Help. Please, help. We have a live possum hiding in our house.

Question

Possums have been invading our potting bench outside, so my husband caught one and because he didn't want to hurt it, he brought it inside, placed it in a box and was going to take it to a animal release place today. Overnight the possum escaped and now is hiding somewhere in our suburban home. Trying not to panic, but my husband leaves town tomorrow for jury duty--and I do not want to be sleeping in a house alone with a possum. Please--where should we look that we haven't yet? We have a live trap (from our ranch) and will put out peanut butter tonight, but what should we be doing now?

Answer 1

lol nothing like a opossum living in your house-its harmless some people I know  made pets out of them-better then cats-go ahead and set trap bait it and let alone-they feed at night sooner or later it will come out or get out of house

Answer 2

Call animal control and tell them not to hurt the possum. If you have looked everywhere, check again. Try the kitchen, pantry, laundrey room or anywhere else that you are not in all the time. Also where food is.

Answer 3

Aye! I don't blame you for not wanting to sleep alone with a possum in the house!  A few years ago, we set out a live trap to catch my fiance's cat that had snuck out, but a possum was attracted to the cat food we put inside and it got in there instead.  Luckily that was outside and that possum actually seemed like a gentle creature that happily trotted off when the cage door was released.

Maybe this will help:

"Question:  There is an opossum in my house or garage. What do I do?



Answer: First contact your local animal shelter to determine if an officer will assist you. Always make sure the opossum will not be trapped and killed!

An opossum can safely be trapped by leaning an empty, tall kitchen trash can at approximately a 30-45º angle against something the opossum can climb onto such as a stack of books. Place cat food or ripe fruit at the bottom of the trash can. The opossum will be able to climb into the trash can but will be unable to climb or jump out. Immediately take the trash can outside. Tip the can on its side and the opossum will leave when it feels it is safe to do so. This is best done at dusk. If it has to be done during the day then tip the opening towards a dense shrub where the opossum can hide until nightfall.

You can also try to leave a trail of pet food leading to an open door. Observe quietly at a distance. Once it leaves, shut the door. Do not try to push the opossum with a broom. The frightened animal will freeze and not move."

Best wishes to you and the possum!  Hope hubby's jury duty doesn't last too long- had to do it last fall myself!  BTW, my fiance's kitty showed up 20 days later!

Answer 4

look up in the rafters they like to climb