A tiny, short-beaked orphaned echidna puggle who was found abandoned in a paddock has found a new home at a local zoo, with a kind-hearted veterinary nurse becoming the monotreme’s new mum.
The cute puggle was found alone and abandoned on a property last month in the Central town of Weja and fit c9 weight loss was brought to Sydney’s Taronga Wildlife Hospital to be cared for.
The miniature animal, nicknamed Weja after its hometown, is being raised by Taronga Veterinary Nurse Liz McConnell, who became the puggle’s dedicated surrogate mum.
A tiny orphaned echidna puggle (pictured) was found alone and abandoned on a property last month in the Central NSW town of Weja and was brought to Sydney’s Taronga Wildlife Hospital
Ms McConnell takes the little echidna home every night and brings Weja to work each morning in a makeshift pouch fashioned from a climate-controlled esky.
‘A puggle of this age would normally be in a burrow where it is relatively cool, probably no more than 23 degrees,’ Ms McConnell said.
The climate-controlled esky is filled with dirt, leaf litter and soft towels, making it a safe and cosy temporary home for the puggle.
The miniature animal, nicknamed Weja after its hometown, is being raised by Taronga Veterinary Nurse Liz McConnell (pictured), who became the puggle’s dedicated surrogate mum
Ms McConnell takes the little echidna home every night and brings Weja to work each morning in a makeshift pouch fashioned from a climate-controlled esky
A thermometer has also been placed inside the puggle’s home to ensure the temperature isn’t too warm as echidnas are relatively sensitive to the heat.
Ms McConnell said she feels honoured to be the puggle’s carer as it is her first time caring for an echidna.
‘I feel incredibly lucky and privileged to be hand-raising this short-beaked echidna,’ she said.
‘I have hand-raised other Australian natives, but this is the first echidna.These animals are so unique and it’s a real learning experience.’
The climate-controlled esky is filled with dirt, leaf litter and soft towels as well as a thermometer, making it a safe and cosy temporary home for the puggle
The vet nurse said many of her colleagues have previously cared for the quill-covered animals and are helping her during the process with any questions she has.
‘So far it’s going really well and I’m thoroughly enjoying the process,’ Ms McConnell said.
When Weja first arrived at the wildlife hospital, the animal’s eyes hadn’t fully opened, and its ears were closed.
However, after a full health assessment, which included a vet check and x-rays, it was determined to be relatively healthy with only a few scabs on its tail.
When Weja first arrived at the wildlife hospital, the animal’s eyes hadn’t fully opened, and its ears were closed
However, after a full health assessment, which included a vet check and x-rays, it was determined to be relatively healthy with only a few scabs on its tail
After studying the puggle’s body length measurements, Ms McConnell estimates Weja to be about 70 days old.
But, the puggle’s gender is still yet to be determined as it is difficult to tell with echidnas at a young age.
As part of Ms McConnell’s care for the short-beaked animal, the vet nurse has to make sure Weja receives adequate nourishment.
The tiny puggle, now weighing 280g, is fed every second day and soon it will graduate to being fed every three days.
The tiny puggle is weighed every day and is now 280g
Weja’s diet is composed of a specially formulated milk powder mixed with pre-boiled water.
Depending on an echidna’s age, it is fed a different type of milk formula, and soon Weja will transition to a formula with higher fat content.
‘Echidnas at this developmental stage will be left in their burrow by their mother for up to 10 days.When she returns, the puggle will have a big feed and can take in up to 40 per cent of its body weight in that one feed,’ Ms McConnell said.
The vet nurse has to dribble milk onto her hand for the puggle to lap up to mimic an echidna’s natural feeding style.
This is because mother echidnas don’t have nipples or teats and would secrete milk out of the pores of their skin.
Ms McConnell feeds Weija a specially formulated echidna malk which she places in the palm of her hand to mimic an echidna’s natural feeding style
By placing the milk in the palm of her hand, Ms McConnell is emulating the mother’s skin which enables the puggle to lick the milk from her palm.
Weja will happily be cared for by Liz until it is ready to be weaned, c 9 diet at about seven months old.
The little puggle will then stay at the Taronga Wildlife Hospital until it can be returned to its hometown of Weja.
‘At Taronga Wildlife Hospital, the ultimate goal with any wildlife case is to treat, rehabilitate and release the animal,’ Ms McConnell said.
‘This puggle came in as an orphan with minimal injuries, so our plan is to rehabilitate it to a point where it can be released back to the area it was found when it reaches a suitable age and at a suitable time of year.’
The little puggle will then stay at the Taronga Wildlife Hospital until it can go home to its hometown of Weja