Aussie Animal Encounters

We don't have koalas hanging out of our gum trees, or platapuses (Platapi?) swimming in our creeks, but we do get to have fun with various Aussie animals that I never had imagined. In November, whilst I was getting our mail, our neighbor came over and asked us if we wanted to come over and see the joeys they were taking care of. Um, yeah!

Now this might be commonplace for all my Aussie mates, but the thought of Joey-sitting never crossed my mind. Turns out their grandmother was taking care of two joeys for a friend (who was rehabilitating 16 of them) and she brought them with her to the neighbors for the day because they have to be taken care of all day and night, just like a baby.

Each Joey had its own sweatshirt-material pouch that they hung from (they hooked them up on bunk bed posts) and they stayed in the pouch most of the day. So the kids each got a turn to give them really big cuddles and were amazed at how soft they were.

Sydney got to feed one of them its afternoon meal - she laughed the entire time. The neighbor asked if Sydney wanted to help "toilet" the Joey afterwards, and that's when she stopped laughing.

John's 3-year-old Kindy class had the "Animal Man" come for a visit one session and I was lucky enough to be one of the Parent helpers that day. John was very excited about the snakes - he has no fear of them at all. He and his friend put the snake around their shoulders together, and then John and I got a turn (horrible photos that I refuse to put on the internet). He then wanted his own turn.

As much as he loved the snakes, I think he loved the tree frogs even more. He talked about them for a week. He especially liked the sticky feet. And as soon as we got in the car, he asked me if we could get a frog for a pet.