Jane Fearby

Adele - November 2011

Adele, a 26 day old, Black Flying Fox, came to me not long after I received Bono and Edge. Because she was female she was named after Bono's wife. Unfortunately, we discovered at a later date, her name is Alison. We were already use to calling her Adele, or Del, so we stuck with it.

Found in Maclean, without her mother see seemed so tiny. She loved her bottle and really took to gulping her food down. Adele also loved her cuddles and would laying in my hand for a scratch as Bono would. While eating yoghurt, she ate like a lady. Unlike Bono, who would plant his face in the dish and only come up for air.

She loved her bath time and would stretch out her arms and turn her head for you gracefully.

Adele went of to crèche in February 2012, were she will learn how to be a wild bat.

Photo - Bono inspecting Adele after she dare touch his food dish.

Bono & Edge - 9 November 2011

Bono and Edge, both male Black Flying foxes came to me on the 9th November 2011. Bono was found by a lady in Grafton, named Mrs Debono, so Bono was named after her. Edge was found in Maclean and the only name to suit, was Edge. At 23 and 37 days old, these little fellla's were under weight.

Sadly, Edge died the next day. Bono thrived though. He loved his bottles and cuddles and game my mother calls "Tickle Tummy". You slowly move you finger towards him, wiggling it, saying tickle tummy. His arms would stretch out and as you tickled him, he'd grab you and giggle.

He grew up to be very Alpha like. He was very protective of his food dishes and didn't like you touching them. I had him next to my laptop and he'd often come over to me and stretch out his arms, begging for a cuddle.  I'd open my hand, palm facing up and he'd lay there as I scratched his belly. Even as he grew, he never got too old for cuddle time.

Bono went of to crèche in February 2012, were he will learn how to be a wild bat.

Gremlin - February 2010

This little guy is a Microbat from the vespertilionidae family (see description below), and came to me in when he was just starting to grow fur. I don't know how he came to be in care.

I named him Gremlin because he looked like one when he flashed his teeth. He never got to become a wild bat. I couldn't find help when it come to finding him a cr?he.

I taught him what I could, but couldn't teach him to hunt insects, despite filling his cage with live moths, flies and anything else a wild insectivorous bat might eat.

He never looked side ways at them if they weren't coming from my hand. I did manage to get him eating on his own from a D cup (picture right). He would site watching the live food moving about until he worked up the courage to try one. Once he started eating on his own, he often made a pig of himself and became over weight, by 1 or 2 grams, which is a big deal for a microbat who's normal weight may only be 6 grams.

When he began to show in interest in flying, I managed to capture his first flight attempt (pictured left) which didn't last very long, but he was always keen to try again and was soon circling my bedroom. Sometimes, he would land on my bed and other he would return to me and scamper up my shirt and barrel roll over the collar and dive between my boobs and snuggle up.

Sadly, it was my boobs that killed him. He liked try get under them, for warmth and on 14th August 2010 they smothered him. It broke my heart, this little guy looked to me for food, shelter, warmth and love, and I killed him.

Tevan & Boots - December 2008

Are both Black Flying Fox and listed as vulnerable to extinction.

Though not related to each other, I called them my twins, my little darlings and came to me on the 7th December 2008.

Tevan (left) was found out in the rain and stuck on a barbed wire fence by his wing membrane at Ballina. He was cold and wet and very hungry. 

Boots (right) was also found Moleville Rocks Road, Moleville on the ground and in the rain. We don't know what happened to their mothers.

Unlike most flying fox babies, these two didn't like their dummy's and would literally spit them out. In the wild baby flying foxes hold on to their mothers nipple for security while flying, or roosting and very rarely let go. Without the security of a dummy or nipple, they think they are going to fall and often panic and call out, but not this pair.

They didn't like being left alone in their bed and always wanted their mummy (me). If they couldn't have mummy, their would scream out until they got what they wanted. I would spend most of my day trying to avoid their out stretched arms when venturing too close to them, or give in and continue my day with them hanging on my shirt as seen in these pictures.

They developed early, and started flying at 12 weeks of age. They had the incentive, mummy was just across the room, trying to sleep in her bed. Some mornings I'd wake to find both hanging from my quilt, dangling down either side of me, happy as Larry. If I put them back in bed, they carried on something terrible. They were probably swearing at me, though I didn't teach them how.

I had to take them to cr?he early because of their early morning flight habits. I missed them but like any new mother, I did enjoy getting to sleep in.

Update - July 2009

While updating my training at the Flying Fox & Microbats course held at the Lismore UNI Campus I discovered that Tevan had come into care again. He wasn't seriously injured but I was told that he instantly reverted to a baby and enjoyed getting cuddles again. He was eventually returned to the wild again.

Lily - November 2007
Lily is a Black Flying Fox and listed as vulnerable to extinction.

This little girl came to me from Northern Rivers WIRES. Like Tuesdai she was also very quiet baby and never caused a fuss. The only time she made a noise was when I took her dummy away to feed her and then again when I'd take the bottle from her to replace the dummy.

I would often catch her just looking off into space, and I would try to imaging what she was thinking. I couldn't help wondering if she was thinking of her mother or the strange creature that feed her from time to time.

She was the perfect little baby to have in care and I'll miss her, eventually she was sent off to crèche where she learnt to be a bat and was released back into the wild.

Tuesdai - 2006

Tuesdai is a Grey Headed Flying Fox and is listed as vulnerable to extinction.

This little girl had a bad start in life. Her mother ran into a power line and was badly electrocuted and died. Tuesdai was insulated by her mother's fur but sadly was now and orphan.

Tuesdai grew up to be a quiet little thing, but she loved her cuddles and would often fall asleep in my hand after being bottle fed or scratched on the back with her arms out stretched and hanging down, totally relaxed and content.

Eventually she was sent off to crèche where she learnt to be a bat and was released back into the wild.

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