Update 18th July 2013

Kiki, Spock and Wasabi are all visiting regularly.

Kiki 16^th July 2013

Pinot hasn't been seen in over a month. No possums have slept in any of the boxes in over a month, either. I'm not sure why this is; snakes? too cold? Spock has been seen in the garage door several times; I don't know why he prefers it over the nearby box 7.

Spock 18^th July 2013

Kiki's pouch is now noticeably swollen with a new baby. It's still very small and we're unlikely to see any of it before spring time.

Wasabi has been seen looking after his baby again. I'm still not sure if this is Vindi or a new baby. There has also been an adult female ringtail, who is presumably the mother, seen about. I'm not sure if this is Ruby or not. Interestingly, I've seen the baby with Wasabi more often than with the mother. Maybe Wasabi gets child minding duties in times of high python danger.

Wasabi 18^th July 2013

Wasabi recently got a wound on his chin. A wound of this type is often a starting point for exudative dermatitis, which was worrying because Wasabi is a ringtail, and can't be given oral antibiotics like a brushtail. I am not a vet, but my understanding is that ringtails are much more dependent on having the right gut flora than brushtails. Common oral antibiotics such as Clavulox can cause such havoc with this gut flora that they can actually kill the possum. I believe the solution is to either administer antibiotics by injection, or attempt to reintroduce the right gut bacteria by feeding with "poo tea". This is fine for a possum in care, but not at all easy to do with a wild possum.

Anyway, the wound has now almost completely healed on its own without any sign of infection. I'm keeping a careful eye on it just in case, but so far it looks like he won't need any treatment.