Mokatti Malli's story in my own Jungle Book

[doranakandawatta]

Palmtalkers know already that I love this wonderful country and the nice jungle where Doranakanda gardens are located.
Many times I feel that I am writing my own Jungle Book with all the friends ( villagers), trees and  animals I can meet there (elephants, snakes, birds, wild boars, iguanas, monitors and mongoose ...)

Here starts the story of Mokatti Malli  (sinhalese name for:  mongoose young boy):
Few weeks ago a friend found this small baby lost almost in the middle of the city. He brought this poor animal to my friend, owner of Dorankanda gardens, who looked after him. in the first days cow milk was not so successful, so they found an other solution: human mother milk was avalaible and much better.
, After several weeks, Mokatti Malli became a real friend for my friend's daughter (2 years old, her name is Lodoicea (Yes), and getting the same mother's milk) and becomes very friendly. 

Mongoose are snakes predators, it may bring an issue with our neighbors cobras, but we'll see how Mokatti Malli will become...

 

 

 

[Kim]

Wow! As you know, there are mongooses in Hawaii, but I have never seen one so young (but I am not there to observe so much).  So they can be tamed at a young age? Will this one be set out to live on its own, or become a pet?  It is amusing to watch them play in groups, wrestling and running around. Odd but cute!   They remind me of meerkats.

[doranakandawatta]

As Mokatti is used to the people, and got the same mother milk as Lodoicea , it is very friendly and close to the family members.

But Kasun wants to let it live on his own.
I think that it'll be half pet half free animal

Hopefully its instinct will teach how to fight with cobras !

[Really full garden]

On 6/16/2017, 12:23:44, doranakandawatta said:

Palmtalkers know already that I love this wonderful country and the nice jungle where Doranakanda gardens are located.
Many times I feel that I am writing my own Jungle Book with all the friends ( villagers), trees and  animals I can meet there (elephants, snakes, birds, wild boars, iguanas, monitors and mongoose ...)

Here starts the story of Mokatti Malli  (sinhalese name for:  mongoose young boy):
Few weeks ago a friend found this small baby lost almost in the middle of the city. He brought this poor animal to my friend, owner of Dorankanda gardens, who looked after him. in the first days cow milk was not so successful, so they found an other solution: human mother milk was avalaible and much better.
, After several weeks, Mokatti Malli became a real friend for my friend's daughter (2 years old, her name is Lodoicea (Yes), and getting the same mother's milk) and becomes very friendly. 

Mongoose are snakes predators, it may bring an issue with our neighbors cobras, but we'll see how Mokatti Malli will become...

 

 

 

So cute!  In the future if anyone reading this rescues or rehabilitates small mammals goat milk is the best substitute for a wide range of mammals . It is even available in powdered form.

[Palm crazy]

2 hours ago, scottgt said:

So cute!  In the future if anyone reading this rescues or rehabilitates small mammals goat milk is the best substitute for a wide range of mammals . It is even available in powdered form.

I love animals, that one is a real Cutie Patootie, I’ve now a lot of people that have had half wild pets that live in the wild but come home often to see their adopted family. I have a few possum, raccoons, lots of squirrels and birds I take care of… mostly just feed them. 

It’s a good thing I don’t live out in the county I’d be feeding the bears, deer, mountain lions. LOL.

Edited June 17, 2017 by Palm crazy

[topwater]

On 6/16/2017, 1:23:44, doranakandawatta said:

 

Mongoose are snakes predators, it may bring an issue with our neighbors cobras, but we'll see how Mokatti Malli will become...

 

 

 

Your neighbors raise cobras?  Cool!  

[doranakandawatta]

2 hours ago, topwater said:

Your neighbors raise cobras?  Cool!  

No, cobras are in their habitat which is traditionally around houses:
Houses mean food and kitchen stores, which means mice and rats, which means good food for cobras.

It means that it's normal to share the same habitat.

In the village I often saw mongooses, and cobras, but not at the same time !  ... and rats and mice ! 

 

[Cindy Adair]

Puerto Rico has these too, introduced to control the rats. However I have only rarely seen one. Lovely story and cute photos. Thanks Philippe!

[bgl]

Wow, Philippe, that's fascinating and amazing.  And I just saw this thread today (was travelling when you first posted), thanks to Cindy's post. As Kim already mentioned earlier, yes, we do have mongooses in Hawaii, and quite a few of them. I have a little family living right here on my property and every now and then they come out to play. But they are extremely skittish and getting close to a mongoose here is just NOT going to happen. They will quickly disappear into the bushes if you even look their way.

Looking forward to updates on cute little Mokatti Malli!

Bo-Göran

[peachy]

I know they kill snakes, so after seeing Tyson in the garden with a baby snake in his mouth, can you please send me two mongeese please.

[doranakandawatta]

On 23/6/2017 11:28:42, peachy said:

I know they kill snakes, so after seeing Tyson in the garden with a baby snake in his mouth, can you please send me two mongeese please.

Sorry Peachy,

Who is Tyson, somebody of your family members?

[peachy]

This is Tyson,

[doranakandawatta]

1 hour ago, peachy said:

This is Tyson,

Ah Yes, a wonderful family member ! 

Can you teach him not to play with snakes ? How old is he?

[doranakandawatta]

Mokatti has grown, having been rescued and fed by my friends, including getting human mother milk, this animal became very friendly and loving, which now becomes an issue:
one can't teach him what we can teach to dogs, and the poor mongoose prefers visiting any house of the village than meeting other mongoose in the wild. What to do?

[Kim]

What do you want to teach him?  A bag of tiny treats around your waist and a "clicker" in your hand combined with consistent gestures, verbal commands and click signals (along with INFINITE patience) should help you train him.  Does he bite?

[doranakandawatta]

Kim,

Like a young cat or dog, he bites gently just for playing, but he has small sharp teeth and likes to play !

Teach him: .... not to go in any other house and make the villagers afraid or upset, to know his territory : only one house, and to keep distance from other people.

When I went last month to Sri Lanka, with 5 members of a swiss family (since I don't have hawaiian friends coming, no choice: swiss people) Mokatti was directly friendly with all these white people.

 

[Kim]

Oh that's difficult. It's much easier to train an animal what to do, than what not to do. Tell you neighbors to never feed him, no matter how cute he is, and be sure food is always available at home. Some animals cannot be convinced not to wander.

 

 

[Missi]

I learned this is exactly why wild orphans should be brought up by someone trained in wildlife rehabilitation, rather than just someone meaning well when I took a baby crow into the local wildlife hospital. The animals has indirectly been taught that humans = food and shelter. Many wild animals brought up this way will continue to go to any human they see. Often times people do not want them around and may kill them. I hope this is not the outcome for this cutie. Can we have an update, please?