The kids cornered a possum!

[Jenny G]

This evening, I was laying on the couch watching Oprah with Berman and Lucy.  The kids both ran outside through the doggie door and started barking like crazy.  I got worried because my husband is at a friend's birthday party and I was afraid maybe someone was in my back yard.  I looked out and Berman and Lucy had a possum cornered!  Well I completey freaked out!  To get a better understanding of my situation, I am absolutely petrified of mice so you can imagine my demeanor this evening being face to face with a possum! I had no idea what to do!  I was scared to try and pick up the dogs - way too close to the possum for me!  I was banging on the fence and yelling like crazy.  I'm sure my neighbors think I have lost it!

I was scared either the possum would hurt them or one of them would try to kill the possum and drag it into the house!

Well, nothing was working so I called 911!  I told the 911 operator that I was sure this wasn't an emergency but my dogs have cornered a possum in my back yard and I didn't know what to do!  I was between laughing and bawling my head off.  The guy probably thought I was on drugs or crazy! 

While I waited on someone to get there, I finally lured the kids in with some bacon treats.  When the policeman got there, he checked the yard but couldn't find the possum.  He said if it comes back to not hesitate to call them back out!

This was about 45 minutes ago and my heart is still beating a million miles a minute!  I also can't stop looking out my window!  We're on lock-down right now.  I've got puppy pads down until my husband gets home to let the kids out to potty.

[Jacqueline]

A friend of mine had problems with possums getting under the house and driving the dogs nuts, and another friend told her to sprinkle white vinegar around the foundation.  Apparently that worked.  Got vinegar?  If you have a spray bottle or can get a squirt gun....or can just sort of throw some from a cup at it....I would think that it would run off your possum.

I personally think possums are ugly, and mean.  Long story, but I was bitten by a long dead, dried and bleached possum skull.  They don't get any meaner than that, lol.
I don't blame you for keeping your distance.

[Barb]

Sorry - but I had to giggle...I know you think it is NOT a laughing matter...I can just imagine the stunned look on your face !  The scary thing is not knowing if the furkids could get hurt or not.   Glad the bugger went away !!!!

About a year ago, I opened the front door to take Rudy and Brandy out for their final pp of the night.  There in our flower bed looking at the door was a possum.  Rudy headed out the door before noticing it and almost touched noses with it - he was so stunned, he ran back in the house.....then proceeded to bark his head off through the glass storm door !!!! The possum ran away when Rudy started barked - but I was very hesitant about taking them out to potty !!!!  I will never forget the moment Rudy saw it - I imagine his heart jumped into his throat !!!!

Hope it doesn't return to your house !!!

[lotsadox]

I know it wasn't funny at the time, but I had to laugh picturing it.  Next time you might try squirting them with the water hose.  It will get their attention and might scare off the possum.  We have sporadic problems with possums and raccoons that come in off of the golf course.  Cash killed a baby possum one night in the back yard.  Possums are really mean so it was good that you didn't get too close.

[Roberta]

Out here we get two types the little ring tails are gorgious and are vegitatians the big brush tails are another matter they get ot the size of a dachie, one thing I use and it seems to work is tying a soft toy to porch etc they think there is aomething there and just GO.......
Roberta

[Sandishooligans]

Boy howdy, I know what it's like to be in "freak out" mode.  My girls have cornered and killed three possums in our yard and the third one (a baby), they brought into the house and proceeded to play toss across with it on the couch in the living room.  That one, we found out later, was NOT dead and Mark let it loose from the garbage can we had put it in, the next morning.  It waddled off and probably told its friends all about the crazy dawgs at space 148.  We haven't seen a possum in our yard since but just to be sure, I don't keep the door open for the kids anymore when it gets dark AND I always put the "possum" back porch light ON.  They have to bark to be let in.  I don't want them bringing in any of their buddies.