What’s your dream exotic pet? For Emily Small, it’s the bare-nosed wombat, and now she has a trio thriving in her living room!
The Pandemic Made Emily’s Job as a Wildlife Rehabilitator Difficult
She began to brainstorm ways she could still work without sacrificing her health.
Then She Began Caring for Wombat Joeys in Her Very Own Home
She had the idea of letting three orphaned wombats temporarily live inside of her tiny, Melbourne, Australia apartment.
Caring for Baby Wombats Isn’t New to Emily
Integrating the little ones into her home was as difficult as some might think. After all, Emily helps co-manage the Goongerah Wombat Orphanage alongside her mother.
She and Her Mom Raise Up to Eight Wombat Joeys a Year
This has given the mother and daughter plenty of bonding time with the wombat species over the years.
Emily’s Enjoying Every Minute of it
“How can having baby wombats around you not be good company?” she said.
Although, Caring for Wombats is a Difficult Task
According to Emily, caring for baby wombats requires many resources, some of which are difficult to come across during the pandemic. Not to mention, wombat joeys love a lot of attention.
But Emily Has the Hang of it
From bottle-feeding the joeys with a special formula, to providing barks and sticks for them to chew on, to providing them a pouch-like bed to sleep in, she knows exactly what’s require for their care.
She Tries Her Best to Provide to Care for the Wombats Just like Their Mothers Would
“I try to replicate that bond as much as possible whilst responding to their individual needs and ensuring they have the necessary skills to be released.”
Regardless of the Hard Work, Emily Knows Rehabilitating Wombats is Exactly What She Wants to Do
“When they’re happy and when they’re playing, it’s the best thing that I’ve been exposed to,” she said. “Anyone who can’t smile or laugh at them when they’re doing that can’t be human.”
In my opinion, people who realize young animals have the biggest hearts!
