h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Well, possoms don't run too fast but if you are consistently plagued by these or other rodents, I recommend purchasing a live trap. These are humane ways of trapping critters without harming them. You can usually find them at hardware stores.

I have not be plagued by possoms, but set upon by squirrels. They attach my bird feeders and make major hogs out of themselves - not to mention usually destroying the feeder in their lust for food. Last year we lived trapped close to a dozen of these guys - they love peanut butter! After putting the "fear of dog" into them ( I let my
dog sniff them harmlessly through the cage) we drive them out to the rich suburbs and let them out in a wooded area. So that they may enjoy a better quality of bird seed.

We finally borrowed a live trap from the city and all it caught was a skunk. So we think the skunk drove the possums out... Anyway, live traps are a good idea.

Actually, from what I've read (like from Audobon Society) live trapping is almost as detrimental to the animals as just plain shooting them. They are moved from somewhere that they have a place in to an area that probably already has resident racoons (or squirells, or possums. . . .) which are quite teritorial and then the resident population and the new one compete for the same food, and they are terrified and lost, which makes them more vulnerable to cars, and just generally make big pests of themselves, which makes people sic their dogs on them. . . Basically, it kills them slowly through infections in open wounds from fights with pets and residents and through starvation, so if you can possibly put up with them or wean them away from your area (ie, bring in the dog's food dish at night, try to not give them super-easy prey like fish ponds) that's the best.
However, it can work out well. It shouldjust be a last resort instead of a first.

really? that's so sad! The ironic thing with our situation was that we never did anything to draw the possums except have a warm spot under our house.