Oh dear my friendly badger Betty has not been seen for about 2-3 weeks (although I put extra food down later at night and it has always been eaten by morning so I thought she was coming later) Anyway she turned up tonight at about 8.30 and looks as if she has been in the wars. I don't know if you will be able to see the picture but she has been injured across her head, if you look in the white stripe you will see what looks like a tear that goes up and across to the left, (like you would see if you ripped material - 2 sides of a square) Also more on her head and there are some behind her ear. Her ear looks tatty too. Poor thing although it does look as if it has healed up now.
You have no control over what life & people throw at you - but you have full control over how you deal with it!
Poor thing. Cannot see the picture though. Am sure you will feed her up,
Sarah
I've learned that I still have a lot to learn...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bramble67/
Hi Chez,
Sorry to hear about Betty Badger,let's hope she makes a good recovery from her wounds.I can't see your picture .
Littleowl
Yes I will, as well as her peanuts etc she got some cheese and a small piece of homemade fruit cake tonight - not too much sugery things but a little treat now and then can't do her any harm I hope. I occasionally give her a honey butty and a drink of milk, she just looks up at me when I take the milk out. I know they can't see too well but I will swear she can see the white milk bottle and knows whats coming - she drinks it so quickly - spoilt rotten, just hope I am doing the right thing!!
Sorry you can't see the picture, will try again
Cheryl
I can see your second picture.
Poor thing. She does look like she has been in bother with something or other. I know nothing about badgers whatsoever, but I'm sure you are doing the right thing. She deserves a treat. Keep up the good work.
Cheers, Linda.
See my photos on Flickr
Hi Chez, so sorry she has been injured but thank goodness she has survived.
Yes she is healing well thank goodness. I do have 3 that come each night and I have seen them scrap before if all 3 come together. I wondered if she had got her head caught in something as one looks like a rip and the rest are all vertical wounds. Sorry to go one and moan so much but I feel for these animals and birds.
Chez
That must be awful living near someone that does that,I don't know what to say! By the way you are not moaning so no need to say sorry.
HiSorry to hear about your Badger, thought you may find this usefulShould I feed badgers? Badgers eat a wide variety of foods so the chances are that they will eat most of what you put out for them (or for the birds, or hedgehogs, or the dog!). But a word of caution. When foraging in the wild badgers will eat a wide range of foods giving them a naturally balanced and healthy diet. If you only ever feed one type of food, and in such quantities that they come to rely on it as a regular food source, this will upset their naturally balanced diet. It will also mean that if you go away, or suddenly stop feeding them for some other reason, the supply on which they may have come to depend will be denied them. If you want to feed small amounts on an irregular basis to attract them to your garden, or at a particular location in the wild to make sure they stay in one place long enough to watch them successfully, the best thing to use is a couple of handfuls of raw, unsalted peanuts (bird nuts). Badgers love these, and will go out of their way to investigate once they get used to being fed these at a particular spot. Just remember - don't overdo it! Please also remember to leave out plenty of fresh water at ground level where badgers can get at it. This applies not only in hot weather, but also in winter when other sources may be frozen. Are badgers territorial?Yes, but sociable within their own family group (clan). Adolescent males will leave their birth setts at a year old to establish new territories and look for mates from other social groups. Fights (almost always between two males or two females) can cause severe injuries, typically to the neck and back, just above the tail. There is normally a clear 'pecking order' within a social group so he/she may have been in a fight with another Badger
Of all creatures, man is the most detestable, he is the only creature that inflicts pain for sport, knowing it to be pain. ~ Mark Twain
Hi Birdwatcher,
Thanks for the info. I don't put loads of food out mainly peanuts and some fruit, sometimes a few left overs. or the occasional treat. When I go away I have fantastic neighbours and friends locally, and I leave a bag of food for each day and they put it out for me. They love watching them too from my back door so I have loads of volunteers!! Our next door neighbour hates them as they tear up his lawn - they leave mine alone and concentrate on the peanuts!! ha ha
I just can't resist them, especially when the ground is hard with the frosts we have had or in the summer when the clay soil we have round here is solid and cracking. I have 2 large ponds and they can get to the duck pond in the back garden for a drink (it is very shallow at one end so they can't fall in) They are such beautiful creatures.
Hi Chez, what a horrible man you have for a neighbour. You are right to worry about him. You don't think he has set a badger trap do you?