Laura's Unconventional Menagerie and Wildlife Rehabilitation

13/06/2025

Love is for everyone 💗💚💗💚💗💚💗💚

04/06/2025

Supporting Wildlife in Winter: Simple Steps for Your Garden

As winter starts to set in, our gardens become vital sanctuaries for wildlife. With food sources dwindling and temperatures dropping, the actions we take can greatly influence the survival of various species. Here’s how you can make a positive impact on your local wildlife, even if you have a small garden or balcony.

1. Provide Regular Food Sources

During the cold months, wildlife relies heavily on food to maintain their energy levels and warmth. Here’s how to help:

- Feed Consistently: Place food out regularly rather than sporadically. This ensures that birds and other wildlife don’t waste their energy visiting your garden for little reward.

- Choose the Right Foods: Opt for fat-rich and high-calorie foods like sunflower seeds, corn, and peanuts. These provide essential energy for birds and mammals during winter. Meat birds can be provided with mealworms or sliced chicken hearts.

Important reminder: if you do choose to provide food DO NOT provide them with processed food, bread and minced meat etc. There in no nutritional value in these foods and can lead to malnutrition, digestive issues and metabolic diseases.

- Clean Your Feeders: To prevent the spread of disease, clean your feeders weekly with a bleach solution (one part bleach to nine parts water) or apple cider vinegar mixed with hot soapy water.

2. Ensure Access to Fresh Water

Water is a critical resource. Follow these steps:

- Provide a Water Source: Set out a shallow dish or container at ground level to accommodate various wildlife. Ensure it’s accessible for birds and other garden animals that need to drink.

- Check Daily: Make sure to refresh the water daily, especially in icy conditions, to keep it clean and unfrozen. If possible, consider using a heated birdbath.

3. Create Shelter and Habitat

Shelter is essential for wildlife during winter. Here’s how to support them:

- Stack Leaves and Wood: Woody prunings and dead wood are beneficial when stacked in piles. This provides shelter for hibernating animals like lizards, and frogs.

- Leave Natural Debris: Instead of tidying up completely, leave fallen leaves and branches in your garden. Rake them into flower beds or under trees to create a natural habitat.

- Utilize Plants: Conifers and evergreens offer thermal cover and wind protection. Creating piles of rocks or brush can also provide essential shelter for various species.

- Install Bird and Possum Boxes: Consider placing bird boxes and possum boxes in your garden. These provide safe nesting sites for birds and shelter for possums, offering them a secure place to escape the cold.

4. Small Changes Make a Big Difference

You don’t need a large garden to make an impact. Even adding one or two of these elements can support local wildlife through the winter months. Remember, every small effort counts!

By providing food, water, and shelter, you can significantly contribute to the survival of wildlife during the colder months. Your garden can be a haven for birds, mammals, and other creatures, ensuring they have the resources they need to thrive until warmer weather arrives. Let’s work together to protect our unique wildlife and enjoy the beauty they bring to our gardens, no matter the season!

Share photos or tips in the comments.

📷: Baby ringtail possum for attention

✌️💛✨️

04/06/2025

Forever the girl who gets excited when the sky changes colour 🙌✨️

02/06/2025

Please follow & support 🙏

I am dedicated to the rescue and rehabilitation of our incredible and unique Wildlife. I am self funded and make no charge for my work, helping all animals and communities across the Sunshine Coast and beyond.
Through Social Media, future workshops and talks I will educate and inform, and together we can improve things for our Native animals and help our Ecosystems thrive.
I would be delighted and grateful if you would help me achieve this and more by supporting me and subscribing to my page 🙏❤️

For a small cost you can become part of my work and together we can achieve great things!

Subscribe here 👇

https://www.facebook.com/61566172655318/subscribe/

30/05/2025

💡FACT FRIDAY💡

Have you ever spotted a “little owl” perched silently in the night…only to discover it’s not an owl at all? Meet the tawny frogmouth: nature’s master of disguise (and mystery)!

💡Why It’s Not an Owl
• Despite their big, wide eyes and nocturnal habits, frogmouths belong to the nightjar family (alongside swifts and, surprisingly, hummingbirds!), not the owl clan.
• They catch prey with their broad beaks—no razor-sharp talons here! Their feet are too weak for hunting, so they rely on stealth and a sudden snap of the bill.
• Masters of camouflage, they freeze into motionless “branches,” making them devilishly hard to spot.

💡Spotting the Difference
• Male Frogmouths: pure ash-grey plumage, no rufous or brown hues.
• Female Frogmouths: a subtle long brown “malar” stripe on their cheeks—and in some, an overall rufous (reddish-brown) morph replaces the grey.
• Both sexes share those signature big eyes with bright yellow irises—perfect for nocturnal stakeouts!

💡The Winter Survival Hack: Torpor
When food is scarce and chill winds blow, the tawny frogmouth enters torpor (a mini-hibernation):
• Body temperature drops from ~38–41 °C down to ~29 °C.
• Heart rate and breathing slow, slashing energy needs.
• Short daytime bouts or longer nighttime chills help them endure colder months they’d otherwise struggle to survive.

💡Voices of the Dreamtime
In many Indigenous Australian cultures, the tawny frogmouth carries deep spiritual meaning:
• Symbol of Death: Its soft “oom…oom…oom” call at night has been linked to loss or the passage of souls in Noongar and other communities.
• Protector & Guardian: Dreamtime stories paint it as a sentinel, guarding hidden knowledge and warning of danger.
• Keeper of Balance: By hunting nocturnal pests and playing its part in the ecosystem, it helps heal the land.
• Wisdom & Intuition: Its night vision and calm demeanor embody foresight and inner knowing.
• Spiritual Messenger: Some believe it bridges our world and the spirit realm—summoning forces beyond sight.
• Shamanic Power: In Western Australia, frogmouths (alongside owls) are sometimes woven into tales of magical healing.

Next time you hear a soft, haunting “oom oom oom” in the dead of night, pause and marvel at this enigmatic guardian of the dark.

✌️💛✨️

23/05/2025

Have you ever heard of 'Anting'?

When a crow feels under the weather, it engages in a fascinating and unusual self-care routine: it makes a beeline for an anthill. While this behavior may initially appear strange, it represents one of nature's most extraordinary healing rituals.

Upon sensing illness, a crow intentionally seeks out an anthill, spreads its wings wide, and remains perfectly still, allowing ants to crawl onto its feathers. So, why does it do this? The answer lies in the ants themselves. They secrete formic acid, a natural antiseptic that effectively eradicates bacteria, fungi, and parasites that may be hiding in the bird’s plumage.

This remarkable behavior, known as “anting,” has been documented not only in crows but also in several other bird species. Interestingly, some birds have been observed using other substances for similar purposes, such as the leaves of certain plants or even aromatic substances, showcasing their resourcefulness.

Anting serves as a powerful reminder that nature often provides its own remedies—no pharmaceuticals or veterinary visits required—just pure instinct and the bounty of the environment. This behavior underscores the sophisticated self-healing systems inherent in the natural world.

Moreover, studies suggest that anting may also play a role in social bonding among birds, as they often engage in this behavior in groups. It invites us to pause and appreciate the wonders of nature and the incredible ways animals care for themselves.

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23/05/2025

Just another day at the menagerie...
Happy Friday
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07/02/2025

Notice:
I’m sharing this message on behalf of Laura. Many of you may not be aware, but my wife is dealing with multiple chronic illnesses. While she usually manages quite well, she is currently experiencing a flare-up that limits her ability to function. As a result, all wildlife operations will be temporarily halted. The wildlife in our care will continue to receive attention from her support system.

Laura will not be available for new intakes or phone calls until further notice. We kindly ask for your respect and understanding, allowing her the time to rest during this period. Thank you for your support.
Ben

27/01/2025

Hey everyone,

I wanted to take a moment to apologize for missing calls and messages today. I'm currently battling some health challenges, which have made it a bit tough to stay connected.

Here are some happy little faces I wanted to share.

Happy Monday ✌️💛✨️