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While possums don’t typically carry rabies, they can have lice, fleas, ticks, and mites. According to the University of California’s Pest Management Program, possums can also carry diseases like leptospirosis, tuberculosis, toxoplasmosis, coccidiosis, and fevers. Possums are also the carriers of a parasite that can pass to horses and cats called Equine Protozoal Myeloencephalitis (EPM).

If the snakes in your yard are non-venomous species (like common Rat or Garter snakes), why not consider the live-and-let-live approach? Some benefits of not getting rid of snakes include:

• They’re great at controlling disease-spreading rodent populations, including rats, mice, voles, and moles.

• Some non-venomous species (like the common kingsnake) eat venomous species like rattlesnakes and copperheads.

• Species like the garter snake keep down populations of garden pests like slugs and grasshoppers.

Using chemicals with harsh odors is a natural way to repel bears. While the animal’s strong sense of smell is an asset in the animal kingdom, it’s a weakness here. Simply place bleach or ammonia in a bucket and leave it outside day or night. Ironically, bears also dislike the smell of pine, so you can use pine oil or a pine-based cleaning agent. Avoid using cleaning products with fruit or citrus smells, however.

Many people have reported success in using dryer sheets to deter mice. This result is likely due to the strong scent that the rodents don’t find favorable. However, using dryer sheets alone may not be a foolproof solution, and it's often better to combine various preventive measures, such as traps, repellent sprays, and proper storage practices, to protect your car from rodent infestations more effectively.