Here are some shots of the big day! I'll add some more notes in the next day or so...funny stories, but for now it is bed time.....I hope Micah is getting a big feed in tonight!
Ok so weeks later I return to tell the story.
When we released them it all went really well, at one stage they took off down the driveway and sat in the middle of the road, but we managed to call them back up- I think they were pretty scared so responded well to the 'tch tch tch' that Micah used to be comforted by. They got split up at one stage too, it was getting darker but finally they found each other and had a little kiss, when we knew they were together we said goodbye! 
This is the last Ro and I saw of them.
After Micah was released, Des (who has been looking after him) woke up in the morning and saw a little wobbly waiting at the orchard gate, but he ran off when she went to see him. Later that day though, on dusk, Micah appeared on her doorstep! 
Des gave him a little treat of rolled oats which he guzzled of course! She offered him some water and apparently he just drank and drank and drank! Micah used to have a habit of sitting in the burning sun and being too lazy to get up and have a drink, once I was worried about him and put some water in front of him and he drank solidly for 10 minutes! This time he did the same! 
Des said she's never seen a hopper go so crazy about it! Poor little boy musn't have been able to find any water for 24 hours! Des told me she then filled up a little water pond near the house, the smell of the water (they have good noses!) drew out Beanie from the bushes, he hopped up and started guzzling too! But the best bit was when Micah and Beanie saw each other- apparently they hopped up to each other and put their arms around each others necks and had a little cuddle! How beautiful! So great!
It was so good to hear stories from Des of Micah reappearing over the next couple of weeks, especially after a long stormy weekend! He turned up looking like a drowned rat!
It was amazing releasing them! I didn't get sad and neither did Rowan, we are just so proud of him and glad he is out where he is supposed to be! It is great he has had a pretty good life even when he was orphaned. I think that he had it all going for him though, luckily his mum wasn't hit by a car, she broke her legs in a fence and was put down. This meant that Micah didn't have to sit in a dead mummy :( for a long time getting cold and thirsty. When we got him he was a little bit dehydrated but only as to be expected after such a change. He spent a lot of time outside when he was growing up, 10 minutes in the morning to start with in just a tiny pen, with me right next to him but he got really confident outside quickly so he didn't hold on to any signs of domestication for long at all.
The day we took him outside to stay (and not come in over night) was after we had friends sleeping on the floor in our loungeroom, where Micah's area was. In the middle of the night he broke free, jumped on the couch, on the coffee table and my friend woke up and looked up to see Micah staring at him above his head!!! It was a sign, he needed to be foraging out there in the world!
Now he certainly is! Hurrah for Micah!
Ok so weeks later I return to tell the story.
When we released them it all went really well, at one stage they took off down the driveway and sat in the middle of the road, but we managed to call them back up- I think they were pretty scared so responded well to the 'tch tch tch' that Micah used to be comforted by. They got split up at one stage too, it was getting darker but finally they found each other and had a little kiss, when we knew they were together we said goodbye! 
This is the last Ro and I saw of them.
After Micah was released, Des (who has been looking after him) woke up in the morning and saw a little wobbly waiting at the orchard gate, but he ran off when she went to see him. Later that day though, on dusk, Micah appeared on her doorstep! 
Des gave him a little treat of rolled oats which he guzzled of course! She offered him some water and apparently he just drank and drank and drank! Micah used to have a habit of sitting in the burning sun and being too lazy to get up and have a drink, once I was worried about him and put some water in front of him and he drank solidly for 10 minutes! This time he did the same! 
Des said she's never seen a hopper go so crazy about it! Poor little boy musn't have been able to find any water for 24 hours! Des told me she then filled up a little water pond near the house, the smell of the water (they have good noses!) drew out Beanie from the bushes, he hopped up and started guzzling too! But the best bit was when Micah and Beanie saw each other- apparently they hopped up to each other and put their arms around each others necks and had a little cuddle! How beautiful! So great!
It was so good to hear stories from Des of Micah reappearing over the next couple of weeks, especially after a long stormy weekend! He turned up looking like a drowned rat!
It was amazing releasing them! I didn't get sad and neither did Rowan, we are just so proud of him and glad he is out where he is supposed to be! It is great he has had a pretty good life even when he was orphaned. I think that he had it all going for him though, luckily his mum wasn't hit by a car, she broke her legs in a fence and was put down. This meant that Micah didn't have to sit in a dead mummy :( for a long time getting cold and thirsty. When we got him he was a little bit dehydrated but only as to be expected after such a change. He spent a lot of time outside when he was growing up, 10 minutes in the morning to start with in just a tiny pen, with me right next to him but he got really confident outside quickly so he didn't hold on to any signs of domestication for long at all.
The day we took him outside to stay (and not come in over night) was after we had friends sleeping on the floor in our loungeroom, where Micah's area was. In the middle of the night he broke free, jumped on the couch, on the coffee table and my friend woke up and looked up to see Micah staring at him above his head!!! It was a sign, he needed to be foraging out there in the world!
Now he certainly is! Hurrah for Micah!
