Experienced possum removal experts

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Gold Coast Pest Services offer complete possum removal services to the Gold Coast, Tweed region and beyond.

As possums are native wildlife, it is illegal to kill them and they cannot be "controlled". The only option available under the native wildlife legislation is for the removal and relocation of possums by licensed professionals, such as Gold Coast Pest Services.

Why choose Gold Coast Pest Services for possum removal?

• Fully licensed for possum removal by the QLD Department for Environmental and Heritage Protection

• Experienced in humane possum handling

• Night vision motion detection cameras to allow accurate pest identification

• Fast response and after hours services available

• Fast, friendly and effective service

How do we deal with a possum problem?

Step 1: Correct pest identification

It is important to correctly identify the pest problem. There are a number of native animals that often live in and around homes – various possum species, native rats and antechinus. All native animals are protected and cannot be killed. Of course the noises in the roof could be caused by pest rodents, such as rats and mice. Gold Coast Pest Services are also licensed to carry out rodent control. By identifying the pest problem, we can determine the best control plan. We will carry out a complete gold coast pest inspection of the property and surrounding area and use night vision, motion detection cameras if required. If possums are indeed the cause of the problem, we need to carry out a humane removal.

Step 2: Identify possum entry points

It is vital to identify all possible possum entry points.

Step 3: Trap the possum

A possum trap is placed in the roof, normally at night when the possum is out looking for food. When the possum comes back in the morning they enter the cage and are trapped. Normally the possum is trapped within a day or so. We check the trap each day after the trap has been installed, as we cannot keep the possum in the trap for more than 24 hours. As soon as the possum has been trapped, it is removed from the roof.

Step 4: Possum-proof the roof

Once the possum has been removed, all the possum entry points will need to be repaired / sealed and made possum-proof. Once the possum has been relocated, they often try and get back to their original home, so this is a vital step in the process. We will make recommendations so you can get a suitable tradesman in to make the necessary repairs / alternations. This will also prevent any other possums taking up residence. Any trees that allow possum access to the roof need to be trimmed back or fitted with a collar to prevent possums climbing the tree.

Step 5: Relocate the possum

By law we need to provide the possum with a new nesting site, on the same property as its original nest and within 25m of the original nest. Typically this means installing a possum box in a tree on the property.

Why do I need to get rid of possums from my roof?

Possums are a common pest in domestic households, commercial buildings and schools. As well as being very noisy, possums will urinate through your roof leaving yellow stains on your ceiling or walls. They will also leave a large amount of droppings throughout the roof space, which present obvious hygiene issues. Possums can carry a variety of mites, ticks, other parasites, and bacterial infections, all of which can be passed to humans making them a health hazard. Possums can also be very destructive. Not only do they increase the size of entry holes to roof voids to make access easier, but they can get caught in wiring and lighting in the roof void. Coupled with their habit for moving and using insulation for nesting material, they are considered a potential fire hazard.

Can I remove possums myself?

No. Possums can only be removed by licensed possum relocators (like us!). However, there are a number of tips you can use to prevent possums taking up residence in the first place...

Tips to keep possums out of your roof...

• Keep vegetation and overhanging branches trimmed back to prevent possum access to your roof.

• Make sure there are no possum access points. If a possum can get its head into a hole, it will be able to force the rest of its body through. So any hole about the size of a tennis ball needs to be fixed.

• Don't forget that possums can access the wall voids and roof cavity from the sub-floor as well, so if your home has a sub-floor, this will need to be checked out as well.

• If you are unable to possum-proof your roof void there are a couple of tips to make the roof void less attractive to possums:

• Spread some quassia chips throughout the roof cavity to repel the possums. These chips come from quassia plants, which are native to Central and South America. You can usually find quassia chips at hardware stores, or your local pharmacy may be able to order some for you.

• If you can't find quassia chips, you could repel possums by spreading eight blocks of camphor or one or two boxes of mothballs throughout the roof cavity. Do not use both camphor and moth balls as they react chemically with each other.

• Leaving a light on in the roof cavity can help as well.

If you are currently concerned that you may have unwanted squatters in your walls or roof, call Gold Coast Pest Services. We will ensure your issue is investigated and resolved… humanely!