It is believed that the hair around these areas acts as teats that allows the young to suck the milk. By six weeks the young are furred, have their eyes open and may leave the burrow for short intervals and even enter the water. When four to five months old the young are weaned. Diet When foraging on the bottom, platypus swim with their eyes, ears and nostrils closed, using their electro-sensitive bill to locate and probe for food. This finely tuned electro-perception and sense of touch allows platypus to find and capture a range of prey including worms, insects, crustaceans, molluscs and small vertebrates such as tadpoles.
Typical prey are the larvae of caddisflies, mayflies, two-winged flies and shrimps.
Once caught, prey are carried to the surface in cheek-pouches where they are eaten. Status The platypus is wholly protected throughout Australia. Although common, it is listed as vulnerable due to the continuing degradation of suitable water bodies caused by daming, drainage and pollution. The illegal netting of fish also causes many platypus deaths. Where possible leave trees or other vegetation around creeks, waterholes and dams.