Flat hunt for Auckland teen and her possum

Moving out of home is tricky enough, but for Gaby Bailey, it's made slightly harder with a ball of fluff she intends to take with her.

Billy is her 7-month-old pet possum-- the pair are inseparable.

The 17-year-old is on a flat hunt before she starts a Certificate in Animal Care at Unitec in July.

She's looking for a possum-friendly house in the Mt Albert area, preferably with flat mates who are "understanding animal lovers".

Gaby Bailey is looking for a flat that will take her and her possum Billy as a package deal. Photo / Supplied

"A lot of people haven't got back to me, one person said they'd ask the landlord, but he said no."

But three vegetarian flats have taken on Bailey's request; she'll take her possum with her to go and see the potential homes this week.

"People have said, 'That's an unusual pet', but it's been quite supportive surprisingly."

Bailey currently lives in Warkworth between her parents' homes, but wants to live closer to university.

She picked Billy up six weeks ago on an Albany motorway.

"I found her clinging to her dead mum on the side of the road. She was quite big, I was worried she wouldn't bond to me, but she's an angel."

Bailey has helped young possums before, but this was the first she had kept.

"It's kind of like having a cat cross monkey... She curls up in my lap or sits on my chest, she just loves spending time with me."

The possum, about the size of a small cat now, helps Bailey with her anxiety, she said.

"Having something there sitting on my chest soothes me, because I can feel her breathing."

She described Billy as "funny, loving and clever".

As possums are considered pests in New Zealand, Billy can't wander freely.

Billy, the 7-month-old possum is looking for a flat with his owner. Photo / Supplied

"I'm not employed at the moment so she's on me most of the time, and she has a leash when we go outside for walks together around the neighbourhood."

Her local supermarket weren't so enthusiastic about the fluffy creature, however.

"The supermarket wasn't too keen on her, they said, 'We don't really allow rodents here', but I was thinking, she's a marsupial!"

Bailey added she wasn't too concerned about Billy adding extra costs on top of flatting, as food for her possum only cost around $20 a week.

"It's just buying fruits and veggies, she loves kale, broccoli and sweet potato."

Billy, the 7-month-old possum owned by Gaby Bailey. Photo / Supplied

The teen's future flatmates can expect to see the pair snoozing together at night, sharing pizza and watching cartoons together - Billy loves Adventure Time.

Mess wise, there's some toilet training to do, as Bailey's university course may not allow her to be with her furry friend 24/7.

"Hopefully the lecturers will be nice enough to let me have her in lectures."

Bailey said she wanted people to give possums a chance.

"It's not their fault they're the way they are. It's just about being considerate, she's not doing any harm with me, so don't put a label on her.

"She's like my daughter."

Auckland Council said there were no laws that prevented people from having possums as pets, but it did undertake possum control across the Auckland region as they compete with native animals for limited food resources.