animals in the roof - help

[Quiggers]

apologies this is off topic, but whatever the animal is, is driving me crazy - and spooking the kids

it's now 1030pm and i've been around the house looking for an entry/exit point - to no avail

found a good size green tree frog in the narrow roof gutter - it was carefully removed and sent down the backyard...


nearly walked on a bloody cane toad - first time i've seen one of those around here - it was despatched...

back in the house and there's the sound of not so little feet... in the roof cavity

i can't find where it gets in or out and i'm at a loss - i suspect its a possum

getting into the roof cavity for me is damn near impossible - it's low overall and the total area is enormous, but very cramped

any ideas on how to get rid of my 'house guests'?????

(i dont have a prob with snakes but putting a python up there is problematic - as in where to get one for starters and then to get it out once the job is done)

the house is a typical recent (early 90s) speccy jobbie and seems sealed but is apparently not.......

any thoughts or helpful hints would be greatly appreciated

cheers, GQ

[hiline]

any thoughts or helpful hints would be greatly appreciated

make sure your insurance is paid up

then burn the little bugger



if it is a possum try your local council for a possom trap
they lend them to you free

[DEFENDERZOOK]

check none of the roof tiles have moved......?


place some food in a place you can get to.......and wait.....

[FenianEel]

Quiggers,

My money is on a possum.
It's amazing how these bastards can contort themsleves and how they can get in and out of small spaces.
The entry point will prob. be roof related, .ie where it overlaps, joins the walls, or more often than not, somewhere around the guttering,or eaves.

You need to find the hole/entry spot first - obviously.
Leave some sweet fruit outside, away - but near the house - when they go out, block the hole - easier said than done, I know. May take a few days.

Other 'unpleasant' suggestions
1. 'bait' the fruit, or throw some 'baited' fruit in the roof - this will result in a bad stench and you have to find the bodies.
2. a .22, a torch, and yourself in the roof space - hopefully only you come out alive.
3. A big carpet snake or a little terrier is the go - they will generally scare them off - or eat them
4. Call a 'possum man' - they'll sting you about $100 though

Good Luck

[Quiggers]

Thanks guys, what do possums eat? I actually dont know.

I'm trying to avoid the possum man as this roof cavity is a total bugger - its a huge cramped maze and crouching around in there is fraught with danger

where the creature is - is around the eaves, internally - which is just about big enough for a possum

i'll be on the roof in the early a.m. looking for a entry point

hiline: burning it may be a bit sus as ive just bought it and its all brick, good idea tho
dzook: i wish i could see it
fen: instead of a snake i was kinda thinking a cat, but good idea! i've got a few neighbours with smart little doggies!!!)

any ideas on this: I have a light which is 3000 watts - if i run it up in daytime (given the roof cavity is dark) may i upset (and therefore eject) the nocturnal guest?

GQ

[hiline]

funny you should mention a light

its supposed to work at deterring them


any sweet fruit will do the trick for bait

[Frenchie]

The light is supposed to work but just make sure you don't set fire to the place.

[Quiggers]

thank you ray - you may have explained why we've suddenly got visitors after six years or so - the pawpaw trees are going well...... and the bats love these prizes, if we dont get them off first - didn't think of possums tho'.........

cheers, GQ

[dmdigital]

Buy a large python and place in the roof space... that will almost guarantee nothing else in the roof

As for Cane Toads - Spray with diluted solution of Detol. They last about 3 hops

[abaddonxi]

If you have possums there should be pretty obvious tracks on the trunks of nearby trees.

Get a possum trap and put it just inside the roof cavity access so it's easy to get to once the possum is caught. There shouldn't be any possum food already in the cavity, so something tasty should catch 'em pretty easily.

They bite and scratch.

They also make scary noises in the night.



Cheers
Simon