Another quenda to admire

@JudyEv (352167)
Rockingham, Australia
February 21, 2025 12:27am CST
We stayed with my brother-in-law the other day and had our morning coffee under the patio. He has a large block which has a lot of vegetation including many native species. This is the ideal environment for the Australian marsupial, the quenda, or bandicoot (Isoodon fusciventer). There are several sub-species of bandicoot. The one in the photo is only young. The adult one we saw was almost twice this size. My BIL throws out a small amount of muesli for them and they are becoming quite tame as long as you don’t move quickly or make loud noises. He has a love/hate relationship with them as they like to dig up worms and grubs, to the detriment of many of his plants. Please don’t make disparaging remarks about this little quenda (that's a joke) as he is very cute and quite harmless. And nothing like a rat.
22 people like this
19 responses
@jstory07 (143713)
• Roseburg, Oregon
21 Feb
He is kind of cute.
4 people like this
@JudyEv (352167)
• Rockingham, Australia
21 Feb
I think they are lovely. There will be some at our first house-sitting place.
@arunima25 (90100)
• Bangalore, India
21 Feb
I remember one earlier post of yours with the picture of quenda and I thought that it belongs to the rodent family. Well, they look so much like them. And from that day, I have remembered that Quenda is a marsupial. He looks cute.
2 people like this
@JudyEv (352167)
• Rockingham, Australia
21 Feb
They seem to be doing really well now whereas once they were rarely seen and thought to be endangered.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (352167)
• Rockingham, Australia
21 Feb
@arunima25 There is a lot of work being done now trying to control foxes and feral cats. These are the main predators of small marsupials.
1 person likes this
@arunima25 (90100)
• Bangalore, India
21 Feb
@JudyEv That is nice to hear. Hope that other endangered species also get a revival.
1 person likes this
@ptrikha_2 (47808)
• India
21 Feb
Looks quite cute ! However it does looks quite similar to rats although the reason could be that it too perhaps likes to dig and go underground.
1 person likes this
@ptrikha_2 (47808)
• India
23 Feb
@JudyEv I think Australia has a lot more Marsupials than other parts of the world. May be its Geography favored this animal category? Just guessing!
1 person likes this
@ptrikha_2 (47808)
• India
23 Feb
@JudyEv Yes that is why Koalas and Kangaroos and even Ostrich are so unique!
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (352167)
• Rockingham, Australia
22 Feb
Quendas often sit more hunched up and then they don't look so much like rats.
1 person likes this
@allknowing (144914)
• India
21 Feb
We do not spare bandicoots if we spot them. They are destructive
1 person likes this
@allknowing (144914)
• India
22 Feb
@JudyEv In what way could they be different Different may be because there is someone who loves them in Australia and that is the difference[em]
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (352167)
• Rockingham, Australia
22 Feb
@allknowing the Indian bandicoot rat or greater bandicoot rat (Bandicota indica) is not a marsupial but a species of rodent so it IS different to the Australian bandicoot. Some things have the same names in different countries but are not the same. For instance, our bird, the robin, is different to the English robin and they are both different to the American robin.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (352167)
• Rockingham, Australia
22 Feb
They might be a bit different to ours.
1 person likes this
@id_peace (15376)
• Singapore
21 Feb
This looked like a mouse deer or something towards that direction.
1 person likes this
@id_peace (15376)
• Singapore
23 Feb
@JudyEv We did see them once or twice but not often we saw.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (352167)
• Rockingham, Australia
22 Feb
Are mouse deer common in Singapore?
1 person likes this
@Ronrybs (20451)
• London, England
21 Feb
A handsome little chap. How big do they grow?
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (352167)
• Rockingham, Australia
22 Feb
Adults grow to roughly 40–50 cm (16–20 in) in length and weigh about 1.2–1.850 kg (2.65–4.08 lb). The ones at our next house-sit are apparently quite tame so I'm looking forward to seeing them.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (352167)
• Rockingham, Australia
24 Feb
@Ronrybs Apparently they come in for some food. There is also a blue-tongued lizard that takes strawberries off the end of a stick. Fun times ahead.
1 person likes this
@Ronrybs (20451)
• London, England
23 Feb
@JudyEv Probably be expecting breakfast!
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (163287)
• United States
22 Feb
At last, something to put in an animal alphabet that starts with "Q"
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (352167)
• Rockingham, Australia
22 Feb
Yes, that's true. I hadn't thought about that.
• China
22 Feb
Lovely quenda ! At first sight it is like a rat.To my surprise there are varieties of marsupials over there.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (352167)
• Rockingham, Australia
22 Feb
We have a great many marsupials. Many are kangaroo-like but differ in size and in other areas.
1 person likes this
@RebeccasFarm (94517)
• Arvada, Colorado
22 Feb
Harmless, but I don't want one.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (352167)
• Rockingham, Australia
22 Feb
They are very gentle and quite harmless.
@Juliaacv (53261)
• Canada
21 Feb
This is a really little guy.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (352167)
• Rockingham, Australia
21 Feb
The adult is quite a bit bigger but wasn't as laid-back as this little one.
1 person likes this
@Juliaacv (53261)
• Canada
21 Feb
@JudyEv Young ones can be innocently nieve.
1 person likes this
@Tampa_girl7 (52292)
• United States
23 Feb
I wonder how big they get ?
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (352167)
• Rockingham, Australia
23 Feb
The adults grow to roughly 16–20 inches in length and weigh about 2.65–4.08 lb.
@RasmaSandra (84535)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
21 Feb
That is such a cute critter. I would love to have one but I can imagine what would happen to my apartment once the quenda and cats started chasing each other.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (352167)
• Rockingham, Australia
22 Feb
Yes, I can't imagine cats and quendas getting along very well.
1 person likes this
@dgobucks226 (36491)
22 Feb
Like squirrels cute but harmful to lawns and gardens. You dirty rat (marsupial)
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (352167)
• Rockingham, Australia
23 Feb
They don't harm the lawns but they do dig up plants.
1 person likes this
@ekta54 (1355)
• Delhi, India
21 Feb
He is cute.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (352167)
• Rockingham, Australia
21 Feb
Thanks. I'm glad you think so.
1 person likes this
@ekta54 (1355)
• Delhi, India
21 Feb
@JudyEv most welcome.
1 person likes this
@AmbiePam (97790)
• United States
21 Feb
I was going to see he looked like a cute version of a rat. But I remember Steve Irwin showcasing the quenda, and I didn’t think they looked like a rat at all. I’d much rather run into one of these than a rodent.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (352167)
• Rockingham, Australia
21 Feb
When they sit bunched up, they look even less like a rat.
1 person likes this
@jobelbojel (36806)
• Philippines
21 Feb
I thought it is really cute.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (352167)
• Rockingham, Australia
21 Feb
I'm hoping one day we'll have enough vegetation to have quendas here.
@FourWalls (74291)
• United States
21 Feb
Yes, it does, but understand that we only have one marsupial in America, the very ugly opossum. We need some cute ones!!!
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (352167)
• Rockingham, Australia
22 Feb
We have possums but they are much prettier than your O-possums. I love the photos of mother opossums with babies hanging off all over them.
1 person likes this
@wolfgirl569 (115405)
• Marion, Ohio
21 Feb
I like rats as long as they are not near my house . He is cute
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (352167)
• Rockingham, Australia
22 Feb
I don't like rats but I like these little cuties.
1 person likes this
• United States
21 Feb
It's so interesting to see an animal I'm not familiar with. He does look a bit cute
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (352167)
• Rockingham, Australia
22 Feb
Tourists love our kangaroos which is understandable.
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