Birds, possums and other wildlife getting into your wheelie bin is more than just annoying. They rip open garbage bags, scatter rubbish across the street, spread food scraps and create a big clean-up job. In some areas, cockatoos even teach each other how to lift bin lids.
If you’re tired of waking up to a mess on bin day, this guide explains why wildlife is so good at opening wheelie bins, what common “fixes” get wrong, and the kind of solution that actually works long term—without drilling, padlocks or complicated straps.
Fix your wheelie bin problems permanently — add LidStop to your bin today.
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Why Birds and Possums Love Wheelie Bins
Wildlife isn’t being “naughty” for fun—they’re following food smells. Wheelie bins are perfect for them because:
- They contain strong food odours
- The lid is often left slightly open or not fully sealed
- Once one animal figures out how to lift the lid, others copy
- Rubbish is easy to grab and carry away
Cockatoos, crows and magpies are especially smart. Possums and other night-time animals will often visit bins after dark, when no one is around to shoo them away.
If the lid is loose or easy to lift, they will eventually work out how to get inside.
Wildlife only enter when lids aren’t sealed — see Why Your Wheelie Bin Lid Doesn’t Stay Shut.
Why Wheelie Bin Lids Are So Easy to Open
Most Australian council bins are designed for truck efficiency, not wildlife resistance. That means:
- The lid is relatively lightweight
- The hinge is designed to move freely
- There is very little built-in resistance
- Wind and uplift can help lift the lid from the side
- There is no built-in “lock” or stopping point
Once a bird or possum can get its beak, claw or paw under the edge, it doesn’t take much force to lift the lid. From there, all they need is a little leverage.
Once wildlife break in, maggots follow — explained in How to Prevent Maggots in Your Wheelie Bin This Summer.
Common Methods People Try (and Why They Often Fail)
A lot of people try clever DIY tricks to stop wildlife opening their bins. Some seem to work at first, but most have hidden problems.
1. Bricks or weights on top of the lid
This is probably the most common method. You put a brick, pot plant or other weight on top of the lid and hope it holds.
Problems:
- Weights can fall off when the bin is lifted by the truck
- They can damage cars, driveways or property
- They can injure people if they fall at the wrong moment
- They don’t always stop wildlife lifting the lid from the side
- You may forget they’re there on bin day
It’s simple, but it can be unsafe—and often doesn’t fully solve the problem.
2. Straps, ropes or bungee cords
Another common trick is to strap the bin shut using an elastic strap or bungee cord.
Problems:
- You must unclip or unhook the strap before collection
- If you forget, the truck may not empty your bin
- Straps can wear out, snap or stretch
- Some animals learn how to work around them
- They can be fiddly in bad weather or early in the morning
This can help, but it adds weekly hassle and is easy to forget.
3. Padlocks or drilled bin locks
Some people use padlock-style mechanisms that attach to the bin via drilled holes.
Problems:
- Require drilling into the bin, which many councils don’t like
- Must be unlocked every bin day and re-locked afterwards
- Inconvenient for shared bins or multiple household members
- Not ideal if you move house or change bins
These can stop wildlife, but they introduce extra work and permanent modifications.
4. Doing nothing and hoping for the best
The “do nothing” option usually leads to:
- Rubbish torn open and spread across the nature strip
- Food scraps in neighbours’ yards
- More flies, maggots and pests around your property
- Strong smells lingering around the bin area
Once wildlife knows your bin is easy to raid, they’ll keep coming back.
What a Good Wildlife-Resistant Solution Should Do
If you want to stop birds and possums getting into your wheelie bin without making bin day harder, any solution you use should:
- Help keep the lid mostly closed in wind and bad weather
- Make it harder for wildlife to open the lid fully
- Still allow the bin to be emptied automatically by the truck
- Avoid drilling or permanent modifications
- Avoid loose weights or objects that can fall during emptying
- Work on standard 120L and 240L council bins
This is where a gravity-based resistance device like LidStop comes in.
How a Gravity-Based Bin Lid Resistance Clip Helps
Instead of locking the lid completely, a gravity-based clip adds controlled resistance to the lid motion.
Using LidStop as an example:
- It clips onto the bin handle in seconds (no tools)
- Resistance begins once the lid reaches about 40–45 degrees
- This makes it harder for birds and possums to lift the lid further
- Wind and uplift have a much harder time flipping the lid fully open
- On bin day, the truck still empties the bin normally—LidStop flexes as the bin is tipped
- It prevents the lid from flipping past 90 degrees, so when the bin is put down, the lid falls closed again
That last part is important. Because the lid closes itself after emptying, it helps keep flies, bugs, rainwater and smells out of your bin between collections.
How Much Does It Really Help With Wildlife?
No bin device can guarantee that wildlife will never touch your bin, but LidStop is designed to reduce easy access, which is what matters most.
- Wildlife may still lift the lid slightly, especially clever birds
- Once the lid passes about 40–45°, LidStop adds resistance
- That resistance makes it harder to push the lid further open
- This helps reduce how often animals can fully open the lid and climb in
By making your bin less rewarding and harder to access, animals are more likely to move on to easier targets.
Extra Steps You Can Take to Make Your Bin Less Attractive
Using a resistance clip like LidStop is a big step, but you can improve results even more with a few simple habits:
- Bag food scraps tightly before putting them in the bin
- If possible, use compost or green waste bins correctly
- Avoid leaving the bin overfilled with the lid propped open
- Place the bin in a sheltered position if your property allows it
- Rinse bins occasionally to reduce strong smells
- After bin collection, make sure the bin lid is closed (LidStop will help do this automatically)
The weaker the smell and the harder it is to open, the less wildlife will bother with your bin.
When a Product Like LidStop Makes the Most Sense
A gravity-based resistance clip is especially useful if:
- You live in an area with cockatoos, crows or possums that raid bins
- You’ve seen bins overturned or opened on your street
- You want to avoid drilling, padlocks or complex straps
- You want a solution that works on bin day without removal
- You’d like the lid to close automatically after emptying
- You care about keeping your bin area cleaner, drier and less smelly
If you have multiple bins, a 4-pack can cover general waste, recycling and green waste. If you only have one or two outdoor bins, a 2-pack is often enough.
Wind + wildlife create the worst bin mess — see How to Stop Your Wheelie Bin Lid Blowing Open in Storms.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this fully lock the bin lid shut?
No. LidStop does not fully lock the lid. It adds resistance once the lid reaches about 40–45 degrees, making it harder for wildlife and wind to open it further.
Will the garbage truck still be able to empty my bin?
Yes. LidStop is designed to flex when the bin is lifted, so the lid still opens for emptying. It also prevents the lid flipping back past 90 degrees, which helps it close again when the bin is put down.
Does it work on all bin sizes?
LidStop is designed for standard 120L and 240L Australian council wheelie bins, including general waste, recycling and green waste bins.
Will it stop possums and birds completely?
It’s designed to reduce easy access, not guarantee that animals will never touch your bin. Wildlife may be able to lift the lid slightly, but the added resistance makes it harder for them to push it fully open.
Can it help with flies, maggots and smells?
Yes. Because the lid doesn’t flip past 90 degrees and tends to close automatically after emptying, the bin stays closed more often. This helps reduce rainwater, flies, bugs and odours getting in or out.
A Simple Way to Make Your Bin Less of a Target
Stopping birds, possums and other wildlife from getting into your wheelie bin isn’t about making it absolutely impossible for them to try—it’s about making your bin harder to open and less rewarding.
A gravity-based bin lid resistance clip like LidStop:
- Helps keep the lid closed in wind and bad weather
- Makes it harder for wildlife to fully open the lid
- Prevents the lid flipping past 90 degrees
- Helps the lid close automatically after emptying
- Reduces flies, bugs, rainwater and smells
Combined with good habits like bagging food waste properly and not overfilling the bin, it’s one of the simplest ways to keep your outdoor area cleaner, tidier and less attractive to unwanted visitors.
- If wildlife is opening your lid because wind has already lifted it, read How to Stop Your Wheelie Bin Lid Blowing Open in Storms.
- If you’re dealing with maggots caused by wildlife tearing open bags, see How to Prevent Maggots in Your Wheelie Bin This Summer.
- If you’re thinking of locking the bin, read Do You Really Need a Bin Lid Lock? to see your safest council-friendly options.
Recommended Reading
- How to Stop Your Wheelie Bin Lid Blowing Open in Storms
- Why Your Wheelie Bin Lid Doesn’t Stay Shut (And How to Fix It)
- How to Prevent Wildlife, Birds & Possums From Opening Your Bin
- The 2025 Guide to Wheelie Bin Odours, Hygiene & Maggot Prevention
About LidStop
LidStop is an Australian-designed bin-lid security device that keeps your wheelie bin sealed against wind, rain, wildlife and bad smells — all while staying fully compatible with council truck lift arms. No tools, no installation, no fuss.
Explore the LidStop product
