Possum trapped in Chimney!!!

Submitted: Sunday, Apr 08, 2007 at 13:25
ThreadID: 44103 Views:15621 Replies:12 FollowUps:11
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We just put our heads on the pillow last night when we heard an almighty crash followed by scratching sound. Had a quick look around and found that a possum had fallen down the chimney and was sitting on top of the flue trying to get out.

The possum just does not want to drop down into the fire pit as we could then collect it in a towel and release it back into the yard. Sometimes its tail hands down but we didn't want to pull it down as it looks to be a large adult.

Our fireplace is one of the Jetmaster type which had a round metal chimney, behind the wall with a rotating flue at the very bottom. The possum just can't get any hold to get out the way it got in. Our dilemma is what to do from here.

Its Easter Sunday and no one is around to answer phones. Have called the Brisbane Environmental Protection Agency, Qld Wildlife rescue without luck.

We are going to place some fruit pieces in the fireplace to see if that will lure it down but we just don't know......

We don't want the poor bugger to suffer any longer than it is, so we are seeking some ideas from other forumites who may have had this problem before.

Isn't is suppose to be rabbits for Easter not exploring possums

Thanks in advance. Oh, we live in a near northern suburb of Brisbane.

Patrick
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Reply By: Member - Doug T (W.A) - Sunday, Apr 08, 2007 at 13:36

Sunday, Apr 08, 2007 at 13:36
In a fireplace eh, well light a fire, that'll get it moving,
OK what about a pair of gloves, you know the sort welders wear that go half way up the arm , try to lasso it with a small dia' rope and pull it up like that , even if you got 1 leg ,good luck .....to the Possum,

Oh it's not feral Rabbits, This is Australia ....it's Bilby's
It's not Fries.....it's Chips,


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Reply By: Member - Phillip S (WA) - Sunday, Apr 08, 2007 at 14:39

Sunday, Apr 08, 2007 at 14:39
Leave the fire door open and a clear path to the side door (nobody just standing there to scare it to death) and climb onto the roof and push your chimney (round brush) cleaner down the chimney, forcing the possum down the chimney, out through the front of the fire place and hopefully out of the house.....goodluck cheers Phil
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Reply By: Member - Roger T (SA) - Sunday, Apr 08, 2007 at 14:51

Sunday, Apr 08, 2007 at 14:51
the last time i had this problem i lowered down my flue cleaner and the offender came up clutching the plastic pipe (25mm).i think the bright light was a bit of a shock to him but i stood well away so he could make his escape. lower the pipe or broom handle on a rope gently until you feel something soft,slowly raise and lower until you feel the weight then raise very slowly.remember the claws when said possum comes to the top.happy possum hunting...
AnswerID: 232259

Reply By: Mike Harding - Sunday, Apr 08, 2007 at 18:48

Sunday, Apr 08, 2007 at 18:48
Patrick: what's happened?

Most interesting post on here for ages! :)
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Follow Up By: Kev M (NSW) - Sunday, Apr 08, 2007 at 18:54

Sunday, Apr 08, 2007 at 18:54
He's now in hospital, He took the adive of getting on the roof and fell off when the possum ran up his arm LOL

Just Kidding

OR

He is busy cleaning the house from all the soot that possum spread from trying to find its way out of the house.

Kev
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Reply By: Noisy Mango - Sunday, Apr 08, 2007 at 18:57

Sunday, Apr 08, 2007 at 18:57
We had the same problem - left some banana & water in the firebox, & left the fire door & the side door open. In the morning there was a trail of ashy pawprints out of the fire & out the door (banana gone).
The only problem was he reappeared at the door the next night looking for more banana!

Jenny.
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Follow Up By: Kev M (NSW) - Sunday, Apr 08, 2007 at 19:05

Sunday, Apr 08, 2007 at 19:05
I can remember as a kid feeding possums. It all started with one and it ended up with its whole extended family comming every night for an easy feed. Some became that tame that you could hand feed them. They never stuck around for long when the cat showed up though.

Kev
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Reply By: Member - Patrick (QLD) - Sunday, Apr 08, 2007 at 20:03

Sunday, Apr 08, 2007 at 20:03
8pm update:

Thanks to all for the ideas and concerns about our poor old possum.

I used the apple in the heath trick and down he came to have a munch. Thank God that he did as I was not looking forward to doing battle with a sabre tooth possum. Dropped a towel over it and let it loose in the backyard.

Hesan't to say that it had a rye smile on its face when it scrambled off as if it was saying see you next time. It will be disappointed as I have already placed chicken wire over the chimney entrance.

A great result for one of natures nice animals.

Thanks all for your thoughts.

Cheers, Patrick

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Follow Up By: Mike Harding - Sunday, Apr 08, 2007 at 20:10

Sunday, Apr 08, 2007 at 20:10
Good one Patrick :)
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Follow Up By: Red Frog - Vic - Sunday, Apr 08, 2007 at 20:11

Sunday, Apr 08, 2007 at 20:11
Lucky the apple worked, smart opossum coz the next trick would have been to smoke the bugga out
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Follow Up By: Mike Harding - Sunday, Apr 08, 2007 at 20:44

Sunday, Apr 08, 2007 at 20:44
Stick to the sheep mate and leave the possums to us Aussies :)
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Follow Up By: Red Frog - Vic - Monday, Apr 09, 2007 at 08:19

Monday, Apr 09, 2007 at 08:19
Nooooo, I'm an expert possum hunter, used to skin them many years ago in NZ where they are a pest, they cause massive destruction to the bush, I think they have a bounty on them now. Hmmm sheep, better than goats eh!
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Reply By: blue one - Sunday, Apr 08, 2007 at 22:28

Sunday, Apr 08, 2007 at 22:28
Well done Pat
AnswerID: 232306

Reply By: Member - Bucky (VIC) - Monday, Apr 09, 2007 at 04:15

Monday, Apr 09, 2007 at 04:15
You could use an apple,, but you may have a friend for life !

When the kids were little, and we lived on King Island, I did the apple trick.

Guess what ?
If we hadn't feed them by a certain time every night ,, they would tap in the window

Little fury devils

Cheers Bucky
AnswerID: 232323

Reply By: shade10 - Monday, Apr 09, 2007 at 07:21

Monday, Apr 09, 2007 at 07:21
Possums, protected wildlife, and they make our life hell, in NSW there not to be moved more then 50 metres down the road and held long enough for you to make your house possum proof. You dont want cooked possum or a dead on either have you smelt a dead possum, my trade is pest control and as a trainee, i had to retrieve a dead possum from the roof and i had a carbon filter and i could smell it thru the filter and tring to retrieve a dead possum gagging from the stench, i still get shudders from that memory??

A good solution and happy for you that it worked out!!!

Cheers
AnswerID: 232332

Reply By: Mr Fawlty - Monday, Apr 09, 2007 at 11:08

Monday, Apr 09, 2007 at 11:08
Oh Patrick I can empathise with you. Years ago when I was living in Sydney a mate of mine who was a toolmaker & and lived in the very leafy and expensive north shore of Sydney invited me to his house to see the new tiled floor he had put down in the bathroom, we are sitting in this guys lounge, resplendent in white shag pile carpet enjoying a schnapps or two and we hear this drip drip drip from the fire place. Gunter ( he is German as were all toolmakers back then) sticks his head into the fireplace to see what is dripping down the chimney and discovers a possum. Of course me never having seen a possum in the wild soon also had his head in the chimney....
Ok so Gunter decides that the simplest way to get the possum out is to go outside and hose the top of the chimney but the possum rather than endure a blast from the hose chooses the least path of resistance an goes the other way, down into the house, soot every where, shreds curtains, makes an ungodly mess of the place, attacks Gunter's Doberman sent in to "rouse rouse" the possum.... he claimed it all on insurance but I don't think he was totally honest in his claim, something like "He was out and came home to find the mess". The poor Doberman had multiple cuts & lacerations that saw it in Mosman vet hospital for a week...
Now how do you get a possum out of such a space? I'm told the best way to rid yourself of possums in confined spaces is to spray insect spray in there and leave a clear opening, stand well clear and ensure your dog or perhaps vigilant cat is secure, the possum will according to my informant, a man of considerable veterinary knowledge, leave the space forthwith....
AnswerID: 232353

Follow Up By: Member - Patrick (QLD) - Monday, Apr 09, 2007 at 11:16

Monday, Apr 09, 2007 at 11:16
Looks like I got off very easy compared to your German friend. Having a wild possum on the loose in the house is not my choice at all.

When our possum came down to eat the apple I had a large spark arrester all ready in place to confine its moments to the health. Thank God that it played by the rules as I could of imagined the mess that it would have made had it got into the house.

Somehow I don't think our Golden Retriever would have been as compliant as the Doberman!!

Interesting trick using the insect spray.......

Thanks for your thoughts.

Cheers, Patrick
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Reply By: Member - Des - Monday, Apr 09, 2007 at 11:14

Monday, Apr 09, 2007 at 11:14
We had a possum stuck in metal flue of our slow burning wood heater. Had to lift the flue out (with possum inside). It bolted off, albeit with a slight limp.

I wonder whether dropping a rope down the flue would have done the trick? (Let him climb out.)

Like you we put chicken wire over the flue after the possum episode plus a number of wattle birds trying to find nest sites. But be warned: the chicken wire significantly reduces the flow of smoke from the flue. Best to take it off before lighting a fire.
AnswerID: 232354

Follow Up By: Member - Patrick (QLD) - Monday, Apr 09, 2007 at 11:23

Monday, Apr 09, 2007 at 11:23
We too thought of the rope trick, but didn't have any thick enough to be able to work.

Thanks for the comment on the chicken wire, our chimney has a rectangular roof on it so am able to place the wire on the two side entrances not over the actual opening. Saying that, living in Brisbane we have not used the fireplace for some 15 years and it does not look like we ever will. I think it was built more as a show piece rather than for regular use.

Cheers, Patrick
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Follow Up By: Mike Harding - Monday, Apr 09, 2007 at 18:10

Monday, Apr 09, 2007 at 18:10
It was probably built as a special type of possum nesting box - and you've messed that all up now! :)
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Reply By: hiab - Monday, Apr 09, 2007 at 15:02

Monday, Apr 09, 2007 at 15:02
glad you got it out, my suggestion was to stick the old 12 gauge up and kablam.
AnswerID: 232389

Follow Up By: hiab - Monday, Apr 09, 2007 at 15:02

Monday, Apr 09, 2007 at 15:02
whats a fireplace?
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Follow Up By: Kev M (NSW) - Monday, Apr 09, 2007 at 16:08

Monday, Apr 09, 2007 at 16:08
A place a fire goes :)

Kev
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