We have installed 3 possum boxes on our property. The first was designed to be home to a sugar glider. No sugar glider moved in but a bee swarm did. That box is now positioned nice and low in the tree to make the next swarm easy to catch (they tend to swarm in the same spot every time). We’ve given up on sugar gliders.
Then there was the parrot box that possums adopted. We were pretty happy about that. I’ve never seen possums coming or going from that box since, but the possum, no doubt, prefers it that way.
The 3rd was a custom-made brushtail possum box. And look what we saw yesterday (no idea if it’s a ringtail or brushtail possum – don’t know, don’t care)!
Possum peeking out of his nest box
It looks like we’ve done a good turn for the local fauna. Now if only they’d repay the favour and leave some of my fruit and vegetables for me to harvest!
Laura Rittenhouse's Gardening Journal 
Trying to build an equitable sharing arrangement with the local fauna seems to be a continual work in progress for me. If you can make that happen please share your keys to success.
So far, the only thing that works for me is to decide what the fauna’s share is AFTER I see what they’ve taken 🙂
Check out what was just above your post on my blogging home page: http://soulsbyfarm.org/2013/04/13/fun-opossum-facts-and-video/
A double Possum post day!
Or opossum day 🙂 Yep, saw your post and your video. I personally think my possum is cuter than your opossum but maybe I’m biased.
Oops I misworded that. Not my opossum, that was on my reading list of blogs I follow. It was right before your post. What’s the chances? Two bloggers half a world apart both righting about possums at the same time.
It’s going to be even tougher to get angry about the missing produce now she’s nesting in your nest box and is part of the family.
It is. But that won’t stop me, I’ll still shake my fist and growl when something I wanted for myself goes missing. At least now I have a direction to shake my fist 🙂
Woo, well done!
Thanks!
Cute! Great idea about catching the bee swarm. I’ve never thought to do that!
I was lucky they were lazy (or clever) enough to pick a spot to swarm right next to their hive that was so easy to reach. May they long make the same choice (or, better yet, not swarm again).
Your “possum”s look so much cuter than ours.
They really cute here. I personally think the Australian possum is heaps cuter than the American opossum but I am willing to accept that beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
I personally think you are attracting the wrong creatures to your garden – I hate to think how the possum grapevine right now is spreading the word about all the veggies going free, plus they give you little free houses. Don’t say i didn’t warn you!
🙂 After losing the battle with our local bandicoot you’d think I’d be hardened to more defeats. Of course you’re right, if I make houses for them, I really am my own worst enemy. But they’re so cute….
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