How to build a handmade drey for native ringtail possums
In short: While brushtail possums often cause garden trouble, the smaller, timid ringtail is facing population declines. Learn how to construct a protective, insulated nesting habitat to support these nocturnal tree-dwellers in your own backyard.
The video demonstrates a DIY project to create a 'drey'—a spherical nest made of woven grass and bark. Using two wire hanging baskets, coir fibre linings, and paperbark for insulation and camouflage, you can build a clamshell-style habitat. The guide covers the technical steps of cutting an entrance, sewing the linings together, and decorating the exterior with garden ephemera like gumnuts or Casuarina needles.
Success depends on placement: the drey should be hung high in a dense hedge or foliage, facing north and away from direct sunlight or artificial light. This habitat is particularly vital for the common ringtail (Pseudocheirus peregrinus), whose numbers are declining due to habitat loss and predators like foxes and cats.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: How to make a nesting habitat to protect possums | DIY Garden Projects | Gardening Australia
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