The
Possum TV site is still
retired. Footage of nestboxes appears on GK's
Possum TV Live
site. GK also has a
Possum TV
blog and a
channel on
YouTube, where all of the old possum clips, and many new
ones, can be found. GK is working on additions to his possum site,
which now include bios of various possums and will eventually include
individual galleries. He has also acquired a Facebook page in the
name of Possum TV, but aside from a few photos, he is at present just
squatting there.
So far this year I have only a few brief comments. I may add more
later, but most of the possum news better fits GK's sites. This
page was updated
18/09/12.
[The photos on this page were taken by me.]
Švejk
Švejk is now about 6 years old. He is looking good.
Kiki and Flea
Kiki is quite a character. She's also a very good mother possum. She
is now 4 1/2 years old, and has had 7 babies.
Flea
Flea is Kiki's 6th baby, and is a female. She has a pronounced bit of
white on the tip of her tail. When she was still in the pouch, there
was a lot of movement in there, so much that at times it seemed that
Kiki would hold on to a branch for support. When Flea came out, she
was very hyperactive, and would leap about and climb all over Kiki
constantly. She also would sometimes just leap or fall into
nestboxes.
Marlon
Marlon is an adult male who has been in the area for about a year. As
he gets older, he begins to acquire a bit of the reddish colouring
that Švejk has. When he started to get red, a similarity to
Švejk was noticeable. It is possible that Marlon is one of
Švejk's offspring.
Marlon is probably the most shy of the brushtails I've met. I got to
know him while treating him for an infection, but after the
infection was cleared up, he went back to being cautious about
approaching. He's shy, but seems noticeably happier than when first
spotted.
Gumdrop
Gumdrop and possibly one of her babies (Lychee or Wasabi)
was attacked and eaten by a carpet python in February 2012. The
python entered the nestbox in which Gumdrop and her baby were
sleeping, struck quickly and began constricting. It then dragged at
least one body out of the nestbox, probably to the ground where it
could swallow. Then, the python returned to the box to digest its
meal. This was the first evidence of a possum being killed by a
python, although pythons have been in the area all along.
Gumdrop was a very friendly and cheerful little possum. I had had
more contact with her than any other ringtail. She is very much
missed.
Wasabi made contact a while after, so either he survived the attack,
or was not the possum in the nestbox with Gumdrop when the attack
occurred.
Kiki and Flea
This photo was taken earlier in the year. Flea is a lot bigger now
and has her first baby in the pouch.
Pinot
A Mystery Possum had been spotted earlier in the year. At first, he
checked out some nestboxes, and then slept in box 2. This was a bit
nerve-wracking, as Gumdrop was attacked in box 2, and there was
always the worry that the python (Grendel) would strike
again.
A few years ago, on a very hot day Queek was in box 2 and must have
been aware that a python was in a tree nearby. It had been thought
that he was looking out of the box because he was having trouble
sleeping in the heat, but maybe he was actually keeping an eye on the
python. If a brushtail is in the entry hole, it could possibly use
its claws and teeth to keep a snake out, and also block the hole with
its body.
The Mystery Possum had some markings that were similar to Piranha's,
but it was eventually evident that this possum was not Piranha. The
new possum was named Pinot.
Pinot is very assertive and persistent, not very shy. He seems to
have scentmarked himself more than most possums do such that much of
his fur is stained and I have wondered if this is similar to how some
people are more likely to douse themselves in cologne than others.
Pinot is very sexually successful, or perhaps something of an
exhibitionist. In more than 7 years I had never seen any possums
mating (although plenty of babies kept arriving). Pinot is the first
observed and photographed in the act: 1. with the young Flea, and
2. with Kiki. He seems to be adaptable: with Flea he was gentle
and the two of them were fairly quiet, but when it came to Kiki he
very aggressively pinned her down and the pair of them made a hell of
a lot of noise (which went on for a very long time).
Wasabi
Wasabi is a regular visitor, which is extremely rare here when it
comes to male ringtails. Another unusual thing is that he likes
banana, whereas the other ringtails I've met have refused it.
Like his mother Gumdrop, he has a very amiable personality.
Wesley
Wesley is another new young male in the area, considerably more shy
than Pinot, but still fairly persistent. Actually, I think anxious is
more of an accurate description than shy. It took him a while to get
the hang of taking food (he would come forward but not sink his teeth
in and would have to try again a few times). Once he overcame his
fear he became a regular visitor. He often comes back several times
in one evening, although he is only fed once. He seems to like to
wander around the house a bit. He still looks pretty young, but is
developing rufous colouring.
Kiki and Nosferatu
Kiki's 7th baby has a completely black tail and has been named
Nosferatu. Kiki shows her teeth more than other possums, and in one
of the first photos of Nosferatu, little fangs were visible, which is
unusual for the babies here. As of 18/09/12, Nosferatu has not been
some time.
Flea
Flea on the roof in August 2012.
possum tv 2015
possum tv 2014
possum tv 2012
possum tv 2011
possum tv 2010
Note: I receive both antibiotics and advice from a vet who has
extensive experience treating wildlife - Dr Jim
Pollock.