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| From: Bun | 16/03/2002 13:46:17 |
| Subject: Possums | post id: 45555 |
| I've just been reading thru the thread on spiders, followed some links, and are feeling decidedly creepy (fascinated.... but creepy), so I'd like to turn the boat around to something furrier for a moment. I have inherited a couple of famillies of brushtail possums which seem to think they have a right to as much person provided food as they can cram in without creating a Mr Creosote-like explosion. Can anyone assist me with the pros cons of encouraging these guys to become reliant on what I provide (although I fear this may already be the case); what should I provide? and how much? Clearly these guys will continue to eat as long as food is put before them, and I've a feeling this is not a good thing. | |
| From: katydid® | 16/03/2002 13:49:50 |
| Subject: re: Possums | post id: 45558 |
| Hi bun, are the possums actually pets, or do they just live around your home? | |
| From: katydid® | 16/03/2002 14:10:07 |
| Subject: re: Possums | post id: 45562 |
| Bun, IMO it is not a good idea to feed any wild animals, particularly not possums around your home. It is more than likely that they will start to rely (and very quickly too, from the sounds of things) on you as a food source, and you may not always be there to provide it. More food also means more breeding, which will pose a problem again particularly if they are relying on you, and you may not always be there. Local natural food sources in that area may not be able to provide enough for them. The possums will also more than likely become complacent with humans. This poses a threat in that dogs, cats, well meaning humans, and not so well meaning humans may 'prey' on the possums. It's a similar problem to the dingoes on Fraser Island. The dingoes have become bold because of human feeding, and IMO this is part of the reason for the dingo attacks. Also a similar problem was happening in Sydney harbour, with Currawongs. (Wealthy) people would be feeding them fresh, raw, chopped steak, so that the Currawong population exploded, forcing out other native birds, like rosellas, and many of the Currawongs were becoming quite fiesty with humans. Not a good idea to give them anything at all, IMO. Just watch nature's wonders from afar. :) | |
| From: G-wiz | 16/03/2002 14:14:54 |
| Subject: re: Possums | post id: 45565 |
| Hi Bun, THere's some threads about native animals linked here. Please have a look at the last 2 in particular. <8-) | |
| From: Bun | 16/03/2002 14:25:54 |
| Subject: re: Possums | post id: 45575 |
| These guys just appeared, almost the moment I moved it and demanded dinner. One , a female with a junior in tow is very tame and will allow it's-self to be handled as long as food has been provided | |
| From: Bun | 16/03/2002 14:32:22 |
| Subject: re: Possums | post id: 45577 |
| I must admit that I am in favour of less interaction with wild-life and more observation, but it is clear that the population around here have had a fairly easy time of it at the hands of past tenants. My response so far has been to feed fruit of various sorts scattered amongst the branches of various trees to encourage the possums to forrage and to find for themselves, but there are three who simple refuse to vacate my rear decking until they receive the attention the feel they are entitled to | |
| From: katydid® | 16/03/2002 21:29:49 |
| Subject: re: Possums | post id: 45665 |
| REally, I wouldn't. I would try and feed them less and less, if they are insistant, and not handle them at all. We are really only creating problems by encouring wildlife to be tame, cute and cuddly as they may appear. :) | |
| From: chrisy® | 17/03/2002 12:43:27 |
| Subject: re: Possums | post id: 45796 |
| Excellent thread guys.... Bun-good on you for at least investigating the pros and cons of feeding the possums..... and for recognising the value of observing wildlife over feeding Katydid-waaa whooooo, good on ya girl....... everything l would have said... only thing to add.... Bun-don't worry about not feeding them.. you would probably find that a lot of your neighbours also feed them so they wont *starve*. When l first moved here, the last tennant had fed a family of Butcherbirds, they would swoop near the screen door and sing for their supper. It only took them a matter of weeks before they realised that they weren't going to get any more food from this house. They got quite demanding, but l stood my ground, and they got the picture... I am really worried that a mother with a baby on her back would become so *tame* as to let someone touch her kid! | |
| From: Mark S® | 18/03/2002 14:19:05 |
| Subject: re: Possums | post id: 45972 |
| Taking the discussion in another direction, if I may ... Can/do ringtails and brushtails live in the same area? I've had ringtails moving through the trees around my place for the past couple of years - at one stage, my back fence was a "possum highway" - but this season, I've noticed the ringtail numbers are down, and the brushies seem to have taken over. I'd like to discourage the brushies, if only for their habit of getting into ceiling and roof cavities, and still have the ringtails around. Any thoughts? | |
| From: chrisy® | 18/03/2002 15:17:37 |
| Subject: re: Possums | post id: 45978 |
| Interesting topic....i have been doing some research myself. Being a wildlife carer, l have gotten interested in handraising possums. It seems that Ringtail are much more abundant around my local area, compared to other carer's. In fact l have only rescued one brushtail from this area over the last 3 years. From my reading l have found that the distribution of brushtails over ringtails is dependant on a few factors. The height of vegetation seems to be the biggest factor. I think from memory if the height of the upperstorey is more than 10 you get more brushtails. Also if gums dominate this uppperstorey you get more brushies. Land elevation also plays a role with brushies prefering higher land. So for my local situation, l live on a lowlying coastal floodplain covered in heath and tea tree swamps. Most of the other carers live on the palteaus or ranges, in rainforest or gumtree forests. There is of course a huge overlap zone. So yes both can occur in the same area. For what is it worth, if you are in an urban area, brushtails have a more wider diet and may increase in numbers from artifical feeding. Where as the Ringtails are a bit more particular. Ringtails live life in the fast lane. They mature quickly, they reproduce earlier, have more babies but don't live as long as brushies. What you may be picking up on is a blip in the population levels. Maybe there has been a poor season and not many babies got through to adulthood? As to what you can do to attract ringtails over brushtails, l would say hardly anything. However by blocking all access points to your roof and not feeding the possums you will have less of a problem with brushies. I envy you having possums at your place. I live in a village surrounded by sugar cane. We have little biodiversity, let alone possums surviving in this place. Too many cats and dogs, not enough trees. | |
| From: Bun | 18/03/2002 21:04:13 |
| Subject: re: Possums | post id: 46126 |
| I have brushies and ringtails using my roof as a highway most nights. The ringtails certainly do seem to have a more selective diet, but it seems to me, just by observation that while the brushies are prepared to come to ground level, the ringtails seem to refuse to travel along the ground at all. They seem happy to feed in a certain tree, accessable via my verandah, but will not touch identical trees nearby which have no above ground access | |
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