Is it a possum, a rat or a myna?
Brushtail possums sleep in roof cavities by day and leave at night to feed, says the Queensland Government, and you'll hear them thumping across the roof or giving deep coughs and sharp hisses. Rats and mice are lighter: scratching, squeaking and gnawing through the night. Noise during the day from October to March may be common mynas, which breed then and like to nest in the walls and ceilings of buildings.
NSW Government guidance suggests two checks. Watch the roofline at dusk to see whether a possum climbs out, and sprinkle flour near the entry point so the footprints show whether it belongs to a possum or a rat or mouse.
What's local in Newcastle
Coastal rats share the roof space
The Australian Museum says brown rats are common in coastal urban areas and black rats, strong climbers, have spread through much of coastal Australia. In a Newcastle roof, it's worth ruling rats out before assuming it's a possum.
Mynas on the east coast
The common myna is found along Australia's east and south-east coasts, and roof voids are used as communal roosts. Birds in the roof are a bird proofing job, not a possum one.
The 150 metre rule
In NSW, a possum that's caught must be released at dusk no more than 150 metres from where it was caught, near something it can climb straight away, such as a tree or tall fence. It stays in your neighbourhood, which is why sealing the gaps matters so much.
Who can do the catching
NSW catch and release operators are licensed by the department's Biodiversity and Heritage Regulator. Before anyone climbs into your roof, ask to see that licence and check the expiry date.
What the job involves
A technician inspects the roof to find where the possum is getting in and whether there's more than one way in. If the possum has to be caught, a catch and release licence holder does it and lets it go at dusk close by, under the NSW rule.
The entry points are then closed, but only once the possum has left to forage, usually at night, so it isn't shut inside. NSW guidance also suggests a nest box fixed at least 4 metres above the ground, so the possum has somewhere else to sleep.
Questions for the business
- Who holds the catch and release licence, and is it current?
- Where and when will the possum be released?
- How will you make sure it's out before the gaps are closed?
- What will you use on the entry points, and will the roof stay watertight?
- What happens if it finds another way in?
Our take on possum removal in Newcastle
Watch the roofline at dusk for a night or two so you know what you're dealing with, then tap Possums with your postcode. Don't close any gap until you're sure the roof is empty.
Want someone to look at it?
Tell us what you've seen and your postcode, and a local pest business that handles exactly that calls you to talk it through.
