Pepper Zen flies south

It's been a big ten days for Pepper Zen.  On 26 January, she took to the air for the first time, but there were a few things to organise before she could board the Qantaslink flight to Cairns.

     First, she needed to be introduced to travelling in a crate.  She was used to sleeping in the crate because each night I take her from the garden and lock her, from the safety of cats, dogs and worse, snakes, in a medium-sized dog crate.  In the past fortnight, I down-graded her into a cat crate in preparation for the big day.  I contacted Wildlife Rescue in Cairns and was advised the smaller space would prevent her flapping her wings if she became distressed on the flight.  And it was important to cover her cage so she would think it was night time and hopefully sleep through the ordeal.

     I was the one most worried about Pepper and the plane.  Plenty of people said poultry are good fliers.

     'Ducks are used to flying,' said Eileen and I could see her logic.  But Pepper is no ordinary duck.

     To prepare her for travelling, Seffy and I took Pepper on daily trips in the car before the big travel date.  We wanted her to be used to the noise of the engine, the motion and being confined in a small, dark space.

Pepper's first car trip

     All animals wishing to travel from the Torres Strait quarantine zone need a permit.  It's a pet passport of sorts.  I believe Pepper is the first duck who has ever travelled to Cairns.  Lots of ducks have travelled from Cairns to TI, but they have all been frozen.

     Once a permit has been applied for, the animals must present to the quarantine office on TI within 2 days of travelling to be formally identified and cleared of any nasty diseases that could spread on the mainland.

Pepper Zen and Gina are at the quarantine office on TI waiting for their permits to be issued.

     The big day.  Pepper and Gina take the ferry to Horn Island then the bus to the airport.  On the bus, Pepper gave a few quacks and heads turned.  

     'It's a duck,' said a voice behind me.

Pepper, Gina and the kids are waiting to board the plane.

     It was a tense couple of hours for me and I shaved off a few finger nails while working through the sudokus in the Qantas magazine.  At one point I am sure I heard a few quacks from the hold.  
     But Pepper and Gina were happy to see us at the Australian Air Express depot in Cairns.  Pepper had a big drink and gobbled the peas I had with me.  Yes, I declared them to the quarantine office and beagle at the airport and got the okay.  Gina did a big wee.  Then we headed to Smithfield.  Bubu had bought Pepper a blue shell pool as a welcome present. 

Pepper and Gina cool off.

Pepper loves the water.  Bubu's dog, Tiberius loves Pepper.  I just wish he'd close his mouth and stop salivating when he looks at her.  A smack for Tiby each time he does so, but don't let Bubu see.

Pepper Zen discovers the pool which she much prefers to a plastic scallop.  She managed to squeeze through the fencing and launch herself into the cool water.

     For some reason, Pepper is more vocal in Cairns than on TI.  And she is more vocal in the morning than during the day.  This is a big problem.  On the second morning at 6.15 am when I am trying to shut Pepper up, a neighbour yelled out, Quiet!  Oh, dear.

     It's not as though I am breaching any local laws.  I rang the Cairns Regional Council prior to flying down to make sure Pepper's presence was legal.  Marian told me I could have six ducks.  I was elated thinking I would source 5 more feathered friends and experience five times the joy my Pepper brings.  Not so.  

     My morning routine is this:  Pepper honks between 5.50 and 5.55 from her cage over which is a dark blanket to simulate endless night.  I jump out of bed and flick on the kettle.  Pepper honks a bit louder.  Desperate to avoid her breaking into a full-blown quack, I take her in one arm and make a cup of tea with my spare hand.  I head to the pool area where she swims and I try and wake up.  I can't let her see me walk off till 7 am because if I so much as go inside to make a coffee or wander off to catch her some grasshoppers, she starts quacking.  I don't want to enrage the neighbours.  Once it's 7.30, I relax.  Most people should be up and about.

     Tony flew down to settle the kids into school and he walks morning and evening.

     'I was 500 metres away,' he said when he returned last night, 'and I could hear that bloody duck quacking.'  I don't like it when he refers to her as 'that bloody duck.'

     If Pepper's morning quacking proves to be a problem for the neighbourhood, we might find ourselves back on the Qantaslink flight to the Torres Strait.  At least I know she can handle flying and I won't be so worried.