Friday 4 March 2022

Update 4th March 2022 - Introducing Hapi

Wink's new baby is now back-riding and has been named Hapi.

Wink with Hapi back-riding - 28th Feb 2022

Recently there was a lot of flooding in Brisbane and surrounding areas - approximately a year's worth of rain fell in three days. Fortunately Possum TV is in a hilly area and was spared any actual flooding, but everything was very very wet.

Hapi bravely decided to start back-riding on the first day of the deluge, and that is where the name comes from: Hapi is the ancient Egyptian god associated with the flooding of the Nile.

Hapi back-riding on Wink - 28th Feb 2022

I am still not 100% certain, but it looks like Hapi is a boy possum.

Wink with Hapi back-riding - 1st Mar 2022

The rain was not fun for a lot of the wildlife. Here is Walt and a young Brush Turkey sheltering from the rain. Normally Brush Turkeys roost higher up in the trees but it looks like this one decided it was more sheltered lower down near the house.

Walt and Brush Turkey - 25th Feb 2022

Walt is doing well but is still as nervous as ever.

Walt - 2nd Mar 2022

Sasha and Darcel are also doing well and can be seen in box 3 or 5 most days. Darcel is back-riding a lot of the time, but occasionally ventures off a short way on his own.

Sasha with Darcel back-riding - 19th Jan 2022

Sasha (above) and Darcel (below) - 7th Feb 2022

Sasha with Darcel back-riding - 11th Feb 2022

Blossom continues to be a cute little possum. She doesn't seem to have a baby in the pouch yet and Wink hasn't shown any signs of wanting to chase her out of the area. I hope she enjoys this time.

Blossom - 24th Jan 2022

Blossom - 1st Feb 2022

Blossom - 11th Feb 2022

A couple of rats have started visiting. There is a female named Buffy who runs around on the patio underneath the possum feeding area, and a male named Elmo who favours the balcony.

On a couple of occasions, Elmo tried to get into the house via the screen door. To discourage him from doing this, he was fed (at the same time and with the same food as the possums) around the corner of the house away from the door. He soon realised that this was the best place to remain. He would occasionally scurry around under the possums to pick up crumbs they might drop, but didn't bother with the door any more.

Elmo - 14th Feb 2022

Buffy usually stays too far away for any good photos.

A new male brushtail was also recently spotted.

Unknown Male Brushtail - 1st Mar 2022

At the time this photo was taken, there was some action going on in the trees underneath; Sasha, Darcel, Wink and Hapi were all together on the one branch (which is unusual, usually Wink and Sasha maintain their distance). Darcel sniffed Wink's nose and got bitten for his troubles. Darcel then ran off and Wink tried to bite Sasha as well, but became separated from Hapi in the process. Hapi then ran off and came face-to-face with Darcel. Both of these little possums didn't quite know what to do and went off to hide in the trees, with Hapi giving a couple of distress calls to let Wink know where he was. 

Meanwhile the male brushtail was looking down on all this and probably feeling glad that male brushtails don't have to look after their offspring.


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