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Kangaroo Joeys
Mum may be dead, but the joey may not be.
If you see a dead kangaroo on the road, check if there is a joey in the pouch. Be aware of your own safety if pulling off a busy road. If there is a live joey remove it gently from the pouch. If it has a firm clasp on the teat you may need to cut the teat from the kangaroo: but make sure the cut end has a safety pin or similar so it cannot be swallowed. Wrap it in a soft towel (you can rub it over the mother’s body first to make it smell of the mother) and keep it warm using either the warmth of your body or a hot water bottle wrapped in a blanket. Furless joeys are like premature babies; they are unable to regulate their body temperature. Keep the Joey quiet. It is a wild animal and stress can kill it, so do not play with it, and keep it away from children, pets and loud noises.
Make a mistake and you can lose the Joey.
Do not force-feed a joey or offer it cows’ milk (this will cause diarrhoea). Joeys have to be properly toileted, so get it to a marsupial rehabilitator as soon as possible. If you do not know one, telephone Native Animal Rescue for the contact details of an experienced rehabilitator. If there will be a delay in delivering the animal to a carer, telephone Native Animal Rescue for advice on what to do in the interim.
