# Forum Home Renovation Electrical  Possums and Power Cables

## cyclic

Has anyone had any success stopping Possums from getting on a roof via the overhead power cable ?  
Ever since I installed Solar Panels I have had 2 Possums, first Mum and now Bub, living under the panels. 
Here is what I have tried so far. 
First attempt was an 8mm ply disc 300 dia with a 20 hole in the middle and slotted to slip over the cable. That worked until they figured out they could swing down under the cable and climb under the disc and back onto the cable. 
Second attempt was a piece of 90mm pvc 350mm long, slotted to slip over the cable. That worked for more than a week until one of them, Mum I think, decided to attempt to walk across the pvc and of course the slot just 
 happened to be at the top, so the slot opened up and down came the pvc, not sure about Mum. 
I believe I am approaching success with a new piece of 90mm pvc only this time 600mm long with a zip tie around each end so it cannot come off the cable. 
Any suggestions would be appreciated, oh, and I rang my Electrician to tell him what I was doing and he told me he would have to pull the pole fuse before I worked around the incoming cable, he also told me whatever worked 
 I should make 2, one for him, and I was all for that BUT after I told him it would have to be after 6 pm when the little buggers leave home for the night, the phone went dead, and of course he will not return my calls, so I 
 have reverted to using thick rubber gloves. 
The cable of course is realitively new insulated twisted variety.

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## Bros

I like you PVC pipe idea and it would be an advantage to smear a bit of grease on the pipe. We used to catch mice with a beer bottle smeared with a bit of grease and we would half fil a 10l bucket up in a night, we could have filled it but the pile gets so high they jump out. 
You can trap them and have them relocated by wildlife carers. 
My BIL had trouble with them on his hobby farm and put out a pack of ratsak but they ate it with no ill effects.

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## davidajelliott

Anyone up for a game of "Possum pinata" !!! :Doh: 
Seriously though please keep an "exclusion zone" away from the overhead power lines , sorry i don't have a solution for you though

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## cyclic

Thanks for the replies, I was enjoying success until I looked up this morning and could not see the pvc, the little bugger had simply pushed the pvc along the cable (which runs along the side of the house) until he was close 
enough and obviously just stepped off the cable onto the roof. 
I'll fix that by drilling a hole in one end of the pvc then zip tie it to the cable.

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## shauck

If looney tunes cartoons had been Australian....

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## davegol

dig a trench. put the power cable underground?
that's what I did when we did a major reno a few months ago.
stopped the possums from using the overhead expressway.
now they just use the side streets (my fences).   :Mad: 
they always find a way .. nothing you can do.

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## cyclic

> dig a trench. put the power cable underground?
> that's what I did when we did a major reno a few months ago.
> stopped the possums from using the overhead expressway.
> now they just use the side streets (my fences).  
> they always find a way .. nothing you can do.

  Way too expensive to change the power.   I have a trap so I will trap them and relocate them if I have to, trouble is the trap is quite heavy and being high set house makes it a bit of a job at my age to get the trap on the roof. 
I believe I'm winning, just have to keep one step ahead, besides, I'm retired, so plenty of time on my hands. 
 I'm just putting it on here on the offchance someone has had success with some other safe method.  
My Solar Installers had to come back last week to make good a bracket leak, and they are keen to know what works because they tell me they are having to repair cables eaten by possums on a regular basis.

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## davegol

how about this thread? http://www.renovateforum.com/f216/wh...un-buy-109023/  :Biggrin:

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## Mikeyday

The possums don't seem to make it to the roof at my place, unfortunately I have to call ETSA from time to time to remove another fried possum from the transformer on the pole though.

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## cyclic

> how about this thread? http://www.renovateforum.com/f216/wh...un-buy-109023/

  Ha Ha, I still have my Senco as well as the old Omark (Ramset) Gun that uses 25 calibre shots to insert 75 mm nails into concrete and steel, not very accurate though.

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## David.Elliott

If it's not very accurate you will need to consider the volume of fire you can put down/up at the possum...
It it fully auto?

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## Whitey66

Cable tie some "old school" rat traps onto the cable and set them all. Once the possums get hit a few times they should stop climbing it.
If this doesn't work,upgrade them to rabbit traps  :Smilie:  .

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## davegol

what about exposing some of the wires near where they meet the house  :Biggrin:

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## cyclic

LOL, I knew I would get some good replies but I took Bros advice and as well as zipping the pvc to the cable, I greased about 400mm on the incoming side and the little blighter is not on the roof this morning. 
Now all I need is Energex to come down the street and say WTF is that.

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## GraemeCook

Good Morning Cyclic 
This is a solution that works well with cats and dogs and should work with possums in your situation. 
Mix a spoonfull of Tabasco # or sambal oelek # with a spoonfull of honey and paint it onto the wire.   Possum will initially walk on it, lick their paw, get a blast of hot chillie and depart.  Next time, they will smell the chillie and stay away.  
Fair Winds 
Graeme 
# For non-chilliephiles, Tabasco and sambal oelek are very hot chillie sauces.   Other sauces are not hot enough!   Most animals absolutely hate chillie.

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## davegol

you can also buy a spray from the big green shed called "Poss-off". It's basically red-hot chilli sauce mixed with something sticky. Works ok.

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## cyclic

Thanks for the replies, I'm not real keen on seeing the pvc on the cable so I will definitely give tobasco or poss off a try.

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## SilentButDeadly

> Ever since I installed Solar Panels I have had 2 Possums, first Mum and now Bub, living under the panels.

  I'm not sure I understand how this is a problem.   :Confused:  
However, if it really matters to you to have nonpaying tenants, one could simply increase the gap between the panels and the roof (using lift plates) to make the space quite a bit less cosy.   Might also help you get the panels properly aligned if they aren't already... 
You could also supply them an alternative place to sleep...install a possum nesting box in a nearby tree.

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## grantbudd

loving reading this as all of your ideas dont require killing them so its nice to know people are still willing to rescue and relocate. I dont have possums but think they are very cute. Im sure that would change if they were inside the house chewing everything up! Good luck and be careful around the power lines as we still want to hear how you go  :Redface: )

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