Minton Farm

Hi readers

The busy (silly) season has begun abruptly with the arrival of 4 kangaroo joeys and several possum joeys in the same week. Nothing like easing gently back into the saddle??!!

We are also receiving injured echidnas already as they are on the move looking for mates and getting into strife with dogs and cars in their way! We received a 5.44kg female echidna which had been hit by a car on Main Road, Coromandel Valley, just near the school. She was such a magnificent specimen with rolls of fat on her shoulders as she was doing very nicely. She had a few broken spines along her back, indicating that a car had run over her, but most alarmingly - her nose was puffy, twisted and blowing bubbles. She was X-Rayed confirming that the two tiny toothpick like bones along the sides of her nose were both broken through. Because of this she could not possibly feed, and would slowly starve to death if released. The Vet put her to sleep but was able to use her to illustrate echidna care in a new book that she was writing!

A Tawny Frogmouth also had a vehicle impact and died from internal injuries as a result.

If you find injured animals

If you find animals or birds on the side of the road in a dazed state or with obvious injuries, the most important thing to do is to warm them up gently and slowly in a darkened quiet room by placing them in a box with a hot water bottle under one end of the box. This gives them the opportunity to move away from the heat, and to avoid dehydration, or back onto the heat if they are cold. This simple act saves lives day or night, then get it to a carer or Vet the next day, unless a cat is involved in which case, get it to a vet/carer immediately. Delaying antibiotic treatment is a death sentence. Please don’t leave them out in the cold to be ravaged by predators whilst in a weakened state. Keep an eye out at the moment for the “echidna trains” as the boys are following the girls hopefully for days and hectares in hope of a change in their luck!! Cheers, Bev. Langley.

Cheers,
Bev. Langley

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www.mintonfarm.org