Possum Eviction

[kerravonsen]

As I said in my previous entry, the possum has returned. When we last left our persistent possum, it was huddled inside the wardrobe of my study. Whenever I peeked in at it, it was not asleep. I'm not sure whether that was because my opening the door (squeaky hinges) woke it up, or because it was too uncomfortable and scared to relax enough to sleep. I'm fairly certain it didn't drink the water I left, because it appeared not to have moved. Perhaps it felt that its position on a half-fallen-over suitcase was too precarious for it to move.

I had, as I said, left a message with the possum man Frans, on his mobile. But I did not hear back from him. Fair enough, he could have been on holiday or out or something. The sun was going down, and I didn't want to leave the possum in the wardrobe overnight, for my sake, for its sake, and for the sake of the contents of the wardrobe. So I decided that if I hadn't heard from Frans by eight o'clock, I would have to evict the possum myself.

Eight o'clock rolled around. It was eviction time.

But this time I Took Precautions.

1. dressed in old clothing that I didn't mind if it got ruined.
2. socks and shoes, not sandals.
3. old ratty cardigan to protect arms.
4. gardening gloves.
5. went through the house and closed all the doors I could.
6. opened the front door and screen door.
7. took off the bags hanging on the handle of the study door, and shut the study door.
8. opened the wardrobe door carefully and picked up the dish of water and put it well away from the action.

Then I pounced. One hand grabbed the back of its head so that it couldn't immediately bite me. It tried to bolt, and it was a squirming wriggling bundle of muscle and fur, but I grabbed it by an appendage before it could dart between my legs, and it was squealing but it hadn't managed to bite or scratch me. Then I realised I had it by one leg, but that meant that the tail was able to be grabbed, so I grabbed it by the tail (the end of the tail) and it was clawing at the carpet and pissing like a fountain, but I managed to pull it up so that it didn't have purchase on anything. When I lifted it up in the air, it stopped struggling, but I noticed that its front arms were out wide with its paws outstretched ready to claw, and I knew that if I let it get near anything -- the floor, a wall, myself -- then the battle would be joined again.

I carefully carried it out the front door and let it go. It was off down the front path and up a tree in a trice.

I closed the door, took off the gloves, and generously squirted the pissed-on carpet with orange oil. Hopefully that will take care of the smell.

I still have no idea how the possum got in.

Comments

[raine]

Does your wardrobe have an outside wall or is near a duct? Possums tend to like attics so if you have a hole in the roof in some fashion, they can get in.

Here's hoping you don't have a return.

[kerravonsen]

No, not that wardrobe. And I don't think it came in through the wardrobe, because there's evidence it was wandering around the house before it got into the wardrobe, so I think it came in from elsewhere.

[kalypso]

Oh dear. Sorry you had to do all that on your own, but you seem to have coped like a Hayward Woman. I hope it disliked the eviction enough not to risk a repetition, and/or that Frans can work out how it's still happening and stop it.

I had a much smaller adventure today when a very small bird (probably a small sparrow) got into the kitchen. (I initially found it in the back porch, where there is a tiny gap that a very small bird could probably squeeze though, and then it escaped into the kitchen while I was trying to grab or chase away my very excited cat.) I think it got out in the end - I managed to open two kitchen windows, and thought I caught a flashing movement by one of them as I turned round - anyway I haven't rediscovered it, dead or alive, so far.

[kerravonsen]

but you seem to have coped like a Hayward Woman

I did, didn't I? 8-D

I managed to open two kitchen windows, and thought I caught a flashing movement by one of them as I turned round - anyway I haven't rediscovered it, dead or alive, so far.

Let's hope it did get out. And that your cat didn't eat it.

[kalypso]

No gruesome remains found yet, thank goodness. I think it got away.

Hope there's been no more trouble with your squatter.

[primsong]

Holy cow, what a night! I'm very, very glad you weren't clawed or bitten - possums can be pretty mean. May it never return!

[kerravonsen]

(smirks at icon)

I learned my lesson about the clawing-and-biting; I still bear the scars from the previous possum-invasion.

[nocturnus33]

Wow. You are heroic. I'm not sure I'll have the nerve to do something like that.

[kerravonsen]

It gets easier with practice. 8-) This is the third time. It bested me the second time, but not this time.

[jhall1.livejournal.com]

Well done!

[kerravonsen]

\o/

[lindahoyland.livejournal.com]

What an adventure! Poor you and poor possum.

[kerravonsen]

I don't bear it any ill-will, but I wish it wouldn't keep coming into my house.

[vjezkova.livejournal.com]

You did a good job and quite expertly. Of course I have never seen an opossum but in a picture but I suspect it can be a very impressive opponent when in distress.
I only hope YOUR oppossum didn´t get attached emotionally to your wardrobe.:-)

[kerravonsen]

Well, it wasn't large, only about the size of a cat. But stronger than a cat, IMHO.

(small correction: the proper name is "possum", not "opossum"; the opossum is a similar animal which lives in America, which is often called "possum" for short, but the Australian ones are actually called "possum", not "opossum" -- I checked on Wikipedia. But good on you for trying to be precise.)

[vjezkova.livejournal.com]

Oh silly me, I DO know the difference but for some reason I wrote it with that "o". I am shaking my head over myself. Thank you for the correction, my friend!

Well, it is enough for me to fight with my cat when I want to give him a pill - so I can imagine!:-)

[jaxomsride.livejournal.com]

Stubborn possum,if it is the same one each time.

Your method was effective,lets hope the fuzzy b**ger gets the message and stays out, this time.

[kerravonsen]

I don't think it wants to be in the house, but it does want to be in the roof. So I'm not sure it's getting the message I want it to get. 8-(

[izhilzha.livejournal.com]

I do wonder how it got in AGAIN! But I am impressed with your well-plotted, level-headed eviction strategy. Nice job! Sad that it pissed on your floor; that must have stunk.

[kerravonsen]

I wonder myself. I don't think it deliberately set out to get inside the house: that was evidenced by its multiple attempts to find somewhere to hide (climbing on things in the lounge (CD knocked on floor); climbing on things in the front hall (tissues knocked over, stone eggs on floor, things knocked off bookshelf) and finally climbing on things in the study, trying to get to the top shelf of the wardrobe). I surmise that it got into the roof (or walls) again, and somehow encountered yet another hole which it fell down and couldn't get back into. Problem is, I couldn't find any such hole. 8-(

I'm rather grateful that it didn't consider tables to be a suitable hiding place, considering how much stuff is currently on the two tables in the lounge-dining area. (!)