HARRY
By Stef Randall
The first possum that we took care of. He arrived in October 2003. That cute looking little thing was about 3 months old and already healthy.
At the beginning he was a bit worried and scared but quickly became confident, active and curious, always looking to escape for a new discovery.
He was a fast learner, finding tricks to squeeze out of the cage while we were trying to put him back in. Even when he was finally enclosed in his cage we could find him later cruising around in the room. That’s how we called him Harry from Harry Potter because it seems to us that he was getting out of his cage just by magic. It appears that there was a little hole just big enough for him to escape.
We could make him run from one side of the couch to the other just by calling him, or make him jump from each of us.
He loved peeing and poohing on Rob - was it a sign of domination?
He was really keen to climb on what ever was green and leafy that he could find and was very attentive to life outside, already hearing the call from the wild world perhaps?
We heard his little cough (call) only once or twice. He wasn’t difficult to feed, eating almost everything and in good quantity.
He was quite cuddly until he became a beautiful muscled male. Looking with insistence at the top of the tree each time we opened his cage. That big boy was definitely ready but we had to wait for the first rain. His release in May 2003 was a real success. He’s living now on a private property, cat and fox proof, with a female. I bet some little Harry's are cruising in the trees by now.
COBA
By Stef Randall
The second possum we looked after. He arrived in August 2003, he Western Ringtail Possum was only 2 months old and a flat fur. So tiny, he looked so fragile but yet so cuddly and curious. He really enjoyed crawling on us, rubbing himself on us to be petted just like a cat.
In 3 or 4 days he became healthier, and as he was easy to feed he quickly took weight. He loved his banana and milk mixture, always waiting for it. I hardly had the time to put his bowl down before he was licking its contents.
He loved wine as well, as soon as he could smell it he was rushing to the glass (not that we let him have any of course).
He was a real chatterbox, squeaking, coughing and barking quite often.
Even though we took good care to have the minimum of contact with him for the last 2 months, he refused food while he was with Mabel Bell (before his release). We thought he had the blues, he was missing his mummy, so we went to see him and I cuddled him a bit, then as if by magic he ate again.
I decided to leave him a T-shirt of mine so he could have my smell. It did the trick. He had been dragging it with him and sleeping on it for a few days, and then he decided he didn’t need his mummy anymore. That was the time for his release in January 2004.
Lili
By Stef Randall
The third possum we’ve been in charge of, from January to May 2004.
She was healthy and already 4 months old when she arrived. She was injured at the tip of her tail but without any damage.
A very shy and anxious little girl, she jumped at whatever noises she could hear and rushed to hide at any movement that occurred near her cage.
She wasn’t a busy possum or a big eater, so she stayed a small specimen. She was quiet and not cuddly.
We tried different fruit but she liked exclusively banana but she always enjoyed foliage and flowers.
We were worried about her release, that little beast was so nervous and scared we thought she could stay stuck for days in her nest box, if unfortunately it rained or there was a storm or whatever scary event could happen.
As we didn’t have any other choice than to release her we installed her in a nest box, fixed in a tree of a Margaret River forest, in the middle of the afternoon. Later when the night was falling we came back to check on her behaviour. Some friends who were there already, told us : “Oh she didn’t get out yet!” I had a look in the nest box just in case and realised at my great surprise that the box was empty, it seems that Lili didn’t even wait for the night fall to get out and explore her new world.
Then we found her in the canopy busy eating already and even calling the others possums. That little naughty beast made a fool of us, she was only frightened of humans and seemed really confident and happy in the forest where she belonged.
A Sad Winter’s Tale
It was an early July evening soon after the wild storms that battered the south west at the end of June. There, on our front door step, was a juvenile brushtail possum. He was on the ground and seemed to be sniffing around the area where our dog often leaves a few crumbs of biscuit.
We offered a few grapes and these quickly disappeared. A few minutes later our door-step brushy was gone. Much later that evening he was back and still seemed both docile and hungry. As he showed no inclination to go away, we brought him indoors where we could keep him warm, safe and hydrated.
At 2 am he still seemed very docile – not at all the activity we expected from a healthy nocturnal animal. With no change in his behaviour by the morning we knew that an expert opinion was necessary. After a brief phone call, Donna agreed to see him and she immediately saw that he had a damaged right front leg or shoulder. There was also an indication of some damage to the top of his head, although there were few external signs of trauma. It appeared that our
brushy may have fallen from a tree as the injuries were not consistent with an animal attack or a motor vehicle impact.
The vet confirmed a broken shoulder and head injury. The injuries were considered too serious for him to be successfully rehabilitated and able to survive in the wild. Regrettably the trip to the vet was his last journey – he had to be humanely put to sleep.
Not every rescue story has a happy ending. Sadly, our brushy was probably another victim of the wild winter storm. We are left with the minor consolation that we helped make this injured creature’s last few hours a little more comfortable. He did not die of starvation or as injured prey at the mercy of some domestic animal or fox.
Whiskers
or
Never trust a sweet looking Pygmy Possum
By Mabel Bell
Angie arrived early one morning with a half grown tiny pygmy possum. Her partner was working on a development site and was about to put a post in a post hole left from the day before, when he spotted ‘whiskers’ down the hole. It is very hard to distinguish a pygmy possum from a house mouse looking from above, so he must have a keen eye for our wildlife.
‘Whiskers’ lived in a plastic mouse cage and even went on holidays with us. He thrived on a diet of grape pulp, Insectivore, honey and native blossom – so he was ready for release.
However, it was wisely suggested by Margaret to put him out in a possum box, as somewhere to hide if necessary. Therefore, Peter got to work with tuart bark – very strong and waterproof – and made the dearest little house. I lined it with soft, dead peppy leaves.
Nevertheless, it would not fit in the mouse cage and we wanted him to get used to it before release. So we put him in a strong wooden cage with three sides mesh 12 mm x 12 mm.
We even tried his head size in the mesh – no way he could get through there we decided!
But just to make doubly sure we taped up the lid and even tiny cracks.
Then to make it even more secure, we put the cage on a towel in the middle of the empty bath, plug in, toilet seat closed, window locked, door not a crack, all knick-knacks and furniture removed.
He was in his new little house in the cage, his food and blossom all about him – so snug!
We slept – unconcerned.
Next morning: No Whiskers. Every inch of the cage and bedding and the new house was inspected twenty times. No possum!
How could he disappear? How could he get out of the cage and how could he climb up the walls of the bath – a very old-fashioned deep one.
We shut ourselves in the house and searched every room, found lots of things missing for a long time, but not Whiskers.
Then we locked ourselves in the bathroom again and I took down a travel case from the top of the linen cupboard, and looked in every pocket. When I waved a towel over the top of the cupboard to frighten the dust – a mouse ran down the wall and onto the floor.
Half-heartedly we tried to throw towels over it to catch it. We were sure it was a mouse! But when we caught it – there was Whiskers.
Big eyes, coiled tail, cream belly. Oh my darling! How his little heart was beating. So were ours!
Now he is asleep in his mouse cage. Safe we hope!
However, when he is released his little bark house will go with him, he might like it.
And guess what. The bathroom having been cleared of all bits and pieces is being painted. What an opportunity!
Tale of a very singular Baby Boomer
By Amanda Bell
I couldn’t have written this a few months ago. I was too sick and sad and sorry. It may sound silly, but I suppose as all you other carers know, losing an animal that has been part of your life for an extended period is very hard. Even now writing about our Baby Boomer, I find a few tears welling up. Silly girl!
The little joey came all wrapped up in a furry rug and I was a little terrified of this just-furred creature. John named him Baby Boomer – perfect.
After 10 months with us, Baby Boomer was ready for release. He was already taking nightly adventures into the bush and coming back to the house for the day.
Over a period of a week, Baby Boomer became listless and developed mild diarrhoea. After trying some of the usual remedies (on the advice of other carers) such as baby cereal, cornflour, cutting out/down milk, electrolytes etc, experienced carers advised that it could be the dreaded coccidiosis. Baby Boomer’s condition worsened, so we were off to the vet.
After the first trip to the vet, we felt relieved as we were advised that it was younger joeys that developed coccidiosis. With a course of treatment decided upon (for the diarrhoea), we took Baby Boomer home confident it would be over within days. Sadly, he developed further symptoms including blood in the faeces, considerable pain (he constantly ground his teeth), prolific diarrhoea, and failure to thrive. At this stage, we had been to the vet three times and had insisted on treatment for coccidiosis. Early one morning, I called John as I knew after a very brave three week battle, Baby Boomer was about to die.
The funeral was beautiful. There were lots of tears, lots of flowers, too much wine, me sitting talking to him before he went in the ground to become part of House 852’s garden in Ludlow. Even the seemingly macho neighbours came by to pay their respects.
So ends the tale of Baby Boomer.
When Mum rang about a week later and sang down the phone “guess what I have?” I completely forgot my vow to “never have another animal again”. The next day I went and collected a small part-furred creature wrapped up in a furry rug. She is called Bunny, as she looked like a skinned rabbit on arrival.
Aren’t we lucky to be in the business of caring for animals?
Thanks to Mum, Beth, Cheryl, Adele, Margaret, Anne and Kristy for listening to my story. Special thanks to John who gently but firmly advised me that Baby Boomer’s illness was not about me and how I was feeling, and because he was with me at the end.
FAWNA has some great resources in the filing cabinet at BDEC regarding coccidiosis and other conditions. There are also some great web sites, particularly from the Marsupial Society of Australia.
An Echidna Story
Part One
On Sunday the 7th June 1998 Isabelle Devoy rang me to see if I would be prepared to take in an injured echidna that had been run over by a car in the Yallingup town site. A lady named Elizabeth brought it in after finding it at 10.30 pm the night before and realising that it had some movement in the front legs.
I couldn’t pass up a chance like that even though I was apprehensive about caring for something that so rarely came into care. I had only ever seen three echidnas in my whole life and all were in the wild.
Isabelle brought the poor creature to meet me at Ludlow. I looked into the box and beheld a jumble of spikes and blood. The lumpy thing amid the jumble was prostrate. It didn’t look promising for a successful rescue and had my suspicions that the creature may be already dead.
I got the animal home and next to a heat pad with just a cursory look at the injuries, a light clean up and the removal of several engorged ticks. There was movement but there were obviously severe injuries to the back, hind legs underbelly and snout in particular also hundreds of his spines were broken. Blood was oozing from the sheared off end of the snout and at that point I truly thought that the creature had no hope, however it was alive next day although the blood continued its steady flow. This was a Monday so it was time to see the vet, as it did seem that it might have a chance of living.
At Geographe Vets Paul Repton and Alina Pitman took care of my echidna and shared my desire to save it. It was administered painkillers and body fluids and sent home to return in a few days if still alive.
At this stage with some hope, I gave it a name. As it was hard to sex echidnas without turning them inside out, or intrusively poking them, I decided that it would be a name suitable for male or female. I decided this was a female for sure as I could see the area used for a pouch and what looked like glands for secreted milk. However there were spurs on the hind legs as well, which could make it a male, although females could have these spurs too. I chose Millie, short for Milligan after Spike Milligan. It was a great girls name and could be used in the unlikely event that it turned out to be a male and this little creature was proving to be spiky and a character just like its namesake.
For five days poor Millie slept in a torpor, not eating nor drinking, with the blood flow from the injuries slowly decreasing. By the sixth day she was waking up occasionally and shuffling in her box. She was in such a lot of pain but was not going to give up. She ignored me completely, just concentrated on moving to ease discomfort.
I tried her with water, which she lapped up with her tongue. Relief – the tongue was not damaged .The bleeding from the snout had stopped but she seemed sicker and struggling to breathe so off to the vets again. Millie had pneumonia. She was given antibiotics and cortisone cream for the many bad abrasions and worsening sores.
Incredibly she responded positively to the medications and care.
That meant time to offer food, which I had raided from Beth Hastie’s termite nests. I broke away portions of the nests and stored them at home in large plastic rubbish bins. Small bits were broken off and placed next to Millie in the box. She knew how to use her tongue albeit devouring very small amounts of termites in short bursts between dozing. Every few weeks I would travel to Beth’s to take a lump from each termite nest. It was always repaired when I returned. The termites I took home lived on the wood placed into their bin -mostly pine and tuart and whatever I had scavenged from around the nests, however they needed to be kept damp to survive.
On the18th June Elizabeth rang to see how her rescued echidna was fairing. I could report that she was alive, well and active. Next day, at the vets antiinflammatories were administered and more cortisone supplied. Millie’s injuries on her belly, back and snout were healing, but very slowly. She was still sleeping most of the time in her box in front of the fire. I started taking her out for a little exercise even though we knew by then that her spine was severely injured and she had to drag her back legs. She started exploring the house but constantly returned to the fire to dry out and warm up. I then realised that she really needed that warmth.
After the first few weeks I called carers all over Australia to learn as much as possible about caring for such animals. I learnt that the echidna could not survive if it had damaged its tongue to the point that it could not feed itself and also that the end of the snout was of great importance given that it held receptors essential for locating food. As that was very damaged and had no end I reluctantly considered that the animal should be euthanased, so I called CALM and spoke to Peter Mawson. He advised that the snout may well repair itself and the end grow back, complete with receptors and that it was worth trying as the animal would be valuable for education purposes even though it may be incapacitated.
My saviour was Ivy Hawken who’d had considerable experience looking after echidnas. She sent me wonderful information, gave me tips and encouragement and directed me to the lifelong work of Mervyn Griffiths whose scientific studies gave me invaluable background on echidnas. I am indebted to both of these people. Lately the work of Michael Augee has become indispensable and as have new studies by Penny Rismiller.
During July Millie was still administered cortisone. The sores were hard to treat as she now insisted on moving around a lot dragging her body along. Passing urine also caused the underside to be wet often, which impeded healing. It was a constant battle.
Alina also started treating her with acupuncture in a last ditch effort to fix the spinal injury. From the 31st July to the 30th September acupuncture was performed at least eight times. Initially it seemed that this approach may work. Some movement was definitely detected in the back legs.
To be able to treat an echidna the vets needed information on the physiology of the animal. The museum had very little information. Thankfully help was at hand from Murdoch Uni and the Perth Zoo, which generously instructed Alina and Paul on how, what and where to administer. Consensus was reached that it was too risky to anaesthetise the echidna so it was never determined exactly what the spinal injury was.
In the middle of August on a Saturday Millie took ill again. In the afternoon she was upside down in front of the fire displaying a huge lumpy red protrusion from the cloaca. This was terrifying. It looked like a dead tree with orange leaves, sticking out of a mountain range of water filled hills. There was a long stem, branched at the end, with four red suction-like discs on the ends of the branches. There were several huge fluid filled lumps clustered around this stem thing and the whole was a sight to strike fear into the heart. I thought this was a massive prolapse and sadly decided that I would have to put Millie down. It was a weekend so I couldn’t get to the vets to euthanase her humanely. I would have to let her suffer. In some distress by then I had the bright idea of wading through all of the info that I had gathered. Late that night I found a picture of a male echidna penis. There was the stem with its branches and orange /red discs. Okay, that meant that she was a he. Millie became Milli overnight. I could cope with that but the horrible watery lumps were obviously not part of his apparatus. A worrying Sunday slowly passed. Still alive Monday we sped to the vets to obtain treatment for an internal infection and once again the response was positive.
The lumps subsided and the apparatus was withdrawn within a few days. We have never again been privileged to witness Milli’s internals since that emergency.
The nagging sores persisted and required several more trips to the vet, although they were slowly improving, the spines had fallen out and regrown, the snout had indeed, completely regrown but the spinal paralysis was permanent. He could not go outside with such injuries but was now very active so the solution was to allow him to live in the house where I could keep him clean and dry. Milli had the run of several rooms and chose where he slept. He had an open cage with bedding and food but most of the time, as it was still cold, he slept in front of the fire on his back trying to dry out his sores and fur. If we were near the fire he would push at our feet and legs until we moved. With no use of his back legs he would then have to laboriously flip himself over to expose his belly to the fire. This was his domain and you were snuffed at if you were thought a threat. As it got warmer through October and November his favourite bed was under a wardrobe. He could wedge himself under it and knew that we could not get him easily. To retrieve him my son and husband had to lift up the wardrobe while I grabbed Milli.
It was hard to determine how old Milli was. We decided that Milli was about three years old as his weight was then around 2.8 kilograms seeming to fit the sub adult range. We know they are long lived as one echidna, which lived in a Philadelphia Zoo for 49 years had been brought in as an adult.
I looked into artificial formulas for adult echidnas. There was one that Taronga Zoo recommended but I opted for the Perth Zoo formula which was an updated version and proven acceptable to echidnas.
Along with the obligatory termites I offered the new food which was soundly rejected for a couple of days but gradually tried and accepted. He just could not miss the tray on his wanderings and finally had to stop to explore the new smell. From then on he ate both types of food and later preferred the formula.
Milli soon recognised my voice and his name. He could distinguish why I was calling him and somehow got to know whether or not I was dinkum. He knew if I called him for dinner and recognised quickly that when I called “walk time Milli” he was going outside for a walk- even better than dinner. He would poke his nose out, sniff the air and condescend to extricate himself from under the cupboard.
By then he was well enough to attend the Busselton show and do some schools visits, which were the first of many events he has attended. Milli became a star and was featured in several media articles by this time.
The sores had healed and re- opened many times and the belly hair had followed the pattern. The days got hotter and the echidna a nuisance as he tried to break down every door in his way, annoyed every visitor, including the bank manager, kept us awake at night tearing up his termites (which were trying to eat my house) and kept me busy constantly cleaning up after him. Although the sores were recurring intermittently I decided that Milli could be put out into his new pen permanently.
There was great relief from the rest of the family when Milli left his temporary home, but I rather missed not having him under the table trying to damage someone’s leg at Xmas dinner and telling me off when he didn’t get his own way.
To Be Continued
Cheryl Campbell
Echidna Story. Part 2
In the first part of Milli’s story I stated that he had only once shown his male credentials. I was wrong. I was reminded that he actually had put on quite a show at a CALM bush day a few years ago, at Wharnecliffe mill, and he quickly gathered onlookers. Consequently he became the star of the show although one or two people were embarrassed. I remember now that one of them was me.
During the first weeks in his new abode Milli made many attempts to escape, without success. However, every time I let him out he simply tried to return to the house. He made a beeline for the back door and pushed against it. He has worked out a method of banging the door with his shoulder and he does not let up.
He still does this, nine years later, and if I let him inside he goes straight to his favourite cupboard and wedges himself under there, or in winter, straight to the fire.
Also, when I let him out for a run he will quickly disappear under a car if I don’t watch him closely. He will quietly sit in the middle under it. He does this so that I can’t reach him and each time I go to one side he will shift ever so slightly to the other. He simply sits there watching to ensure that he cannot be reached. It is a battle of wits. The trick to get him out is to pretend to disappear yourself by going in to the house or shed and watching from the window until he comes out far enough for you to race out and grab him before he can get back under it. It usually takes some considerable time
Echidnas have a reputation for incredible persistence and Milli has certainly proven that time and again over the years. He simply never gives up and never ever sulks.
Milli’s pen has one wall shared with the shed while the other three sides are made of a large two metre high wooden frame with chicken wire stretched around the whole frame. Corrugated iron is dug a half a metre into the ground stretching to half a metre above ground over the wire. The door is reinforced and padlocked tightly. There are numerous logs and old cast iron sinks in his pen for his choice of sleeping places. He prefers the heavy sinks, rarely using the logs.
In the first year I found Milli near the top of the frame twice. He was determined to escape. He had moved his log up to the iron and had climbed on top of it to be able to reach and get a grip on the wire. He had obviously been able to climb with only the use of his front legs and he was quite firmly attached when I prised him from the wire. In another minute he would have reached the top board of the frame and there is no doubt that he would have been gone – maybe only to our door- but maybe not, especially if he were searching for a female echidna.
That urge is usually taken out on my toes, which must smell a little like a female echidna, as he gets quite amorous toward toes – particularly female ones.
Milli has the run of his large enclosure and chooses when and what he wants to do. Hence he sleeps, forages, eats, climbs, digs, scratches, sunbakes, digs a burrow under the shed or tries to escape, all entirely when it suits him.
The temperature is his only regulator. When it is too cold in winter he will go into a torpor and may not eat for days. In summer, if it is too hot, he will do the same, albeit to a lesser extent. In the heat of summer he will be active all night but rest under the ground or his logs during the day.
We often bring termite filled logs from our Boyup Brook farm for Milli to rip to pieces. One would expect that he would relish these events and he does love to rip them apart but he is a very fussy eater and does not like all of the termites. There is a train of thought that echidnas prefer the drone and nurse types and it does seem as though he does not like the “workers” much.
These activities keep him fit and pare his nails back although his back toenails have to be clipped due to his inability to use them.
The sores that have been part of his life in captivity sometimes reappear, particularly in winter when there is little sun for him to dry them out, but they are few and minor these days. The hair has completely regrown on his belly.
During the last nine years Milli has been used for educational purposes on dozens of occasions, primarily school visits. The preschool and primary school classes are the most rewarding. I love to see the awe and wonder in the faces of the students and the excitement that ensues is rather difficult for the teachers to control. Our policy these days is to visit each class just before a break as the visit always extends past the suggested time and always attracts more teachers and classes.
I always know that I will get questions directed to me that I cannot answer. My favourite is: How many spikes does Milli have? I don’t think anyone has ever sat down and counted them and I truly don’t have the time-One Day!!
Echidnas love to swim. Milli loves his bath now but was quite worried initially when he was immersed. As he has no use of his back legs due to the spinal injury he felt vulnerable. Early in his life with us I bathed him in water just covering him so that he could use his front feet to walk along but could also float the rest of his body. He now loves being in the water, seemingly having learnt to trust that he is safe. He swims and floats obviously with much relief for his body, likes to keep his head under water for frightening lengths of time – I have never been able to let him stay under water as long as he could- all the while blowing bubbles, and thoroughly enjoys his towelling down after baths.
Milli has also been in the local papers many times and on television once.
Other displays include the CALM bush days and Land for Wildlife events, Busselton Show for FAWNA, the Ironman competition, the Jets fun run, Call of the Wild open day, Capel Fest, BDEC Schools visit, Olympic Landcare planting day for the Capel LCDC, two healing festivals, several seniors club visits and many other small events.
Most of the schools and classes raise funds for FAWNA. as do countless other groups. FAWNA now regards Milli as their mascot, a good choice as he has survived well and suffers no ill effects from displays and handling, unlike many of our native animals.
I did regret that my boy could not have a normal life in the wild but know that he would not survive the first few hours out in the bush. I look forward to a long association with my echidna. He is an absolute delight.
Cheryl Campbell