Platypus are monotremes [egg laying mammals]. After mating, eggs are incubated between the belly and the tail and hatch after 10 to 12 days . The young will then suckle until they are weaned at four to five months old.

Montremes have a lower body temperature than other mammals.

Platypus are capable of a soft growling noise if disturbed or threatened.

Platypus have a dense waterproof coat and an underfur for insulation. Their paws are webbed for swimming and treading water, however the web on the forepaw folds back to enable the platypus to walk or burrow.

The male has a spur located behind the hind foot and is connected to a poison gland. The spur is used to wound enemies and other males, during mating season.

Platypus use their electro-sensitive bill to locate and probe for food including worms, insects, crustaceans and tadpoles. Their prey is carried to the surface in cheek pouches to be eaten. Adults have no teeth, instead small, horny pads to hold and crush prey.

Pademelons are stocky animals to move easily through dense vegetation. Males are much larger than females, reaching up to 12kg and a height of around 1.2m. Females weigh only around 4kg by comparison.

Pademelons love rainforest and wet gullies in open eucalypt forest. They venture into open areas to feed but stay within close range to forest edge.  They love short green grasses and herbs and green shoots. They form an important part of the diets of Tasmanian devils and Wedge tail eagles in the wild.

Most Pademelons are born in early winter. They are Macropods which give birth to a single young. Gestation time is 30 days with young remaining in the pouch for nearly 7 months. They are weaned at around 8 months. Pademelons are sexually mature at 15 months

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Revised: 10/21/04.