[Last updated 5th Feb 2023]
Box Specifications
I don't think the nesting habits of suburban brushtails are known in great detail. We've seen them sleeping in various unlikely and uncomfortable places such as rolled-up garage doors, stacks of old car tyres and in the forks of trees. On the other hand, our comparatively safe and comfortable possum boxes have often remained unused for months at a stretch. This might be a result of the possums deliberately giving one spot a rest to put predators off the scent, but I suspect that our nestbox design is far from perfect.
There are a number of commercial suppliers of possum boxes, and also plans for boxes available on the web. Most of these appear to be little more than modified bird nesting boxes. I think that comparatively little science has gone into nestbox design and we're a long way from having the ideal nestbox.
On this page, I'll describe the nest boxes we have in detail in the hope that it might add to the sum of knowledge in this area.
- All compass bearings are degrees true.
- Height is measured from the bottom of the box floor (excluding any mounting frame) to the highest point of the ground directly underneath.
Box 1 - Original (2005)
| Internal Dimensions (D x W x H) | 350 x 350 x 500 mm |
| Hole Diameter | Initially 150mm, but later reduced to 115 mm |
| Hole Facing Direction | 174° |
| Height of box above ground level | 5.01 m |
| Location | Fixed to the South side of a flooded gum (E. grandis) |
| Date Box Installed | 19/2/2005 |
| Date Box Removed | 18/08/2020 |
| First Visited by Possums | Some time prior to 29/4/2005 |
| Date Camera Installed | 16/7/2005 |
| First Occupied by Possums | First definite sighting 17/7/2005 but probably earlier |
| Camera Type | Swann Day-and-Night |
Box 1 - New Box (2020)
| Internal Dimensions (D x W x H) | 300 x 300 x 490 mm (octagonal internally) |
| Hole Diameter | 110 mm |
| Hole Facing Direction | 197° |
| Height of box above ground level | 5.26 m |
| Location | Fixed to the South side of a flooded gum (E. grandis) |
| Date Box Installed | 24/08/2020 |
| Date Camera Installed | 24/08/2020 |
| First Visited by Possums | 26/08/2020 |
| First Occupied by Possums | 9/09/2020 |
| Camera Type | Made from various parts: 1/4" CCD, 2.8 mm lens |
Comments: This is the very first box put up and has undergone a number of changes over time. The hole was originally 150 mm diameter, and on 30/12/2005 (after it was discovered that the brushtails preferred the ringtail box with a 100 mm entrance) this was reduced to 115 mm by the use of a collar. A small fascia board was added at the same time. On 11/12/2008 the box fell out of the tree. After this it was painted, and reinstated with a mounting frame, new roof and new camera.
In August 2020 the entire box was replaced.
The new box features some innovations:
- An octagonal internal design (based on box 7)
- Internal and external climbing rails made from tree branches
- An improved mounting frame
- A roof reinforced with aluminium edging
- A prop to hold the roof open for maintenance
- A custom-built camera
Box 2
| Internal Dimensions (D x W x H) | 200 x 200 x 450 mm |
| Hole Diameter | 100 mm |
| Hole Facing Direction | 110° |
| Height of box above ground level | 4.20 m |
| Location | Fixed to the North side of a fiddlewood tree (Citharexylum sp.) |
| Date Box Installed | 3/5/2005 |
| First Visited by Possums | Unknown |
| Date Camera Installed | Probably November 2005, camera replaced 7/10/2013 and again 29/07/2020 |
| First Occupied by Possums | First definite sighting 27/12/2005 but probably earlier |
| Camera Type | Modified FPV Drone camera |
Comments: This box was originally intended for ringtails, and has smaller dimensions than the other boxes. Despite this, it was for a long time favoured by brushtails over all of the other boxes. In August 2009, it was finally used by a ringtail for the first time. For a few months, a ringtail (Gumdrop) used it to bring up her babies. Over the next few years, she visited intermittently with further babies, until Feb 2012 when she was attacked and eaten by a carpet python in this box. Since that time this box has never been used by ringtails, but is often used by brushtails.
On one occasion, a sugar glider visited this box, but did not sleep in it and has never returned.
Box 3
| Internal Dimensions (D x W x H) | 270 x 300 x 495 mm |
| Hole Diameter | 110 mm |
| Hole Facing Direction | 137° |
| Height of box above ground level | 4.66 m |
| Location | Fixed to the South side of a flooded gum (E. grandis) |
| Date Box Installed | 26/1/2009 |
| Date Camera Installed | 26/1/2009 |
| First Visited by Possums | 28/1/2009 |
| First Occupied by Possums | 30/1/2009 |
| Camera Type | Electus Part QC3474 B&W CCD with separate IR illuminator |
Comments: This box proved very popular. It was inspected by a number of possums within a couple of days of installation and was in use soon after. An extra flap has been fixed inside the front fascia board; this was done to reduce light entering the box, which was causing false triggering of motion detection in the early morning. This has reduced the problem, but not eliminated it.
Box 4
| Internal Dimensions (D x W x H) | 270 x 300 x 511-608 (sloping roof) mm |
| Hole Diameter | 110 mm |
| Hole Facing Direction | 123° |
| Height of box above ground level | 5.89 m |
| Location | Fixed to the South wall of the house, just below roof level. |
| Date Box Installed | 24/5/2009 |
| Date Camera Installed | 24/5/2009 |
| First Visited by Possums | 25/5/2009 |
| First Occupied by Possums | 4/8/2009 |
| Camera Type | Jaycar Part QC3474 B&W CCD with separate IR illuminator |
Comments: This box is attached to the house, rather than a tree. This was in an attempt to attract possums who live in a neighbour's ceiling space. This box has proved less popular than the others and is more often used by visiting males than the resident female, who has priority when it comes to nestboxes.
On a number of occasions, carpet pythons have slept in this box, which may partly explain its relative unpopularity.
Box 5 - Original (2009)
| Internal Dimensions (D x W x H) | 570 x 270 x 285 mm |
| Hole Diameter | 110 mm |
| Hole Facing Direction | 292°, however the hole is completely
covered by a flap and entry is from underneath. |
| Height of box above ground level | 2.82 m |
| Location | Fixed to the South wall of the house, just below roof level. |
| Date Box Installed | 20/12/2009 |
| Date Camera Installed | 10/4/2010 |
| First Visited by Possums | unknown, probably prior to 10/4/2010 |
| First Occupied by Possums | 24/4/2010 |
| Box Removed | 31/10/2012 |
| Camera Type | Jaycar Part QC3474 B&W CCD with separate IR illuminator |
Comments: This box has now been removed.
It was installed in a hurry as a refuge when possums were evicted from a neighbour's ceiling and garage door. It did not achieve this aim; the possums ignored the box and found places to live elsewhere. This box was intended to be similar to the locations in which these possums had been living and breaks a lot of the rules; it's considerably below the recommended height of 4 m and the hole faces the wrong direction. Owing to the hurry in which this box was put up, there was a considerable delay before a camera was fitted.
This box was occasionally visited by brushtails and ringtails, but had only been slept in four times in the three years in which it was up.
Box 5 - New Box (2021)
| Internal Dimensions (D x W x H) | 300 x 300 x 483 mm (octagonal internally) |
| Hole Diameter | 110 mm |
| Hole Facing Direction | 121° |
| Height of box above ground level | 4.1 m |
| Location | Fixed to the South side of a fiddlewood tree (Citharexylum sp.) |
| Date Box Installed | 1/10/2021 |
| Date Camera Installed | 1/10/2021 |
| First Visited by Possums | 4/10/2021 |
| First Occupied by Possums | 13/10/2021 |
| Camera Type | based on eBay drone camera with 1/5" CCD, 1.8 mm lens |
Comments: This box is in a different location to the old Box 5 and has nothing in common with it — the number was just reused. It is a slightly simplified version of the new box 1 design. This box is positioned roughly mid way between boxes 1 and 3 but so far is slightly less popular than either.
Box 6
| Internal Dimensions (D x W x H) | 218 x 216 x 492 mm |
| Hole Diameter | 40 mm |
| Hole Facing Direction | 212° |
| Height of box above ground level | 5.07 m |
| Location | Fixed to the North side of a flooded gum, close to box 3 |
| Date Box Installed | 2/1/2010 |
| Date Camera Installed | 2/1/2010 |
| First Visited by Gliders | never |
| First Occupied by Gliders | never |
| Camera Type | Jaycar Part QC3474 B&W CCD with separate IR illuminator |
Comments: This box is intended for sugar gliders and is constructed differently to the others. The entrance hole is in the back of the box, facing towards the tree trunk (supposedly sugar gliders like having a concealed entrance where they can come and go without being observed). This box incorporates 25 mm of styrofoam insulation, lined internally with 7 mm plywood, on the three walls away from the tree. A separate ceiling of 7mm ply has also been used inside the box.
This box has yet to attract any gliders. In September of 2010 it was taken over by a swarm of bees. These were removed in October 2010 and the box taken down for repairs. The box was only returned to the tree in April 2012.
Box 7
| Internal Dimensions (D x W x H) | 290 x 290 x 500 mm (octagonal) |
| Hole Diameter | 110 mm |
| Hole Facing Direction | 202° |
| Height of box above ground level | 1.76 m |
| Location | On top of a cupboard inside garage |
| Date Box Installed | 4/8/2010 |
| Date Camera Installed | 4/8/2010 |
| First Visited by Possums | 5/8/2010 |
| First Occupied by Possums | 21/10/2010 |
| Camera Type | Jaycar Part QC3474 B&W CCD with separate IR illuminator |
Comments: This box was placed in the garage to entice a possum (Yoshi) out of a tyre in which she had been sleeping. It was never used by Yoshi, but has subsequently been used by other possums. Švejk particularly liked it, and the dominant female would often prefer to use this box for raising young. Internally, this box is octagonal and was the first of the octagonal boxes to be constructed. This shape was chosen to more closely resemble a tree hollow. A piece of tree branch was also used as a collar around the entrance hole.
Box 8
| Internal Dimensions (D x W x H) | 300 x 300 x 483 mm (octagonal internally) |
| Hole Diameter | 110 mm |
| Hole Facing Direction | 133° |
| Height of box above ground level | 3.9 m |
| Location | Fixed to the South side of a flooded gum |
| Date Box Installed | 28/9/2021 |
| Date Camera Installed | 28/9/2021 |
| First Visited by Possums | 3/10/2021 |
| First Occupied by Possums | 4/10/2021 |
| Camera Type | based on eBay drone camera with 1/5" CCD, 1.8 mm lens |
Comments: This box is an identical design to box 5.
This box is located in the North-West corner of the property as far away from the other boxes as possible. As the location is close to a busy road and a neighbouring property with no trees, it was thought that this box would be unpopular and it was intended to be emergency accommodation for visiting possums, or possums ejected from a nestbox.
In fact, this box has proved to be fairly popular and for a while was the preferred box for the dominant female.