Shaping the perfect ornamental tree

Can an Arborist Help You Keep Possums Out of Your Roof?

If you're having problems with possums getting into your roof space, then you need to find ways to keep them out. You may have fixed entry points in your roof, but the possums keep trying to get back in. To deter them more effectively, look beyond your roof to work out how they are getting up there in the first place. If you have a tree close to your home, then this may be a primary access point.

While you don't want to pull up a tree just to get rid of possums, you can prevent them from using it by calling out an arborist. How will this help?

Remove Access to the Roof

Possums are skilled high-wire walkers. If your tree's branches overhang your roof or even just come up close, then a possum can use a branch to get on to your roof. They run along branches and then jump down or over on to the roof. An arborist can trim your branches back or even remove some of them to cut off this access. If the possum can't run along a branch and then drop down or jump over, then they may give up trying to get into your roof.

Possum Proof the Tree

If you have a tree really close to your home, then you may not want to trim back or remove all the branches that a possum could use as access. You may feel that this would make the tree look too odd or affect its growth. While your arborist can work with you to remove primary access branches, this may still leave some for a possum to use. In this case, your arborist may have some ideas on how to possum-proof other areas of the tree.

For example, if the possum has to run up the tree's trunk to get to the branches, then you can fit a possum guard or band around the trunk. These devices wrap around the trunk to make a barrier that prevents possums from climbing up. If you have multiple trees in your garden and possums use each tree to access the next until they reach your roof, then your arborist may recommend that you put a guard on every trunk. Possums aren't dumb. Once they realise they can't get to your roof, they'll look for somewhere else to live.

To find out how to fix your possum tree problems, contact local tree service companies. They can send out an arborist to take a look at your trees.


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