Sad week

I have been vacillating back and forth between posting this or not, but I think the roo's deserve a fond farewell. Let me explain, it goes back one week. On Sunday morning, the 29th of August (our 2nd anniversary) I went out to feed the roos their sweet potato. At first I was surprised that Split didn't rush right over when I called, Lick came over alone. I thought he must have been laying in the gravel being lazy so I went to the side of the house to look for him, he wasn't there. I continued to search the entire yard and soon realized that he was not within the fence. I looked a little closer at the gravel near the gate and could see that there was a little burrow under the gate, just big enough for a roo. He had burrowed his way out. I frantically ran into the house and told Adam that Split was gone, we checked the front of the house and could see where he had walked in the gravel and where he possibly laid down for a little while. We both got in our cars and drove around the neighborhood and the bush around our house with the vain hope that we could find a wild roo. As you can imagine, we were not successful. We went to church and when we came home we went on a walk out in the bush behind our house calling his name, no success. About an hour later we drove out there, turned off the car but left the lights on, we called and called, hoping to hear him clicking, his way of telling us he is coming. There were no clicks. Our baby Split is out in the wild, I hope he is ready and I hope he stays where it is safe. It was time to release him but we wanted to take him to a place that is a little safer for roos, but in the end, you never know. I am just grateful that I was able to raise him from a young joey to a teenager. In all honesty he is the roo that I thought wouldn't make it, he seemed to have health issues and failure to thrive right at the beginning, but he quickly recovered. Well, he is free, we miss playing with him, he was more like a pet dog than a wild animal. I loved watching him follow Adam around the yard and I loved how he laid at my feet while I laid in the hammock. He always wanted to help me hang the laundry and would be up and peering into the window in the morning, waiting for me to come out and say hello.We will miss our pet Split.

Then three days later I went out to feed Lick and check him grain and water bowl. Again, I couldn't find him in the yard, but we had blocked the gate so he couldn't escape like Split, so I knew he had to be inside somewhere. But I couldn't find him anywhere and my anxiety started to increase. I decided to check the bushes on the other side of the pool fence, I happened to glance into our above the ground pool and to my shock and horror I found Lick. He had jumped into the pool sometime during the night and drowned. I was hysterical, I ran inside to grab my phone and called Adam from the room in the house that is the farthest from the pool, he could barely understand what I was saying but knew that he had to come home. After a few minutes of heart-wrenching sobs I finally decided that I couldn't leave Lick in there like that. I went out to the pool and after a few attempts I was able to lift him out and put him on the ground. His fur was so soft, so clean. He looked like he was ready to jump, maybe he is jumping in heaven. Adam came home and we buried Lick where he would have felt at peace and felt joy, in the bush. He is free.

Raising roos was one of the best experiences I have ever had. From the first day I felt a connection with them, especially Lick, I was their mommy. They would run after me in the yard, chirping, reminding me that they were there and didn't want to be left behind. Many an afternoon was spent with one of them laying in the hammock with me. I can't count the number of bottles I fed them, the number of sweet potatoes I gave them nor the amount of grain they devoured. They were ready to be released in a week or so, but we would have struggled with letting them go. But, we would have, and it would have been a beautiful and cathartic moment to watch them hop off into the bush, where they belong. Well, Split, you are in the bush nearby, and Lick, you are in the bush in heaven. I imagine we will see you both someday!

We Love and Miss You!

Adam and Gunda

Roo video, my how they have grown!

Just Some Pics

Ready to post!

I went outside one day and found Lick with a label stuck to his back. He must have laid down and rolled over it.

Long overdue update!

The roos are getting much bigger, they are outside all the time now and almost done using their pouches. They are still eating out of a bottle but only three times a day, which is nice for me. They also love sweet potatoes. They lay in the shade in the dirt all day, they dig a little hole to lay in to get to the cool dirt.

For some bizarre reason Lick is afraid of men now, he is fine with me but when he goes near Adam he starts shaking uncontrollably. He still goes up to Adam but trembles so much that he finally has to jump away. Some days he isn't as bad, but I think he is becoming ferral, which is good because we don't want him going up to people when he is released.

Split is still as friendly as ever, in fact, he loves attention. When we sit outside with them he stays by us the entire time.

Hmm, now I know how my mom felt when we fought

Last night I couldn't sleep so I was watching TV, when from the foyer I heard some hissing. Sure enough, Split had climbed into Lick's back, and Lick didn't like it one bit. I seperated them, put Split in his bag, only to hear the same thing not five minutes later! This went on for about an hour, I think Split finally gave up or fell asleep. Regardless, it was pretty funny. Maybe I should make a bigger bag!

Fighting siblings

Today I put the joey's in the same bag while I was giving the other one a much needed wash, well, Adam soon heard some hissing and went over and they were punching and kicking each other. They were so worked up they were sweating! Up until now they haven't had problems being in the same bag, maybe it was just too warm!

Quality Time

I was sitting in the hammock outside and Lickity and Split decided they wanted to join me. Every day they get more personality. Yesterday they were chasing themselves around the yard. Lickity's eye is doing much better, looks like it will heal. They have gained weight and now weigh about 1250 grams.

Update on Lick

I took Lick to the vet today, he has a scratch on his cornea and a corneal infection. Fortunately it doesn't mean that he will go blind! He gave me an ointment to put on it and it should clear up. Fingers crossed he will be fine. His eye is open now and then, which is progress. He still sleeps more than normal but the doctor said that he is in a little pain.

I wish we could take the roo's for a run, like you do a dog. But I am afraid I wouldn't be able to keep up! They are getting faster every day.

As for Split, he is gaining weight really fast and is getting less timid every day. He willingly takes his bottle and drinks the whole thing.

Lick holds his bottle just like a baby and soon he will be able to hold it without any help, minus the few mishaps. We have wombaroo milk all over everything, our clothes, hair, couch, their pouches, etc. At least it cleans up well. But the roo's don't like being cleaned. They clean themselves like cats do. Yesterday Adam sprayed them with the mister on the hose, they didn't like that too much but they needed it!

Ok, you are probably tired of hearing of the roo's. At least I am not sharing their bowel movements!!!

Language

Roo's have a language all their own. When they are stressed or upset they hiss. When they are happy and jumping around the make a clicking noise. We run around the yard with them and when they want us to wait up or get excited they click at us. Lick especially likes Adam, he follows him everywhere. When they want to get in the pouch they stand on their hind legs and try to climb into a pouch. They are getting more and more adventurous every day. Today they were running around all over the yard, they are so fast. Split is really getting his jumping legs, it is so cute to watch them learn.

Lick is really attached to me, he follows me around the house and he gives me kisses when I talk to him. He also tries to groom me.

Right now we are trying to keep them in seperate pouches, without much success (because of Lick's eye infection). Split is always trying to clean him. In fact, they groom each other and are learning to play together. Being in the same pouch is a little crowded at first and the hiss or swear at each other. But once they are comfortable they are fine. The are inseperable.

Lick is learning to answer to his name and comes when I call him. Split is a little younger but he is learning fast.

I love how affectionate they are. They drink very well from their bottles, even though they make a mess! I must say this is the best idea I have had here in Australia!

Trouble in paradise

We found out today that Lick has a problem with his eye. He got a scratch on it a week ago and it seemed to heal, but this morning it was swollen. I took him to the Wildlife Association and she looked at it with a torch (a flashlight) and it was white, like a cataract. We are hoping it is just pink eye but are preparing for the worst. If it is permanent he will be blind in that eye and might not be able to be released to the wild. They have places they can take him, but if that is the case I would like to keep him as long as we are up here. Please, everyone pray for him, that he gets better. It breaks my heart to see him hurt, funny how quickly we bond to animals, since I haven't been able to have a baby I guess the love that Heavenly Father gives us to care for children transfers to those helpless animals we care for. I know, this is a lot to share and Adam will say it is too personal, but who cares, I needed to share. Thanks for listening.

Raising Lickity and Split

We adopted two baby kangaroos, they are called joey's and we named them Lickity and Split. They are both about 6 months old and will be with us until they are 14 months old. We got Lick first and is named because he likes to lick me and give me kisses. Split got the name because we thought it was cute, you know, lickity split!

They are both growing fast. Split was really malnourished when we got him but is fattening up and getting more adventurous. He still prefers to stay in his pouch. They both eat from bottles.

Lick likes to chase after Adam in the yard. We will have to take a video of it. We recently changed the teats for feeding the roo's, Lick didn't like it and didn't eat much for a few days. We finally figured out what was wrong and he is eating like normal.

I am going to use this blog to track their progress, so if you are faint of heart beware, it will include bowel and eating problems. But, it will also have all the cute stuff they do and photos of their progress.

Lick was actually found by Adam's boss, he was in his yard. Karma. Split was found on the highway, his mom must have been killed by a car.

Right now they both weigh a little over a kilo, which is about 2 pounds. They are eating between 20 and 40 ml per meal. They eat four times a day. They also go to the bathroom after they eat. Their mother has to lick them to make them go to the bathroom so I use those wet pet wipes to help them go to the bathroom. Lick is really progressing, he can go to the bathroom by himself, but I still check to make sure he goes poo. If they don't go to the bathroom they can get sick.

On our walk the other day we found out that Lick really likes a plant called Salt Bush. He ate the whole thing.

The first night I got them I had them in separate pouches. In the morning I went in to feed them and Split was missing, turns out he was in Lick's pouch. It was a tight fir! Turns out that they like being together, it comforts them and keeps them warm. Plus it reminds them of their mom. So now we let them sleep in the same pouch.

They can both get out of their pouches on their own but Lick does it more than Split. They also talk, when they re upset they hiss and when we are playing with them in the yard and get too far away they click at us and tell us to wait up. They also click at each other.

Well, that is all for now, but I hope to keep track of their progress.