Possums Nesting in My House!

Possums are our wild and furry counterparts who frolic in the trees and on the rooftops of our homes. Possums are not suitable pets, but that doesn't stop people from bonding with their unexpected residences and becoming attached.

Each year the RSPCA receives over 30,000 calls to our Animal Emergency Hotline. One of these calls was about a family of possums living on the roof of a property. Unfortunately, one of the baby possums fell down a drain pipe and got stuck. Thankfully, the property owners called the RSPCA and our Rescue Officers were able to carefully remove the baby possum and reunite him with his mummy, unscathed. 

With their family back together, it is pretty safe to say that the possum family would not be going near the drainpipe again!

If you have some furry residents at your house, why not try making them a possum box to affix in a tree on your property? They might be encouraged to nest there and not in potentially dangerous spots like roofs and drain pipes. Check out our tips below on how to make your own possum box!

Please remember - it's illegal to remove or relocate any wildlife without a permit. So, alternative housing and fixing internal roof access points are the easiest solution. You can also call a professional wildlife relocator to assist in relocating wildlife from your home. But, if your roof spaces aren't fixed, you'll have a new visitor cozying up in your home in no time!

If you see a sick or injured animal, call our RSPCA Emergency Hotline on 1300 ANIMAL (1300 264 625).

Brushtail and ringtail possums are both native marsupial species that have adapted relatively well to urbanisation and are commonly found dwelling in Australian gardens.

Ringtail possums are a social species that build nests of bark and leaves called ‘dreys’ in which they usually dwell as a family. Brushtail possums are larger, more territorial possums that usually reside in tree hollows. Both species of possum may occasionally take shelter in house roofs if displaced or dispersing.

Many households are fortunate enough to share their property with one or more possums. However, if they nest in roof spaces or guttering they can get themselves into unsafe situations. If you have possums residing in your dwelling, you should seek advice about providing them with an alternative home that they can move into instead!

1. You can use ply and other recycled wood materials to construct your box.
2. See image for dimensions of the finished box.
3. Fix mesh inside the box so the possum can crawl back out.
4. Drill 3 evenly spaced holes into the base of the box for drainage (5mm in diameter).
5. Secure the possum box to your tree at least 4m from the ground and ensure it can hold a possum’s weight

You can build your own (see above), or purchase a pre-made possum box.

1. Place a possum nest box in a sheltered area of your property.
2. If possible, place similar nesting material to what was found possum nest into the possum box. Usually, nesting material are leaves, straw, and dried plant matter. You can also put slices or small chunks of vegetables like carrot, sweet potato, zucchini or corn (avoid fruit!) to help encourage investigation of the possum box. Please avoid destroying the possum's nest as this will cause stress to the possum, and they are likely to remake their nest.
3. Take action to ensure the roof space cannot be accessed by the possum/s. This includes sealing entry points or blocking access to the roof space - make sure the possums and any of their babies are clear before completing and pruning branches that give direct access to your roof where possible.
4. As possums are nocturnal, meaning they're active at night, they will likely be back inside the roof during the daylight hours (our human working hours). So additional deterrents like spreading quassia chips in the roof space (alternatively place blocks of camphor in the roof cavity), or placing a light in the roof cavity and keeping it switched on can help discourage them from returning and give you time to patch the roof.

The most important thing to remember is that our wildlife are trying to continually adapt to urbanisation and habitat destruction/encroachment. We should help them out by providing them with safe spaces to sleep and raise their babies, that aren't close to threats like domestic animals, powerlines or forced road crossings. By providing this small but meaningful assist, you and our possums can get a peaceful night's /day's sleep!