Possums

Aussie Pythons & Snakes Forum

Help Support Aussie Pythons & Snakes Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
Status
Not open for further replies.

Damo1

Not so new Member
Joined
Sep 4, 2017
Messages
77
Reaction score
16
What are possums like to keep would they be an indoor or outdoor animal. And what do they need in regards to care. Specifically ring tails
 
What are possums like to keep would they be an indoor or outdoor animal. And what do they need in regards to care. Specifically ring tails
They need lots of stimulation.

Lots of climbing.
not a solitary animal.

You also need a license for babies.

Not really a pet animal, more to show off and good for animal trainers I guess.

You seem to be asking questions about lots of odd types of animals, from venomous with no experience to animals that imo shouldn’t be pets.
 
Just asking about what I’m interested in.

Also why would I have experience with vens I’m only 17. Not looking to get a possum or vens for a long time but asking as a part of my research for when I can. One day I would like to do educational shows and these are the animals I’m interested in using.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Good on ya Damo. I've rehabilitated a few injured brushtails in my time, they keep you busy. Not something I'd ever personally want to keep permanently. There's certainly no shortage of them in the wild.
 
You can get squirrels from some pet shops in Sydney, there’s a place in Liverpool, kellyville used to before the big renovation like 8years ago
 
They need lots of stimulation.

Lots of climbing.
not a solitary animal.

You also need a license for babies.

Not really a pet animal, more to show off and good for animal trainers I guess.

You seem to be asking questions about lots of odd types of animals, from venomous with no experience to animals that imo shouldn’t be pets.
remember not everywhere are there the same rules.
 
Outdoors definitely, with plenty of room to climb and hide. But check with your state authority if you can keep them, and under what if any restrictions.
 
You could just move down this way and have them frequenting your backyard each night. Its pretty great as they all have individual personalities and our favourite had a bubba not too long ago too. First picture is A lovely lady we’ve named Dags and her even lovelier baby. Second is one of several Ringtails that live in the trees surrounding my place.

7E6E2E21-D3B4-4FF0-94F9-C319A1240199.jpeg

B7648152-BABB-4172-B9E5-1AA654099BE7.jpeg
 
I'm not sure if it's common knowledge or not, I was quite shocked when I learned this myself but common Brushtail possums are legally allowed to be trapped by pretty much anyone who deems them a nuisance on their property. A Governor-in-Council order was put in place to permit the trapping of Common Brushtail possums living in buildings for the purpose of releasing them on the same property or taking them to a registered vet for euthanasia. It also permits possum management in municipal parks.

Who can trap common brushtail possums ?

  • Home-owners or occupiers and members of their families
  • Building managers or their staff
  • DELWP licensed Wildlife Controllers
Trap requirements
  • A cage trap must be designed to avoid injury
  • An ideal construction is a wire mesh box with mesh less than 19 millimetres square. If a trap with larger mesh is used possums can seriously damage their noses pushing them through the mesh
  • Traps must be set in a stable level position protected from dogs, cats, wind, rain and direct sun at all times
  • Possum traps are available for loan or hire from some local councils
Conditions of trapping
  • All traps are to be checked no more than two hours after sunrise
  • Trapped possums must be kept in the trap in a quiet place, covered with a cloth or bag
Releasing trapped possums
  • Trapped possums must be released on the property on which they are captured, no more than 50 metres from the capture site after sunset on the day of capture.
  • Relocation of brushtail possums is prohibited
  • Where it is not reasonably possible to release the possum on your property, possums must be humanely destroyed by a registered veterinary practitioner, at the trapper's expense, within 24 hours of capture
  • Releasing possums during the day increases their stress and puts them at risk of being attacked and injured
Once trapped, you have 2 options and 2 options only... Release within 24 hours WITHIN 50 metres of the place of capture (which seems totally pointless) or take them to the nearest registered Vet to be euthanised. Those are the only two options available as relocation of brushtails is illegal and inhumane according to a study done by the Deakin University that showed almost all relocated brushtails will die within 1 day to 3 weeks of being released. I remember reading about that a fair while ago, I knew relocating them was illegal but I didn't know they could simply be taken to the vet and destroyed, no questions asked... The way I found out about that is because I heard of someone doing it and I thought, no way, that can't seriously be legit... turns out it is, and relocating them carries a fine of up to $7,773.

"There is no other legal avenue to deal with possums. Breaching any of these regulations carries a penalty of up to $7,773."
Apparently quite a few of these critters wind up being put down every year. I know of quite a few that were destroyed over winter this year.

As an avid trapper, I regularly read up on a lot of what's going on in the trapping world, this was news to me, I've never needed to trap brushtails myself for any reason however those that do report that strawberry jam on white bread gets them every time.

You learn something new every day.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Latest posts

Back
Top