A man got the shock of his life when he went to take his rubbish out and found a badger sleeping in his wheelie bin. Rich Furness documented the moment on Instagram, showing the startled animal on top of his milk cartons and empty food wrappers.
The video showed Furness opening the lid to his bin and spotting the badger, which looked just as surprised to be woken from its nap. Furness flipped the lid back so it stayed open and watched as the badger tried to climb out, but it couldn't get purchase on the slippery plastic.
Tip to Free the Stuck Badger
After trying to coax it out for some time, Furness decided to tip the bin on its side so the badger could escape. He moved the bin slowly, doing his best not to startle the mammal, until the top of the bin was close enough to the ground for the badger to run away.
Before long, the animal was sprinting down the pathway and eventually darted off into the bushes for safety. Furness captioned the video: "Well… that's not what I expected to find in the wheelie bin!"
Update on the Badger's Safety
After some people expressed concerns that the badger had run in the direction of a busy road, Furness offered an update in the comments. He wrote: "For everyone worried he was running towards a busy road - he actually disappeared down a blocked-off alley between the houses, where we think he's made himself a little sanctuary/den."
He added: "We've still seen signs of him rummaging around the bins since, so he seems to be doing absolutely fine… and thankfully hasn't got himself stuck again!"
Viewers Thankful for Kindness
Several commenters on the post thanked Furness for helping the badger, with many saying the creature was probably "stressed" at being trapped inside. One person wrote: "Thank you for being kind to him. It's a shame they have to scavenge from humans now because we've taken over their territories by building houses everywhere."
Another said: "Thank you for letting him go so gently, poor little bugger. Bet he was stressed in there." A third wrote: "Well done, man. Could have been a very sorry end if the binmen had got there first."
How to Keep Badgers Out of Your Bin
Badgers, foxes, and other animals may root through bins in search of food and can get stuck inside. To prevent this, it's best to make sure animals can't get into bins in the first place and that all food waste is properly sealed inside bin bags.
Tips to stop badgers from getting into bins include buying a sturdy bin strap or lock designed to keep the lid sealed, tying the bin to a wall or fence so badgers cannot tip it over, and placing a heavy brick on top of the lid when not in use. If your bin is a target, you can also wash it regularly to avoid smells, wrap wet food waste in newspaper or bags before disposal, and wait until close to collection day to take food waste out to the bin.
