Update 18th Mar 2017

First of all some bad news.

Ruby was found dead on the balcony one evening recently. She had been in perfect health prior to this and had no visible wounds. My theory is that she was attacked by a (comparatively) small python, who was probably after one of her babies, and ended up strangled, but the python had been unable to swallow her. Apparently pythons sometimes do this.

I know this isn't a common thing, but her fur looked heavily compressed in a ring around her upper chest, and there were other less heavy indentations lower down which were consistent with a snake wrapping itself around her three times. These indentations were the only unusual thing about her body and it's difficult to account for them otherwise.

Here is one of the very last photos of Ruby.

Ruby with Niva back-riding - 23^rd Feb 2017

The good news is that her babies, Nebo and Niva, survived this incident. Their older brother Koji, and father Wasabi, immediately took over the role of caring for them. This was a very interesting thing to witness.

Toto is Back!

Last night Toto appeared on the balcony handrail. This is the first time she has been seen in about six months.

Toto - 11^th Feb 2017

She looks calm and is in very good condition, which is very encouraging.

Update 9th Feb 2017

Ruby's babies have been named Nebo and Niva. Their genders are unknown, and at this stage (like with Koji and Keeta), they can be told apart by the length of the white tip on their tails. Nebo has the longer white tip.

Niva and Nebo back-riding on Ruby with Koji at top right - 30^th Jan 2017

Ruby and her babies are often seen with Koji. Keeta (Koji's twin) hasn't been seen for a while.

Update 23rd Jan 2017 - A New Baby Ringtail

Last night, Ruby arrived with her latest babies; one on the back and the other in the pouch.

Ruby with one baby on back and another in the pouch - 22^nd Jan 2017

This is the first time either of these babies have been seen. Ruby couldn't come onto the handrail to show them off like last time because Sasha was there at the same time with her own baby.

Update 12th Jan 2017

Sasha brought her latest baby to the house for the first time tonight.

Sasha with baby back-riding - 12^th Jan 2017

I suspect that Sasha's baby has been back-riding for a couple of weeks now. When Sasha has been using Box 7 recently, she usually exits the box with the baby hanging on underneath her tail. This is a logical, if undignified, alternative to trying to cling onto her back, and then getting knocked off when she squeezes through the entrance hole.

Update 25th Dec 2016

The brushtails are all present and healthy. The ringtails have been visiting less often, with only Ruby, Koji and Wasabi having been seen in the past few days.

Mischa - 13^th Dec 2016 [Photo by Xesce]

Mischa is doing well and seems to be evading attacks by the larger possums. His eye wound is now only barely visible.

Update 24th Sept 2016

All of the ringtails - Ruby, Koji, Keeta, Wasabi, Maple and possibly Clover - have been seen recently and are in good health. The brushtails are also doing alright, except for a painful problem for Mischa which is fortunately now resolved. I'll get to this later.

Ruby, Koji and Keeta (bottom to top) - 20^th Sept 2016

The ringtails are seen together in different combinations. It is never clear who will be visiting at any given time. It does seem that Maple (and possibly Clover; sometimes they don't come close and it's difficult to tell them apart) is doing child-minding duty from time to time.

Update 20th Aug 2016

Ruby's babies have been named Koji and Keeta.

Ruby (front), Koji (middle) and Keeta (back) - 10th Aug 2016 [Photo by Xesce]

Koji is the more bold one who normally sits in front when back-riding. They can be told apart by the length of the white tip on their tails; Koji's is about 1/3 of the length of the tail whereas Keeta's is barely 1/4.

Baby Ringtail Surprise

There was an unexpected surprise tonight; Ruby visited with two cute little babies on her back.

Ruby with back-riding babies - 28^th July 2016

On previous visits her pouch was looking very large, but I never guessed her babies were this well developed and didn't expect to see them this soon.

Update 19th July 2016

Sasha, Farley, Wasabi and Ruby have been visiting fairly regularly. Maple has been seen a couple of times, and Toto has also visited a few times recently. Flynn hasn't been seen for a considerable time and has probably left the area. It's a very dangerous time for young possums when they leave to find their own homes and I wish him all the best.

Farley - 16^th July 2016

Farley has been picking up a few pluckings and scratches, which is normal for him. Luckily there hasn't been any sign of infection.

Update 13th June 2016

All of the usual brushtails - Sasha, Farley, Toto and Flynn - are still visiting. As far as the ringtails go, Ruby is still visiting, Maple is often seen with her and Wasabi has started visiting again. On one occasion Maple may have visited with Wasabi.

Maple - 1^st June 2016 [Photo by Xesce]

Maple is a very active little ringtail, leaping around the trees like a little Ninja.

Update 7th May 2016

There have been no major changes here for a while; Sasha, Farley, Toto and Flynn are still around. Ruby has been seen a few times and once brought Maple to the house. On another occasion, Maple and Clover visited together. Maple is a little girl possum.

Maple - 13^th April 2016 [Photo by Xesce]

Clover is more shy than Maple and was difficult to photograph. Clover has a dark spot on the white tip of his/her tail which resembles a ringtail named Rosebud who was Wasabi's older brother and therefore would be Maple and Clover's uncle.

Update 28th Feb 2016

Recently, Wasabi and Ruby brought their babies (who have been named Maple and Clover) to the house.

Wasabi (left), Ruby (right) and Maple (back-riding) - 17^th Feb 2016 [photo by Xesce]

Maple rode on Ruby's back, but Clover stayed in a nearby tree, making faces at the other possums.

Update 10th Feb 2016 - Introducing Flynn

Sasha's baby has been named Flynn.

Flynn - 9^th Feb 2016

Flynn is now at the stage where he is starting to take food from hand.

Update 25th Dec 2015

I thought I'd start this post with a Christmassy looking photo. This is a King Parrot who visited last week.

King Parrot - 17^th Dec 2015

As a holiday bonus, we have a Baby Possum Alert. Sasha has been using Box 7, and her latest baby has started to emerge from her pouch during the daytime.

Another New Baby Possum!

Last night, Ruby arrived with a baby riding on her back.  The baby has been named Red, because he or she looks very red in person.

Ruby with Red back-riding - 2^nd Sept 2015

Ruby is the first ringtail to bring a back-riding baby to the house since Gumdrop around the end of 2011.

Update 23rd June 2015

The brushtails Kiki, Toto, Farley, Comet, and Sasha and the ringtails Wasabi, Tilda and Ruby are all currently visiting.

Toto with injured leg - 16^th June 2015

Toto has an injury to her front right leg.

Update 19th Oct 2014

Comet is doing well.

Comet (left) and Kiki (right) - 18^th Oct 2014

Comet particularly likes going off on his own. Normally, when a young possum of his age is with his/her mother, and scores a particularly delicious piece of food (usually by tearing it from the mother's mouth), they will retreat (no doubt to prevent the mother from grabbing it back) to perhaps a metre away from the mother to enjoy their treat. In Comet's case, however, he often runs off and hides in another tree five or more metres away. This is unusual; even Oz, who was a particularly adventurous/exploring possum, never did this.

Update 13th Sept 2014 - Comet back-riding

Comet is now fully out of the pouch and back-riding. Here is a photo from his first visit to the house.

Comet riding on Kiki's back - 7^th Sept 2014

Update 2nd Feb 2014

Recently, two female ringtails were seen near the house, one with two back-riding babies and one with a slightly swollen pouch. It's always very difficult to tell who's who with ringtails, but these two look very much like Tilda and Ruby.

Tilda with back-riding babies 29^th Jan 2014