Joey

As the sun sets low in the sky,the purple glow looked amazing, Tina watched the sun set,waiting for the wildlife to come in for a feed.

She did this every night at dusk.

Tina a carer for Joeys that had lost their mum to road kill.

She,being a carer for many years,waited as the made their way in from the bush,as they jumped in for a feed and greeted her on the patio,Tina noticed a big buck not seen by her before.

She knew them all as she had raised them from joeys.

But this one was new to the mob.

She walked out with her grain to feed them.

As she put the grain into the bowls for them,the big buck came over to her.

He was not friendly,he kicked Tina to the ground,and would not stop kicking her.

Finally Tina was able to get back onto her feet,she made her way back to the house.

She could not breath,was covered in blood and in shock.

Tina found her phone and rang for help.

Being so far away in the bush land,it took the ambulance 20 minuets to arrive.

Tina was taken to hospital,and spent the next two weeks recovering.

She had almost died from her attack.

With three broken ribs,as collapsed lung ,and many deep large lacerations.

She was told she was lucky to still be alive.

But this kangaroo attack did not stop her .

Once back on her feet, she went back caring for the joeys and kangaroos.

Still today with two more joeys in her care,she feeds the wild ones a night,and joeys every three hours.

To raise a joey can take up to eighteen months.

They need to be feed,every two or three hour.

So you need to be up at night to do this.

Macropods need to be feed lactose free milk.

There are four stages for this,joeys with eyes closed,ears down.

Joeys furless ,darkening skin,eyes open,ears becoming erect.

Next joeys with fine fur,eyes open ears erect.

And the next stage joey short fur,still in pouch but begins to eat grass and dirt.

They have a better chance to life if furred,pinky's are hard to raise,some never make it,but the carer will always try.

Many tears and broken heart come with being a carer.

Every one that is raised and set free,is a blessing.

The grow up thinking that you are their mum.

They trust you with the life,and you do every thing you can to make them feel happy,as if upset,no cared for right,they will become sick.

Slowly you wean them from milk to water,and give them grain and grass.

When you think ready,you open the door and let them free.

But they will always come back to you for milk and a feed for months.

If they become sick, they will come home,that's when the high price of vet bills hit your pocket.

One joey went blind from a virus,the cost to try and save him was $2,500 ,but you have to try ,that joey had to be put down,vet bill still had to be paid.

No one gives you money to raise a joey,all comes out your own pocket.

One of Tina"s kangaroos that had been in the wild and free for two years came back coughing, he was a big roo now,he had pneumonia

So came back home to mummy.

He jumped up onto Tina's bed and just lay there coughing.

Tina new what she had to do,so went to the vet who gave her a needle and medication, Tina had to give him three needles a day for a week.

Tina slept on the bed with him each night for that time,hugging,and holding him close.

Once he was well he hoped up and went back to the bush land.

Another kangaroo came back bleating,the kangaroo wanted her to follow her.

Tina followed the kangaroo into the bush land,the kangaroos joey was on the ground,the little joey had jumped onto a big stick,and know could not get up as the stick had gone right through her leg.

Another trip to the vet was needed.

Mum and bub back together again now happy.

Then there was golly gosh a big buck kangaroo that Tina had raised.

He got himself stuck in the mud in a dam,somehow he found his way out,and found his way home,back to mummy.

He was covered from top to toe in mud,even his eyes were closed over,how he found his way back home ,who knows.

The mud had dried hard like cement,he jumped inside to mummy.

Tina took him outside and hosed him down the best she could.

Golly gosh then went back inside the house and jumped on Tina's bed.Tina's husband had to sleep on the lounge chair.

Golly gosh was tried,weak,he must have worked hard to pull himself from the mud.he slept on the bed for four days.once better and a good feed,of he went back to the bush land.

Every August every year,Tina knows new baby joeys will come into her care,no matter how small they are she will be there trying to save them,she always has a pouch hanging near the fire place,most times with a joey.

The two joeys she has now are ready to go free,but they do not want to go for good just yet.

each night Tina sets them free to find there way around the bush land.

But every morning,there they are on the back deck,waiting for some milk and a feed.

One of these joeys has already a joey in her pouch,

She lets Tina have a peek with no worries.

The fun of seeing this joeys joey grow is amazing,when first noticed was the size of a jelly bean, now the size of a mouse.

Tina is hoping that her joey will let her see this amazing life grow.

It is a rare amazing journey to watch a joey grow from a bright red jelly bean to become a little joey.

Tina has been given that great gift to follow the journey.

Time again for Tina to fill the bowls with feed sit back and watch the kangaroos come in for their feed.

All the ones she has raised will be patted ,hugs,and love will follow.

No kangaroo will go without food while Tina is alive to feed them.

Every kangaroo that loses its mum will be cared for,given love and trust.

Tina will never let the terror of that night stop her caring.

Born to help the wild life she will say,if you ask her.

For many years now and to come,as long as she can she will feed and care for them

Every sunset,every sunrise..