About to walk back up the steps with an armful of wood, I had to look twice to believe what I saw: the little echidna suspended from my verandah edge. Why on earth was it there and how did it get there?
I quickly opened the flimsy wallaby gate and saw that, although it was hanging on tight to the lattice, it wasn’t wedged or stuck. I figured it had suddenly felt thin air beneath it and panicked. Poor little thing!
I dragged the netting away from under it, in case it fell and was caught in that. Then I propped planks and blocks of wood under its rear, hoping it would sense their solidity beneath it, and retreated to let it calm down.
It worked, and surprisingly soon it backed down, crept through the railings and on to the second bottom step.
But it can’t have been all that panicked. Instead of making a getaway to the safety of non-human territory like grass, it had a leisurely and thorough scratch amongst its spines, first with one clawed foot, then the other.
Only then did it ease itself rather awkwardly down the steps and waddle away. I removed the planks.
It was back in the yard next day; I have a feeling this echidna may get too comfy around me and too invasive of my territory, like a certain young wallaby!
Yes Gaye, although some of the ‘moments’ are less than welcome!
Your life is never a dull moment on your mountain top, Sharyn. Lovely story!
Cheers,
Gaye
Jenny, I wonder if this one has some sort of sensory loss; have now spotted him in odd situations, baulked almost, like a friction toy car when it hits a wall. But it may be because there’s often the big blonde one about in the yard at the same time, so he is pretending to be the wall!
Great shots of this little cartoon-like character.
Please let him stay comfy around you and your territory;
we need more photos like these and he needs the
security of your verandah steps to groom and to do what
echidnas like to do best (whatever that is).
The secret life of echidnas……..?
Jenny
Cute, but very out-of-context!
Haha! It is very cute!