The Brush-tail possum can be the size of a small cat and they eat fruit, vegetables, and native plant species. Being nocturnal marsupials, possums sleep during the day and are awake during the night. Because of this it is important for them to make a nest that is dark and safe from predators such as dogs and cats, crows and other birds. The common Brushtail Possum relies on mature trees with hollow branches to make a safe home. With few hollow trees left in suburban areas the Brushtail Possum has had to adapt by moving into the roof spaces of peoples homes.
Brushtail possums have adapted to living in suburban environments. Homes, telegraph poles, fences, bins, and roof spaces has helped the possum to travel and forage. The abundance of food, plants and warm dry shelter has assisted the Brushtail possum to live. Using the roof spaces of peoples homes possums have a safe place to live and raise their young. A young possum will stay with its mother for around 7 months.
When a possum is living in the roof they can be destructive. For example, they mark their territory with scent glands and urine, and they leave plenty of faecal matter behind, which is very unpleasant. Possums can also destroy insulation and their urine can stain the ceiling. They also carry a variety of parasites such as ticks and carry bacterial infections that can be passed to humans and other animals. Possums are protected wildlife. Therefore, in order for the Brushtail possum to be safe and survive in suburban areas humans need to create a safe place for them to nest.
By building a nesting box possums will be encouraged to live outside rather than inside the roof spaces of peoples homes.
(BirdGardAustralia, 2015; Backyard Buddies, n.d.; Environment, Planning and Sustainable Development Directorate- Environment [EPSDDE], 2018).
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Figure 6: Brushtail possum distribution map, From “Animalark,” by Animal Ark, 2019.(https://www.animalark.com.au/newsletters/images/brushtail-possum-distribution-map-credit-possum-centre.jpg
Figure 7: Common Brushtail possum with young, From “WildlifeQLD,” by Wildlife QLD Snake Cather Brisbane & Bird Management, 2019b. (http://www.wildlifeqld.com.au/possums/common-brushtail-possum.html)
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