There's a starfish in our garden this morning...

[Ronaldinhio]

AIBU to wonder if it might be the end of the world?

[FourArms]

LOL! A real one?

[BouncingTurtle]

That depends... how far do you live from the coast?

[Ronaldinhio]

Yes a real one
I live about 100yds from the sea but it's in our backgarden
I am not spongebob squarepants!!

[ShutUpandDrinkYourMulledWine]

maybe a bird dropped it?

[ShutUpandDrinkYourMulledWine]

is it alice?

[ShutUpandDrinkYourMulledWine]

good grief

'alive'

[Ronaldinhio]

lol at "alice" as I wondered who the hell you meant

It is soft but how do I tell if it is alive? Hold a mirror over it to check for breathing?

[ShutUpandDrinkYourMulledWine]

lol

gawd what if you have to resuscitate?

[HeiligFeierabend]

Put it in some salty water and see if it moves?

[ItsAllaBitNoisy]

Show it a spatula and see if it makes any movement.

Or waft a crabby patty under its nose.

/Do they have noses?

[Ronaldinhio]

My first thought was should we put it in water
Dh says "what, are we going to rehome it?" he then said (honestly)
"what if it's an alien?"

much slapping around the head....

It's just lying in the garden

[HeiligFeierabend]

Well if it's an alien, you'll be in the Daily Mail tomorrow

[Ronaldinhio]

what does one wear for a Daily Mail "scoop"?

"Mumsnetter cruelly keeps starfish alien in garden" shocker
wonder what biscuit it likes?

[ImSoNotTelling]

Go and put it on the beach near the sea?

[AMumInScotland]

I don't think plagues of starfish are one of the biblical warnings of the forthcoming apocalypse, but you can never be too careful...

Don't put it in water - unless you get the saltiness right it'll probably explode or shrivel up or something equally yucky - take it to the beach. You might try giving it a speech about how we are very welcoming to aliens in general, just to be on the safe side.

[Ronaldinhio]

we're going to do that this morning, as a family, alien worrier and all.

[bramblebooks]

just to reiterate, don't put it in tap water as it'll go white and die. . You may then be responsible for killing the emperor of an alien race and will trigger the apocalypse.

[Ronaldinhio]

how do you know so much about aliensstarfish

[cornsilklikeshumous]

Take a picture. You must save it poor thing. It's probably trying to find shell city.

[Ronaldinhio]

cornsilk is that your Christmas name??

[semi]

I hope you managed to do something with this. I read this thread and it made me smile...becuase it was such a bizarre and yet wonderful thing. I'd try to save it - but wouldn't really know what to do apart.from drive it back to the sea I've googled 'how to rescue a starfish' but it comes up with pet dog rescue...so not really v useful. There must be an answer out there....
Once you've done that, I don't know how old your kids are but capturing this story - drawing, writing about it I think would be a lovely idea...there imaginations will go into overdrive...mine already has...would love to hear the outcome

[Ronaldinhio]

semi from your answer I can tell you are a better mother than I am already

the girls are sitting at the table eating sausages and pancakes
I'm drinking coffee
the alien whisperer is getting ready and then we are off to put the starfish back on the beach

what should we carry it in?

[ItsAllaBitNoisy]

A star shaped container. Natch.

[ItsAllaBitNoisy]

If it's dead it would make an interesting tree top decoration..

[ShutUpandDrinkYourMulledWine]

oh what an amazing idea Itsall - at one with nature and gifts from the sea and all that

might be a bit whiffy by christmas day though