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Story by : Jan Hughes
Photos by : Charlie Murray
                                                 
...I have a new baby. It is a baby ringtail possum. An absolute joy, and truly beautiful. Ian Lewis, our ferry contractor, found her abandoned on the road Wednesday and gave her to me!
What do I know about baby ringtails?          Nothing!
Nor did any other carers. Frantic phone calls were made and information was sought.
Coleen at Rawson, ( Coleen is the one looking after Mac ) who is a wealth of knowledge, of all things wild, urged me to have a go. Firstly I had to determine the sex. Kazumi, a fellow carer , has the best eyesight of anyone I know, so she was called in to look into it. She found a tiny pouch, so it was a girl!!!                    
Sunshine is her name
I then went  to Charlie Murray hoping he would have some food for her. That's when he took photos.  She weighs only 125gms and fits in the palm of my hand if I can get her to stay there long enough. The koala formula I keep was not suitable for her, so a rushed trip to Bairnsdale had to be made to purchase the correct milk.
She has 4 x 5ml feeds a day along with gum tips. bottlebrush tips, tea tree and grevillea tips and flowers.[Now where did I see a beautiful Grevillia recently ? ] I'll be become known as the Grevillea scrounger.
She can also have apple and melon, but not huge amounts. Faye and Charlie Murray were great. Faye loaned me a book on ringtails and Charlie printed me a whole lot of information on the subject off the web, and let me pick food from their yard. Charlie took some photos of Sunshine and they are on the web to share with you .
Must away as it is nearly feed time for my beautiful baby.
We'll keep you posted.


Jan Hughes

Scroll down for Charlie's pictures of Sunshine
     Hi all,      
Later :5 months old 150 gm
5th October : Sunshine is now 300 gramms
Sunshine was released

Sunshine was released almost 2 weeks ago, and I have been checking her progress everyday, and she is having a ball, climbing trees.

Here are latest photos of Sunshine, she has been released into the wild at a secret location and is doing  well .

Stay Safe Little One

Regards  Jan
Sunshine checking out nesting box that Charlie Murray made her.
"Home sweet Home .I will take this with me when I am released "
Last words of advice from Mum
Last cuddle
Jan releasing Sunshine.    The big day has come, with Sunshine in basket with a large box of tissues
Up a ladder putting me in my new house 
" Gee Thanks Mum "