Randwick’s tree lined streets, parks, and pockets of bushland near the coast give possums plenty of places to shelter, and older homes with roomy roof cavities are an easy step up from a nearby tree. The scratching and thumping usually starts around dusk when the possum heads out to feed, then again near dawn on its way back in. This page covers why possums end up in Randwick roofs, how they’re safely encouraged to leave, and how to stop the next one moving in.
Noise at night is the main giveaway, thumping or scratching not long after dark and again closer to dawn. A musty smell near one part of the ceiling, droppings around a manhole, or a single well used entry point around a tile, vent, or eave are worth checking for too.
A roof gives a possum shelter, distance from anything that might see it as a meal, and a short trip down to nearby trees at night. Randwick’s parks and street trees put a lot of rooflines within easy reach, so the jump from branch to roof is often an easy one. Once a possum finds a comfortable spot, it tends to return to it, which is why the same roof can end up with a new possum before too long.
Possums are a protected native animal in New South Wales, so moving one on takes a bit more care than chasing it out. The usual approach involves confirming where it’s coming and going from, then fitting a one way door over that entry point so it can leave to feed but can’t get back in the same way. This tends to work within a few nights, and the entry point only gets sealed once it’s confirmed the possum has gone.
Possums are active after dark, so a one way door only works if it’s fitted while the possum is out feeding. It’s worth checking for young possums too, since a mother may be carrying a joey during the cooler months, and rushing the process at the wrong time can separate them.
The entry point that let one possum in will attract another unless it’s properly closed once the roof is clear. Sealing gaps around tiles, vents, and eaves, along with trimming branches that reach the roofline, removes the easiest path from tree to roof.
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They’re territorial and tend to return to a shelter spot they know, so unless the entry point is closed properly, a new possum often finds its way back in.
No, sealing while a possum is still inside traps it, which usually causes more damage and a worse smell than the original problem.
They’re around all year, but activity tends to pick up in the cooler months and again during breeding season when mothers are carrying young.
Yes, scratching, nesting material, and urine can affect insulation and ceiling linings over time.
It finds a new spot to shelter nearby, since possums don’t tend to travel far. The job is about getting it out and keeping it out.
Possums are a protected species, and getting the timing or door wrong can trap the possum inside instead of letting it leave, so getting the roof checked properly is usually the more straightforward option.
Anyone dealing with this in the area can reach same day pest control randwick for this kind of job alongside other pest work.
Our pest control experts are ready to answer any specific questions about your pest concerns.