Like most mammals, possums can have a negative reaction to certain foods that are otherwise safe for human consumption. Possums basically eat any fruit or vegetable they can find. You can use this to your advantage by installing motion-sensor lights that are triggered whenever there’s a possum wandering by. A possum’s diet also consists of plants, especially fruit and berries, wild fungi, flowers and leaves, as well as nuts and grains. 1 Still breathing, corn-fed Possum. If you can find quassia chips, they can also be boiled and turned into an eco-friendly possum deterrent. There are times when you wish you could get away from it all by moving to your own private island. Although possums don’t eat tomatoes on the vine, they can get them off the vine. They … However, they are opportunistic, and will eat chicks and hens if they come across them. What do possums like to eat? Habitat. Possums have a very keen sense of smell, and they’re attracted to strong scents, particularly garbage, rotting fruit and vegetables, or plant matter decomposing in a compost heap. In this rare video this opossum was filmed eating tomatoes from a vine in a garden. For young tomato plants, you can use netting supported by a wooden or metal frame. Deer will eat tomato leaves,eggplant is in the same plant family. Opossums' are voracious omnivorous but their favorite food is fruit. I noticed today, all my tomato fruits were eaten, even the fairly high fruit. Virginia opossums … Opossums generally present no dangers to humans and animals, although they often harass household pests by showing their teeth, hissing and growling. They also eat small animals, such as voles, frogs, mice and rats. Some gardeners use Lapsang Souchong tea as a spray against possums, which hate its smoky, bitter smell. If you have fruit trees, make sure to pick up any fruit that has fallen on the ground, as it will practically invite possums over for a midnight feast. The primary sources of sustenance are small rodents, insects, worms, slugs and snails, frogs and birds. Raised vegetable beds make the job easier because you can use a staple gun to affix the netting, so that possums can’t crawl underneath it. Urban possums have a much more diverse diet, and will often look for meals in places that are easy to reach, and where food is abundant. Return to Tomatoes. So, remove these attractions and possums will generally search for food elsewhere, even if you do have juicy tomatoes in your garden! There are several possum repellents that are commercially available, usually at hardware stores or garden centers. About 8 tomatoes were eaten in total. Possums dislike climbing on unstable surfaces, so when they reach the top they simply turn around and head away. A hardware cloth fence with a floppy top worked wonders, keeping even the hungriest, most stubborn possums out. Also, make sure to reapply it after the rain, as it would have been washed away. (891 ABC Adelaide: Brett Williamson)Ms Witham said she waited three or four days and then reapplied the spray. That said, opossums might take the occasional bite of your tomatoes or corn, and they do have an unfortunate tendency to eat out of the compost heap. Every gardener has their collection of tips and tricks to keep possums away from their tomato plants. Prevention is always the best defense; once a possum knows it can find food in your garden, it’ll take time and effort to keep them away. Rest assured, your cat won’t make it onto a possum’s list of midnight snacks. Tomatoes are a favorite of not only humans but also insects, birds and other wildlife, including small rodents like squirrels, chipmunks and rats. They often eat carrion meat and will feed on dead … Rabbits. The reason you have possums in your backyard is that something attracted them there in the first place — and it wasn’t your tomatoes. Even though it can deter younger, less experienced individuals, a mother possum emboldened by hunger won’t be put off so easily. There are several smells that keep possums away, such as garlic, onion, or vinegar. All other headers and subheaders are based on Google’s ‘People also ask’ suggested questions, for SEO purposes. You can create a water-based solution using just ONE of these chemicals, and spray it around your tomato patch to discourage them. Fruit or vegetable they can find Master gardener and Master Naturalist and holds a Master of Arts. May be great climbers, but it ’ s useful to know what the local laws are regarding possums and. Aren’T always so simple something sturdier than netting discourage their attempts vegetable can... 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