Possum Update

Where to begin...

My last blog back in May about Tamigotchi and Saori talked about them drinking from a 5ml syringe...and they were just little babies. I'd only had them for a couple of months at that stage. Well, things have changed since then.

I've had my little guys for six months now and they are happy little campers. Shortly after I moved them into their small plastic/wire (cat sized) cage, I moved them out and into a larger cocky's cage. I put lots of climbing branches in with them so that they could exercise and play now that they were getting bigger.

They finally got the idea about lapping and that made life a little easier. Saori was the first to get the idea. Tamigotchi seemed to want to remain a little baby and have his mummy feed him by syringe, still. So cute! The above photo is of Saori.

The photo opposite, shows Tamigotchi enjoying his syringed dinner. Notice how much they have grown, yet they still enjoy getting down the front of my top! They really are just like little babies.





Be the first to check out my first video clip of the babies.

While Saori and Tamigotchi resided in their cocky cage, we hired someone to come and build them a custom made aviary/hutch so that we could get them closer to a soft release situation and familiar with outside and all the noises the outdoors brings.

I still have to take photos of the completed aviary, but after several weekends the aviary was finished and ready for the little guys. I did the majority of the painting but, at one point, Ian rocked up and gave me a hand as well. We still have a little more painting to go on the smaller side of the aviary, but we're nearly there. The larger side is for Tami and Saori and that is now completed.

After the aviary was completed, we found out we needed to snake proof it, so we had to get the handyman to come back and do that for us. It's amazing how much you learn when you immerse yourself into the whole process. We believed we'd thought of everything, but...wrong.

We recently did some major pruning of trees around our property. Ian and I chose three or four massive branch systems and we installed them in both aviaries. They turned out to be perfect for climbing and hanging fodder for the possys. It was now starting to look more interesting inside the aviary. Our plan was to emulate the great outdoors and make it as natural for the possums as possible.

The handyman, under my instruction, built a large sleeping space up high and I filled it with warm straw grass. I went to Bunnings and bought a hanging basket and two coconut husk inserts and I made a dome home for them to sleep in. It smelled awesome; very organic and it just looked like it would make a very cosy place for them to sleep. I secured it inside the high sleeping space.

I tacked some green shade cloth on one side of the sleeping space. This gave the guys some privacy and protection.

We built the aviary inside a fenced off enclosure. Each week, over many weeks, I have planted out native trees and shrubs. Ian counted up to about 46 so far. I got a surprise as I thought I'd planted out about twenty something. When these trees and shrubs mature, it is going to look awesome and provide much food for the birds and wildlife. We want to plant out many more trees so that it encourages all critters to stay away from the busy road we live on.

A few weeks back Tami and Saori moved over to their aviary. I acclimatised them to the outdoor conditions over time when they were in the cocky cage. It was perfect timing with spring coming on. They have both settled in really well. I have added little runways and extra climbing structures, as well as a rope bridge, which they love to run along. They are very good at running around their aviary and I can see they are very happy there. They have made a lovely little home for themselves.

The first time I went into the aviary to give them fresh fruit and change their fodder, I wondered what they might do? It was the first time that we'd be on equal terms (without them being in a pouch that was easier for me to handle them). I wondered if they would want to have anything to do with me? It didn't take long to find out. The first possum out of the nest and to climb all over me was...Tamigotchi! I was shocked. He'd always been the most timid of the two. Saori always wanted to snuggle with me, but Tami always kept me at a distance. Now that he was free of pouches, etc, he wanted to be with me. I was absolutely over the moon. I've always had a real soft spot for Tami because if it wasn't for him, I would never have experienced raising these orphans. He had been the one who always tried to bite me (not hard), but he always had a go at me in the beginning. He stopped biting me after a month or so, but I never dreamed he'd become so attached to me. I kind of knew Saori would be. I think Tami and I grew closer when he showed me he was not ready to lap. He wanted the syringe for much longer than Saori. Tami is approximately 3 weeks older than Saori and is quite a bit smaller than her. He is quite a small ringtail possum.

Now, every time I enter the aviary on dusk, my babies come out and run down their rope and spring on me. I love the smell of the coconut husk on their fur. They snuggle, they walk all over the back of my shoulders, up my arms and up and down my pants and tops. They help me when I put out the new fodder and interact with whatever I am doing at the time. They are very relaxed and happy.

I feed them a variety of fresh fruit and flowers from native plants. They love the flowers. Once a week I'd drive down to Victoria Point to the Fodder Forest to collect enough fodder to last a week. A friend of mine found out and invited me over to her acreage home and showed me what they grew. Their place has quite a number of established natives and lilly pillies. She kindly allows me to collect fodder from her place to save me such a drive to Victoria Point. Tami and Saori enjoy a wide variety of their favourite foods and are in superior condition. The base of their prehensile tails are very solid and strong.

Another friend of our procured two long lengths of thick marine rope which we plan to run from the aviary up into two large gum trees, so that when the time is right for their soft release, they have a way to safely find their way into the trees. Ian calls it the autobarn highway as the rope is thick and will be plenty big enough for them to successfully climb.

Before my two babies moved to the aviary, I was given two baby orphaned brush tails to raise. I've had them for approximately five to six weeks now. They weighed 226 grams when they arrived. Brush tails, I have discovered are totally different to ringtails, but are no less fun and interesting. Their names are Penny and Sheldon and I will write a separate entry about their arrival and progress at another time.

I feel like I'm in seventh heaven when I look after these gorgeous little critters. They are absolutely adorable and I feel so privileged.

Well, that's about it for the time being...

so, until next time....
cheers