Best Ways To Kill A Possum/Opossum [Top Tips 2023]

There are several ways by which a possum can be killed. However, the best course of killing a possum is shooting it in the head using a shotgun or a gun. Adopting this method kills an animal instantly. 

For people who are looking for ways to get rid of possums, this article will provide all the relevant guidelines of dos and don’ts. You must follow them to get rid of possums in a short time. 

Why Are Possums So Hard To Kill?

It is the biology of possums that have made their targeting quite tricky. The animal has a large skull but a very short brain. That is why even when you target them with a weapon, it is likely that the shot will hit the head but will miss the brain. 

That is why one should aim at the area right below the ear and behind the eye. That is the perfect spot for putting an end to a possum. 

However, the disadvantage of weapon killing is that only one possum can be targeted at a time. To kill a large number of possums, you must use products like possum poison. 

What Kills Possums Fast?

There is a method of killing possums ethically:

1. Set traps (like this) in your yard or garden 
2. Make sure that the traps have some bait placed in them in the form of food particles
3. Next, you can either add poison to their food to kill them.
4. Another effective way of killing possums is by shooting them (the best air gun to shoot possums) in the head after being trapped. 
5. You can hardly hit the possum with a bat or steel rod. 

Why Is Poison Not Recommended? 

Although poison killing is a very effective method of killing a possum, it is generally not recommended as it will be risky having it in your home. 

Moreover, the presence of poison can harm other animals. It can also seep into the soil and disrupt the plant’s growth. Moreover, there is a high chance that children will contact the poison and ingest it. 

What To Use To Kill A Possum?

Possums can usually be killed by using rat poison as bait. If you inject rat poison into some food particles, the possums will die instantly after eating it. 

People also prefer using rat poison to exterminate the possums from their gardens or yards. Generally, it is easier to pick up the dead body than the target it with a weapon. 

Possum Poison

There are a lot of possum poisons available on the market. Generally, the same kind of poison is used to kill possums used to kill a rat. 

After the poison has been given to possums in the form of bait, it is hard to locate the carcass of the possum.

A possum will wander here and after that, eat the poison. Just when the side effects start kicking in, a possum will prefer to die in an isolated space. 

That is why the real problem starts once the possum has eaten the poison. It will find try to find a small corner to die in or maybe underneath some surface.

In most cases, you will find a possum’s dead body only when it starts emitting an unpleasant smell. 

Will Bleach Kill A Possum?

Many people are of the view that bleach will kill a possum. However, that is not the case. Bleach gives off the smell of ammonia. That acts as a repellent only. 

It will drive the possums away, but the smell is insufficient to kill a possum. In one scenario, bleach may kill a possum. In this case, you will have to:

1. Set a trap for the possum
2. Wait for the possum to take the bait and get trapped
3. Place the possum inside an an-air-tight container
4. Fill the container with bleach or any source that gives off an ammonia gas
5. The possums will inhale it so much that it will die eventually

However, it is a long and painful death for a possum. That is why it is not recommended. Also, the bleach has a powerful smell. It is also an unpleasant experience for humans to use. 

Best Poison To Kill Possum

The best poison to kill a possum is cyanide. Here are a few reasons why cyanide is preferred:

1. The use of cyanide minimizes the risk to the environment
2. It doesn’t have any effect on the non-target species 
3. It causes little or no harm to birds
4. Cyanide pastes and pellets are readily available
5. Also, the color of cyanide is green; this can easily distinguish it from other poisons.
6. The hunters prefer using cyanide pellets as the results are guaranteed this way. 

Products That Will Kill Possum

There are a lot of products that are effective in killing a possum. In this article, I will list a few so that you may not have any difficulty deciding which ones to buy from the market. 

JT Eaton Bait Block Rodenticide Anticoagulant Bait 

This particular bait block is peanut flavored, and it attracts the possums, rats, and mice towards itself. The possums think it is food that is being offered to them. 

However, it is a flavored poison. The active ingredient is Diphacinone. It is in the concentration of 0.005 percent. This poison has been viable for about a year and has proven to be very effective in killing possums.

Neogen Ramik Fish Flavored Rodenticide Bars

As the name suggests, ramik bait bars are made up of fish-flavored grain. These bars can be placed outdoors as well as indoors. Another advantage of placing these bars is that they are moisture and mold-resistant. 

Tomcat With Bromethalin Bait Chunx Pail

This product is usually used in homes as well as agricultural sites. It is very effective in killing possums. It can kill up to 12 possums per 1 oz. block. The bait is ready to use. 

For those possums, that have become resistant to anticoagulants, using tomcat is the solution. This product is made up of Bromethalin which is an acute toxicant. 

Conclusion

There are many ways for killing a possum. However, the most effective way is to kill them by shooting. However, not everyone is trained to attack. Many people do not even possess weapons. 

That is why many people adopt a more convenient way of killing possums by using poison. Though the components of toxins are not environmentally friendly they do produce immediate effects. 

That is why one should buy the most commonly used products like rat poison. They can easily be used for killing a possum after luring it into a trap. 

References

• Wild Life Removal USA
• Kill Possums- Animal Control