guests” begin their nightly patrol. They raid garbage cans on the block. I have several huge mulberry trees hanging over my driveway. They enjoy the mulberry buffet in the season. They actively hunt local rodents and I believe one neighbor puts food out for them. I look for their track in new snow but I never even have seen their tracks crossing the road. Anyway my neighbors and I are happy to have these guests.
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Post by johnnybandit on Apr 14, 2024 18:56:33 GMT -5
Sir. You have forgotten more than I will ever learn about wildlife of that I am sure. However, I believe you might be wrong about “urban” possums. There are houses next to houses some less than 20’ apart. They don’t have the range to roam as you describe. My dogs bark when my “guests” begin their nightly patrol. They raid garbage cans on the block. I have several huge mulberry trees hanging over my driveway. They enjoy the mulberry buffet in the season. They actively hunt local rodents and I believe one neighbor puts food out for them. I look for their track in new snow but I never even have seen their tracks crossing the road. Anyway my neighbors and I are happy to have these guests. |
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Post by TRTerror on Apr 14, 2024 19:06:33 GMT -5
Wonder how Possums deal with Cayotes..?
Seems to be an easy Prey for them.
I got both but I'm rooting for the Possums even thou I never shoot the Cayotes I see..kinda root for them as well.
Saw a solid Black one last year from a tree stand and it was cool.
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Post by johnnybandit on Apr 14, 2024 19:08:58 GMT -5
Sir. You have forgotten more than I will ever learn about wildlife of that I am sure. However, I believe you might be wrong about “urban” possums. There are houses next to houses some less than 20’ apart. They don’t have the range to roam as you describe. My dogs bark when my “guests” begin their nightly patrol. They raid garbage cans on the block. I have several huge mulberry trees hanging over my driveway. They enjoy the mulberry buffet in the season. They actively hunt local rodents and I believe one neighbor puts food out for them. I look for their track in new snow but I never even have seen their tracks crossing the road. Anyway my neighbors and I are happy to have these guests. Raiding garbage cans and a neighbor putting out food for them would fall under this statement I already made......
Quite Frankly..... Unless you are artificially feeding and watering them..... Leaving cat food outside, livestock feed around, careless with your garbage etc and having a constant water source aka a pet water bowl, livestock water tank, ornamental pond, etc.
Without artificial resources present, 10 or 20 acres does not have the food sources available year round to support a possum, much less a population of possums.
I have told you as politely as I know how..... Possums will eat a mouse or a rat... if the opportunity arises.... But that is by chance and luck..... Possums are opportunistic omnivores. most of the animal protein they consume was already dead when they found it..... They are not a predator......they are not quick or agile enough to catch a health adult rat or mouse unless they get really lucky.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 14, 2024 19:59:50 GMT -5
They sure do move slowly. Our yards must be perfect for them. Two neighbors have artificial ponds. One neighbor feeds the feral cats (about 8) that reside in the nearby yards.
We have what you described to a T. Thank you for your insight and knowledge. Respectfully. Ken
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Post by johnnybandit on Apr 14, 2024 20:21:52 GMT -5
They sure do move slowly. Our yards must be perfect for them. Two neighbors have artificial ponds. One neighbor feeds the feral cats (about 8) that reside in the nearby yards. We have what you described to a T. Thank you for your insight and knowledge. Respectfully. Ken When I was a nuisance wildlife trapper, I used to dowse Possums and Raccoons I had trapped with Adams Flea and Tick spray...... It was a LOT easier to do with possums than raccoons..... It would really piss them off and then you had to let them out of the trap...... Possums you could just hold them by the tail and spray them down. |
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Post by tonyroma on Apr 14, 2024 20:27:10 GMT -5
Frankly.... IF possums are coming into your yard frequently, they are more likely to bring more ticks into your yard rather than reduce any existing population. Nothing comes into my yard frequently, that critter made the wrong turn at the pass. All three of the dogs get the tick meds. I probably bring home more ticks than they do. |
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Post by swampdog on Apr 14, 2024 20:32:46 GMT -5
When I was a young fellow, my dad and uncle were talking and said an old friend no longer would eat a possum, because he walked up to a dead horse and a possum ran out of the stomach. To compliment what JB says, you can study the mechanics and feeding attributes of a possum and figure out that they’re a scavenger and opportunistic forager. They’ll eat darn near anything they encounter, but are pretty slow going, hence their defensive tactic of playing possum. When you corner one they’ll hiss and show their teeth, but as soon as you bump them they fall over and appear lifeless. Other animals and humans will leave them for dead unless they’re a larger carnivore wanting dinner.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 14, 2024 20:43:41 GMT -5
I have seen ours get into rat nests and eat the young. That is all I need. Baby rats are probably slower than the slow moving possums.
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Post by gardawg on Apr 14, 2024 20:47:58 GMT -5
I heard that horse story too. Yeah, he was an old 'fertilizer salesman'.
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Post by johnnybandit on Apr 15, 2024 22:42:27 GMT -5
I have seen ours get into rat nests and eat the young. That is all I need. Baby rats are probably slower than the slow moving possums.
If you knew where the rats nest was... why did you not take care of it yourself?
Possums are much like black bears.... .They forage... if they actually catch live prey other than insects or grubs.... it is luck and opportunity.. Not hunting skill
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Post by Deleted on Apr 16, 2024 2:49:26 GMT -5
Our area, very unfortunately, is loaded with rats. They are everywhere. A block away we built some beautiful townhouses. They are under almost every cement front door stoop. We tried everything but they survive. My partner pumps propane under the stoops and lights it. We have a municipal baiting program and regularly change the type of poison. They still survive.
The rat nest was under a large wooden shed. I could not get at them but I could hear them and see them enter and exit.
Anyway my yard and my neighbors yards are now rat free.
Thanks again for your knowledge and insight.
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