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!
Hi BB
No I don't fancy catching her at all, after all they are wild animals and if needed I would get some expert help.
I was worried last night as she didn't come at 8.30 as usual but she did turn up at 10.15 and she looks much better, all the redness and swelling has gone believe it or not. I suppose they must have really good healing ability. It looked so awful Saturday night.
I do have 3 each night who visit but last night I got a forth!! Word must get around that there is free food about!! I think I will go and buy some shares in the peanut market!!!!
Thanks for the advice
Cheryl
Poor Betty! They have so much to contend with out there! Unfortunately, the majority of sightings I have are the ones that didn't make it across the road...
So pleased that yours has somewhere to come and feed up! I'd rather have these any day than a pesky lawn!
"All weeds are flowers, once you get to know them" (Eeyore)
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Hi Cheryl, I am so glad she has returned looking much better. Let's hope that's the panic over now and she will continue to recover. Thanks for letting us know.
The necessity of bird-watching is a really good reason for avoiding all forms of housework.
The dust will still be there tomorrow - the birds may not be!
Yes, thanks Cheryl. I ditto what Squirrel says.
Cheers, Linda.
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Very good news Cheryl. You must be feeling relieved.
Yes I am very relieved, and thank you all for caring. What a nice bunch you are!!!
Perhaps it is a lesson for me, she seems to have recovered on her own very quickly , nature is a wonderful thing and perhaps human intervention is not needed as much as we think. I just feel so sorry for them and want to help. I am suprised it has gone so quickly as it looked very nasty. I will just have to keep feeding her up!! She has been coming for 5 years now, how long do they live - anyone know?
Chez
Unknown said:She has been coming for 5 years now, how long do they live - anyone know?
The oldest badger recorded was about 18 or 19 I think, but it lived in captivity. In the wild, if they manage to get past their first year, then something between about 5 and 8 years is the average. But Betty is obviously a tough girl, and she is definitely being well fed and well looked after by you, so I reckon she'll be around for a while yet.
The main cause of badger deaths is road accidents, followed by DeFRA. Oh, doesn't it make you glad to be a human being...
BB
Oh it makes me feel sick at what they are going to do here in Wales, I have signed so many petitions and written to all the MP's and AM's but they are determined to go ahead with the cull. I have had some very condesending letters back from them. I could understand it a bit more if there was proof that the cull would work but experience shows the opposite is true. I think they are just trying to keep the farmers happy.
Sorry but it makes my blood boil. One of our friends lives near Cardigan, an area where the cull is going to take place, and he is fuming that they can come onto his land and do this but he will be prosecuted if he refuses. It is all wrong - sorry again - just got off my soap box!!
Hi Chez
Yes I agree it does make your blood boil. I have signed petitions as well, if only there was something else we could do to stop it. Like you say there is no proof that the cull would work, why can't they just leave these poor creatures to get on with their lives in peace and as nature intended.
Hope Betty Badger is ok
Linda
What a wonderful world :))