There's a possum in my chimney.

[cat_mioux]

for the last 3 nights. I don't think he's stuck because it's quiet during the day and he'll only faff about for a hour or so about midnight then it's quiet. He is just behind the damper. He keeps trying to push it open and my kitties line up in front of the fireplace waiting waiting waiting ....  😮

Can possums find their own way out of the chimney?

I am NOT going to open the damper. I value my face too much. 😐

[monstersinthedungeon]

We had two possums living in the roof of my office/cattery (detached from house, a large room with a screened in balcony which I share with the cats) for the last year.

Here is a pic of the little one having a treat (strawberries). Unfortunately when the neighbour-across-the-road's cat decided he wanted to live with us and is now permanently encamped on the office roof, they moved out.  Sadly pusscat can't come and live with us inside because we have a very territorial cat who would make his life torture. I told Garfield (interloper) that if he's still around when Henry carks it, he can move in then :^O

Sorry, can't offer any help with your visitor Ms. Mioux, except maybe if you can lock the cats away somewhere, open your damper, all your doors and windows, hopefully he will make his escape.

Alternatively, perhaps you could smoke him out - NOT suggesting lighting a fire and roasting him, but if there is something you could burn like a smudge stick, incense stick, mossie stick and direct the smoke into the chimney, he might climb out the top?  If you leave something burning in there everything you're home, he might get the idea he's not welcome, or if you can get landlord to mesh over the chimney top so he can't return.

[kengillard]

no wonder he /she loved living at your place....strawberries...num!

[tasfleur]

[cat_mioux]

Thanks for the phone numbers and info  🙂

Mr Possum was behind the fireplace again last night until 2am. When it had been quiet for 15 mins my son opened the damper thingy. He couldn't see anything and we stayed up for another half an hour but no more noises. I went outside and there was a big possum jumping around the tree next to the chimney. He most probably can get out (and in) but I'll call Wildlife Rescue tomorrow to ask them the blonde question "how would I know if the possum was stuck?".

Possums in my chimney and bats in my belfry :^O

Tas that's a striking resemblance to our Mr Possum!

[cat_mioux]

Monsters, I could burn incense but I only have the smokeless kind :^O

The damper is only small and when it's open it wouldn't be big enough for the possum to escape from, even though he's trying his hardest to open it from the inside. 😐

[bright.ton42]

And don't forget ......  it could be a mum with a lot of little babies. 

(Just to make you feel better.....haha)

[cat_mioux]

It's 1am and I'm sitting here in a closed room, the kitties are in bathroom lockdown (NOT happy) and the damper is wide open in the living room and the back door is open and all the lights are off.

Waiting waiting waiting  ...

*yawn*

😐

Thanks bright X-( :^O

[cat_mioux]

Mr Possum is still there.

I've rang the Real Estate Agent but was told to email my request. So I've rang a possum rescue guy and left a message on his voicemail and I'll pay for it myself. I'm hoping someone will come today. I'm stressing over the possum stressing!

:_|

[cat_mioux]

The possum man is coming over this afternoon. I'll pay for it myself.

Poor little possum!

[cat_mioux]

The possum guy came and opened the damper and the possum (a fat young adult) poked his little head out. The possum guy had to wait until Mr Possum turned around so he could grab him by the tail rather than his head and teeth. It was making me so nervous I had to sit outside. I put the two cats in the cat enclosure while all this was going on but Beau hates the enclosure so I left him alone to watch the drama unfold. I thought Beau would either make friends with it or have a heart attack. He just sat there looking like this 😮

The possum was released in the garden and took off like a bat out of hell.

We now have chicken wire sealing off the chimney flue.

$220. Now to try to get that reimbursed by the Landlord 🙂