Each year the Parks and Wildlife Service receives hundreds of calls for assistance to solve these possum problems and the following notes provide practical information to satisfy the house and landowner without harming the animal. Remember, brushtail possums are protected by law and cannot be bought, sold, taken or harmed except by permit. Our web site also has full details of the biology of the brushtail possum . Many times, the intruder turns out to be an introduced rat or mouse, which are declared pests. Sometimes both types of animals are involved and separate action is required.
Rats also collect seeds and grasses.
Brushtails do not. They make loud heavy, thumping sounds when walking, and distinctive guttural growls, screeches, hisses and coughs when disturbed. You can find out for sure by looking inside the ceiling with a flashlight during the day or observe your house just on dark when the brushtail emerges to feed. Brushtails are strongly attached to their homesites and those which have been removed usually face a slow death, either because the release area is unsuitable or it is occupied by another brushtail which will defend its territory vigorously. Conflict for food and shelter usually means that the released possum dies.