Possums in the Roof

This is not a travelling blog for once, but a feel-good story from home.

We have been living with Ringtail Possums (Pseudocheirus peregrinus) in our loft for about three years. While they rarely make a noise, they do make a mess and leave lots of smelly things behind. Once stains started to show on our bedroom ceiling, we decided enough was enough.

At least they were easy to find - exactly above the stain. They seem to love the white soft ceiling insulation to sleep in. Here is a mother with baby:

It is easy to see how they get in and out because there is a sticky trail between the nest and the exit.

I first decided to build them another home. It is made out of two hanging baskets from Bunnings, put together with cable ties, with some paper bark for extra darkness and some white ceiling insulation for bedding inside. I added some Lilli Pilli berries and peanut butter as temptation.

The new home is hanging in front of their entrance to the loft, underneath the eaves.

We left it for about two weeks, occasionally putting pieces of fruit inside. The possums kept eating the food but slept in the loft.

After about two weeks we decided to close the entrance to the loft (after checking that there were no possums left inside). And finally, for the first time, the possums decided that the new home was acceptable!
They did spend some time going back and forth between the blocked entrance to the loft and their new home though.

Below are photographs taken through an endoscopic camera that I installed in the new home. Definitely Ringtails living there!