The Return of Santy Claws

As expected, Santy Claus returned Christmas morning at 5am. Twice on Christmas and he still didn't leave me any toys!

I need to get rid of him. Opossums are creatures of habit and I have a feeling he's made himself right at home and will return all the time to check if there is an opening. Or he'll make an opening. I'd also like to someday remove all that chicken wire and boards so it doesn't look so horrible.

While researching animal traps online, I read quite a bit on how easy opossums are to catch. They aren't real fast, smart or agile. When caged, as long as you don't scare them senseless causing them to hiss and defend themselves, they will sit quietly pretending they aren't there. There are videos online of kids catching opossums and try as they might they can hardly get the thing out of the cage to release it because it's cowering in a corner. I also read mothers with babies transport them in and out of their hidding places in her pouch or hanging off her back so they won't be separated.

On a website featuring how to make a homemade box trap, one commenter gave an easy trapping option using your garbage can. I'm intrigued! Directions:

1.) Set the garbage can where you know the opossum will travel.

2.) Place a board up the side of the garbage can as a ramp. Make sure it is long enough and strong enough to hold the opossum.

Yummy peanut butter.

3.) Put bait inside the garbage can: fish, ripe fruit, peanut butter. They like smelly stuff. I'm using peanut butter.

4.) Wait. They only come out at night.

The opossum will smell the food, crawl up the board, climb in and he can't get out! They aren't jumpers and the sides of the garbage can are too slick for them to latch on to anything and crawl out.

5.) Put the garbage can lid on top and relocate him far away.

So I'm going to give it a try! Problem around here is it rains too much so finding a dry spot to put the can is impossible. I've remedied it a bit by putting the can in the corner of the garden right next to the fence and hanging some plastic over. Might help a little. The fence also supports the board so it won't fall over when Santy Claus is crawling in. I know he likes this corner of the garden because it's his toilet. Grrrrr....

The things I do for entertainment!