POSSUMS! Love 'em - not likely!

Awww Jenny they are SO cute, and I can see why you would miss them

Now, if we had those around here I'd lock my cats up. Aren't they lovely. You were so lucky having them visit you. The reason I have no sympathy for the possums is that they have 1750 acres of forest to roam in over the road from us, whereas my cats only have a few acres. If the possums think they'd rather raid my garden then they take their chances. My cats don't go over into the forest to chase them up gigantic trees. And you know, before white settlement possums didn't dine on roses I'm sure, and they thrived. Bandicoots on the other hand sound like a gardener's helper.

Bandicoots are fine if they stay out of the vegie garden. They are very good at uprooting plants to get to the fat juicy earthworms Here's my experiences with them
http://gardendelights.forumco.com/topic~ARCHIVE~true~TOPIC_ID~2315.asp

I'm fond of Bandicoots , you's are deal cut.
Here we get Northern long nosed Baniicoot and Northern Brown Bandicoot.
I cannot feed them because we have 2 dogs.
The Bandicoots in the tropics are known tick carriers.

Same here Gwen, they carry the paralysis tick so even if the dogs stay in the yard they are still at risk of the ticks.

So Cute

I'm lucky, Gail, we don't get paralysis tick here. Or bandicoots though, and that's a shame.

You can have all our bandicoots... lost enough vegies to them.

Better not accept your gracious offer of a herd of bandicoots, I know that cats consider them a tasty snack. They have some area down near Hamilton set up to save one sort of bandicoot, fenced so the cats don't get them.

They would be good to help out digging up the tatties Betty

Yes, I can see they would/could be a problem in a veg patch, Gail. I didn't have one as we were in total shade, except for the turn around bit of the drive, in the middle of the day. My garden was 'coot heaven, lots of cover for them.

The ones in my photo are the Southern Long Nosed, they get fairly large and would only be susceptible to cats when young. I had a photo with, I think...13 of them on my back verandah one night.

Bandicoots can give you a big fright sometimes. There was a little used shed at a nursery I used to work in and I opened the door to get something out one day and had a family of "giant rats" run straight out over my feet... boy did I jump Didn't realise until later that they were bandicoots... my husband, who was only my boss then, couldn't stop laughing... he knew that they lived in the shed but didn't tell me did he!! I've had my revenge since... I married him

Now that's really funny, Gail. I'd have thought they were rats too and nearly died of fright. Love that about your revenge.

Cheryl, Ian used to tell me to bandicoot the potatoes, aka digging around under the plant to see if they're ready. I'd like to have a bandicoot to do that for me, good idea.

And you lived Happy ever after Gail..

Is that right

You have given him a life sentence Gail

.......Gail.

Little Miss The Estate wrote:

You have given him a life sentence Gail

Good one, Cheryl.

Jennywren, must say I love your avatar.