Ernie…
My husband brought home a special little something yesterday. He thought the kids might enjoy it. He was right.
He was the star of the Granite Glen lawn for a good hour or so.
We decided it was the same echidna I photographed hurdling logs here. It’s very hard to tell really – I hate to be politically incorrect, but all echidnas look the same to me.
Before you all give me a lecture, yes I am aware that echidnas are different from hedgehogs which are different from porcupines. But did you know they are also called spiny ant eaters? (Hello Google … and also, how confusing – God was joking on a number of continents apparently!)
Ernie (as he was soon christened) was a bit of a character.
We couldn’t decide if he was :
A) quite bold for an echidna (who are known for curling into prickly balls at the slightest provocation)
B) Very OLD and therefore couldn’t be BOTHERED rolling into a ball (possibly ruling him out as our Bush Olympic Hurdler),
or
C) Injured and therefore incapable of rolling into a ball (possibly pulling a hammy attempting the Olympic Record for the Hedgehog High Jump).
He did seem to have a bit of a cold – blowing bubbles from his funny little snout. I am very proud that I caught him mid-bubble – it’s the weirdo paparazzi in me.
Which made me wonder: what do native animals use as tissues when they catch cold? These are the questions that occupy my mind…
Violet and Dash were very interested in our laid-back native monotremes (yes, of course I googled that too. What am I, a dictionary?)
Someone else was lurking nearby, pretending not to be at all interested in this prickly interloper…
Don’t even think about it Middy… I am SO not pulling spines from your curious little face, my dear!
Seeing as how we had no idea what to do with a bold/old/injured echidna, we offered him water.
As you do.
He checked it out, but refused to drink in front of us. I like to think he splashed around a little, spa-like, as soon as our backs were turned.
We will never know – he was gone when we came out this morning. And Middy’s paws were given the all-clear by forensic experts.
Over and Out from this Action-Packed Corner of the Globe. (I will try to tone down the pace of things next post, I promise).
🙂
BB
PS For the more adventurous reader, check out paragraph 4 of the Wikipedia description. Jenny, I think you may have found inspiration for that extra song!
11 Comments
JENNY TALIA
can you ship one of those to Chitown? M&M would live him! Fluffy? Probably not so much.
JENNY TALIA´s last blog post ..*insert title here*
connie
I LOVED this post! What a face … I’m sure his mother found it quite pleasing but I think he’s had a bit too much sun in his long life of not balling up in the noonday sun. A witty, well written and well photographed bit of prose there, BB. You provided more than a few chuckles to begin my day. Thankyou!
Leenie
Reminds me of my next door neighbor–sullen, crabby, prickly and with a touch of nasal congestion. Love the little dirt nest Middy is using to keep the paws cool.
Isn’t Google wonderful for providing info (correct or not) to help us sound so knowledgeable?
Leenie´s last blog post ..A RED WHEELBARROW
Margie from New York
Do they loose their quills like porcupines? I thought they were more like hedgehogs and they were attached like hair, kinda? 🙂 IDK I’ll Google it. Ok, so don’t Google porcupine quill. Thank goodness my dogs aren’t allowed to roam, but I digress.
I think echidnas are very cute though, and the whole egg nursing pouch thing is amazing.
Jodie aka mummaducka
A friend had a flat tyre at an event the other day and thought that the tyre was coming apart as we saw these sharp bits of wire coming out, until I pointed out to heer that they were echidna quills and that’s why the tyre was flat. I am hoping that as they were in the wal that she only nicked it and didn’t squash it, but we were all a bit upset, poor little fellas really don’t do any harm!
jeanie
Okay, I read paragraph 4 and am wondering what sort of scientific study was undertaken to verify their claims…
jeanie´s last blog post ..B-lime-y (otherwise known as the July post)
Colin (HB)
Ha ha! Great post BB.
Great to see kids and cat kept their distance, also that curiosity kept you from unending said echidna to endeavour to discover what sex! Very sensible indeed, those quills might have been rather painful to remove.
Now what next will Mr. “I” bring back?
Cheers
Colin
PS: Best to leave all olympic discussions off your blog. Terrible results but far too much was expected. Questions will be asked after this is over. I don’t think a chartered Qantas flight will be called for to bring the team back to Sydney.
Debby
My gosh. I have to say that I know far more about echidnas that I ever dreamed I’d know.
wanders off muttering *four heads?* What a thing that must look like. I’m afraid, like Colin, I’d have to flip him to see such a thing.
Debby´s last blog post ..Wrong.
Colin (HB)
OK, Debby, you do the flipping and I’ll do the quick examination to find out if our prickly friend is Ernie or Erica!
Cheers
Colin
Debby
Oh, no. If I’m flipping him/her, it’s because I want a look.
I hope that bubble doesn’t mean that the poor spiney thing is ill.
Debby´s last blog post ..Nostalgia gum and other nonsense
Colin (HB)
No, Debby, I don’t think the echidna requires specialist attention, just a bit of the common cold. Just a bit lax I think of BB and Co. not having tissues available for nose blowing.
Such a pity a “flip” wasn’t done, still at the speed of echidnas I suppose “Ernie/Erica” will only be within the garden precincts still. I bet that Middy knows the exact location!
Cheers
Colin