Unlike rats, often accompanied by chewing sounds, opossums make shuffling and scraping sounds as they move about in the walls. It can be difficult to tell if you have a rat infestation unless you actually see a live or dead rat in your home. They rely heavily on their sense of smell, although they are masters at quickly adapting to any change in their surroundings. It's been six weeks and the smell abates when windows are all open, however, once closed it's revolting again, especially in the heat (hot summer in Australia). It or they had climbed up the air con pipes (new house and the only places to get in) My pest man recommended the wax blocks – also suitable for outdoors but possums will also eat … This means getting on top of a bunch of pests – rats, stoats, possums and mice for starters. The presence of an unusual and foul odor in your home may point to there being a possum living in your walls. Tell-Tale Signs of Rats in the Walls or Attics. Most homeowners, on the other hand, prefer not to have a possum living under their house. To a possum, the crawlspace under a house seems like a good place to set up its own home. Pretty sure it's rats due to the dead rat I saw in the driveway and the fact its scurrying sounds at 2pm now .. Possums prefer sleeping in wall cavities during the day as it is warmer and darker than a roof cavity. They are back to pick up a trapped bird within half … We had some problems with possums and rats in our roof so called in the pest control people to sort it out. Rats and mice can squeeze through the tiniest hole, and will make this their regular entry. Possum droppings are generally jelly bean sized, brown and cigar-shaped with a sweet or eucalyptus smell. Common rescues include cats from trees, wall cavities and drain pipes, dogs from in between fences, birds from roofs, warehouses, businesses, shops and shopping centres, possums from chimneys, wall cavities, roofs and buildings and rats from wall and ceiling cavities. What Kind of Damage Can Rats Cause to Homes? I have a possum boarder, at times in the walls, (glad I found someone with the same issue.) Rats can also be heard in wall cavities as they scurry between floors etc. - Even tried to get friend's dog to locate but he was not interested. I confirmed the location of the animals from the attic, looking down a narrow wall. Possums possess a very strong odor. Rats are nocturnal critters, scampering about in the dark of night. How to find a dead possum / rat in wall cavity ?? Somebody mentioned on TV that dead possum has sweet smell. Dark, ground level and protected from the elements, a home's crawlspace has the same qualities a possum would seek for its den in the wild. They use Talon in NZ to eradicate the feral possums there. I often hear him/her scratching - ugh. Whatever it means, which probably means that you don’t have a possum in your wall cavity. I was told to leave rat poison out for it but, my cat lives outside. High quality Possum inspired Wall Art by independent artists and designers from around the world.All orders are custom made and most ship worldwide within 24 hours. Nigel's Animal Rescue has rescued thousands of live animals over the years. Entry holes in the attic. So it should be smaller animal, probably bush rat, they like to move indoors as soon as nights get cold. In addition to carrying pathogens that can transmit diseases to humans, rats can potentially cause damage to your home’s structure and fixtures. If the rodent noise begins at dusk and kicks around through the night, it's likely there is a rat in your house. I think possum proofing an older house like this would be near impossible especially as there's easy access from trees nearby (can't be trimmed back) besides the possum that I know about hasn't been an issue. The staff are very helpful and professional and are on site within a day. Talon will kill the possum. Made from pieces of plumbers pipe, wide enough for a rat to go into but too narrow for a possum or other native animals. In the photo to the left, there were some baby opossums stuck down a wall. There’s a possum that comes on my porch at night searching for food from my cat’s bowel. More so in the winter, I think he cosies up near where the burner is, to keep warm. I heard a scratching sound in the wall next to my bed. NPWS use bait stations. My cat is afraid of it and when I open the door to shot it … it gets away and then too, I would hate to wound it and it go in die under my house. What I discovered was disturbing. I thought it was a mouse trapped in there. The best way is to put the baits into something that the possums cannot get into but the rats can. - Had great idea to get mini camera in wall cavities so rang a few plumbers who use them, but they say cameras won't fit. thanks :) How to Get Rid of Rats in the Wall Rats will live in any part of the architecture, from the basement up to the attic, and of course, in between, the walls.