Biddi Brushtail Possum

By Chris R.

On a busy Saturday afternoon we received a message of yet another baby possum in need. Hurriedly packing up from work, we made our way to a suburban house where we were greeted by a tree lopper, tightly holding a box containing a large teddy and tiny brushtail joey.

The previous day, the tree lopper described that unbeknown to his team, the large branch being felled was housing a mother possum and her baby. Mum possum ran frightened into the distance, leaving her distressed baby with the stunned workers. They scooped up the hissing baby and made her warm and safe, before Googling for help.

Biddi was a tiny 154g on arrival but adjusted readily to Sanctuary life, enjoying her formula and the plentiful native blossoms from the Valley’s gardens. She was keen to try a variety of foliage and vegetables, hissing in anticipation of new snacks throughout the day. Coming along to the office to facilitate her four hourly feeds, Biddi reminded us if we were late, peeking out of her pouch and vocalising on cue when it was time for a meal.

Now Biddi is only on three milk feeds a day and weighs over 300 grams. She is bold and playful, and her cheekiness is very different to the personality of shy foster sister, Miss Grabby Hands.

Biddi will soon be moving into a larger cage, so be sure to watch this space to see her adventures as she grows!

Around the Sanctuary – Flowering Gum Trees

By Chris R.

Many of the native trees in the Valley this year were very late to flower, with buds not becoming evident until the new year. Come the end of January, however, the long awaited blooming was well worth the wait, with the Sanctuary’s  gum trees producing masses of flowers like never before! 

The marri (Corymbia calophylla) and red flowering gum (Eucalyptus ficifolia) burst into colour overnight, much to the excitement of the insects, birds and possums. They provide incredible forage for many of the animals in care – you can just imagine the excitement!  

After the trees' record flowering, the grounds of the Sanctuary are carpeted with a sea of colourful stamens. But it’s not the end of native treats as soon there will be copious gumnuts for the parrots – the natural delicacies just keep on coming!

New Arrivals – The Baby Goat Gang

By Chris R.

Summer of 2020 has been super busy for new arrivals. With over twenty new animals in just four weeks, the PVAS team has been flat out on rescue and veterinary missions.

The Baby Goat Gang were among this wave of new arrivals, being impounded after escaping a semi-rural block south of Perth. No owner came forward to claim the tiny goat family and we were contacted to take them to a safe place.  

Nanny, her two kids Elf and Latte, buck Angelo and tiny Tinkerbelle, were excited to arrive in the Valley and despite the heat, took to adventuring in their new quarantine paddock immediately once the horse float was opened.  

Shy at first, the group soon discovered the importance of the hay cart and Weetbix box and are already calling expectantly at dinner time! 

Given the close bond between the five tiny caprines, we have decided that the family will be staying together, although Angelo is scheduled for castration as soon as his vaccinations are up to date.  

We are uncertain of the whereabouts of tiny Tink’s mother, although she appears to be coping fine with her extended goat and human family.

We are so happy that we could give the Baby Goat Gang a new start in the Valley of Hope, all made possible by our generous supporters – be sure to stay tuned for news of their Sanctuary adventures!

'Goodnight Possum Valley' Family Tour

By Chris R.  

In late February, we were excited to run another ‘Goodnight Possum Valley’ family tour. As the sun set over the Sanctuary, visitors were able to meet many of the resident rescue animals before heading into the forest on a nocturnal bushwalk. While exploring the forest, the group was fortunate to spy one of our wild possums by torchlight (squee!), who was just as curious of the visitors as they were of him.  

Following the torchlight adventures, everyone returned to the barn to have story time with Sanctuary volunteer Kym. Relaxing on blankets under the barn’s fairy lights, Kym read ‘Goodnight Possum Valley’, our story book highlighting some of the residents encountered during the night tour. Red Rooster, Joy Puppy, Timmy Lamb and Daisy Calf were just a few of the many rescues remembered by the children after their tour.

If you would like to come on our next ‘Goodnight Possum Valley’ nocturnal tour, please keep an eye on our ‘events’ tab on Facebook and book in to see the Sanctuary at sunset!  

Copies of ‘Goodnight Possum Valley’ can also be ordered via email for just $15, so you can enjoy saying ‘goodnight’ to the animals every night at home!