Long tailed “Bandicoot”

It was one of those days to be remembered forever; it started with a phone call to Native Animal Rescue from a local factory – we have found a bandicoot on our premises, it is being cared for by the receptionist, it doesn’t seem too well, could we come and collect it.

I walked into the office and there was the receptionist, animal on lap, giving it a drink and sharing some fruit from her lunch with it. Around her were a bunch of the factory blokes, all giving advice and showing all those signs of wanting to have a pat but too macho to dare.

One quick look at the animal cuddled up on her lap, being stroked, told me all I needed to know. This bandicoot had a very long tail, much longer than I had seen on any bandicoot. I cleared my throat and said, “I am sorry to tell you this Ma’am, but that is not a bandicoot, you are cuddling a rat”.

I have never seen someone jump up so quickly, it was as if her chair exploded. The rat went flying through the air; one moment it was enjoying sitting in the lap of luxury, the next it was being rejected with all the adrenalin charged force of a self respecting receptionist in full panic. Her scream alone was enough to shatter the nerves of even the most well adjusted rat.

Needless to say, the blokes were laughing hysterically and I bet one receptionist is still trying to live it down. You know how it is, the skirt would have been washed five times straight, and then donated to charity, and the hands washed and disinfected relentlessly.

How did she get it to sit on her lap in the first place? They were baiting for rats and no doubt it had eaten the poison bait.

Next time you see a rat or a bandicoot, just check the length of the tail – if it’s longer than the body, it is not a bandicoot. Check out photos of Quendas (bandicoots) in the Photo Gallery.