bRATs

bRATs

I have decided I have bRATs instead of rats. Here are some lovely examples.

"Hey Viv can you stop poking me in the eye with your whiskers, Thanks!"

"We're best friends"

"Nom Nom Nom"

"Mom, more treats PLEASE!"

"Can you get that flashy box out of our face."

Rats In Need

-An Alarming Situation-

I do some volunteer work for a rescue out of Maine called Mainely Rat Rescue (MRR). They were involved in a hoarding situation a couple weeks ago, they along with some rescues in the area were able to take in about 200 rats. However there are some remaining rats that are being housed at the Eliot Police Station. This was posted today on their Facebook page concerning the rats.


"IF YOU CAN HELP, PLEASE CALL 207-752-4865

Two weeks ago, the Eliot Police Department seized over 240 Rats from a home in Eliot, we have found home for over 200 of them, and our ACO is working with several agencies to house the rest, however approximately 35 Rats still remain. We are not able to house these for to much longer and are asking that if anyone at all is interested in adopting some of these to please call the Eliot Animal Control Officer at 207-752-4865.

Any that are not adopted by Friday, July 8, 2011 are going to be euthanized.

By: Eliot Police Department"

The animal shelters are full and all of MRR's foster homes and cages are full as well. If anyone is interested, the MRR staff who handled the rats, reported that the rats are friendly and sweet and would make wonderful pets. Thank You.

If there is anything that can be done please call. This is an urgent situation. MRR has asked for more time and so far there has been no response.

Meh.. Some People.

Rant on idiot pet owners.

Normally I don't rant, but it is driving me up the wall.

I have experienced way too many people lately that should definitely not be allowed the pleasure of having pets. Let me give you an example.

A little background on the situation:  Being a member of a pet (mostly rat based) community brings a lot of new people. Those who have animals they purchased from pet stores on a whim and have no idea how to care for them. Others who "want" to get a pet but obviously can't take care of the ones they have.

I DO NOT have patience for idiots, no matter how hard I try.

I have no problems with newbies. I appreciate when new or those who are wanting to get a pet inquire about care and what not about them. What I do not appreciate is:

"Hi! I'm new and I just got a rat at this pet store. I need you guys to tell me everything about them!"

Say what? Excuse me, people there is such a thing as a 1) Search bar on the forum or 2) Google. Do they attempt to do any research what so ever, nope. They expect us to do it all for them. Then when you give them information they disregard it. It makes no sense.

My ALL TIME favorite.

I don't believe in spaying or neutering any of my pets unless it is medically necessary. How about you go and visit a shelter, pick one any one. Let those faces tell you why it is NECESSARY to neuter and/or spay your pet. Many of us take in fosters from rescues, have animals from members who had to rehome a pet because they could no longer care for them, and don't even get me started on the "oops" litters. People think that it is fun and magical to witness animal birth. So they breed their pet store rat, a rat can have up to 15 babies sometimes more. Rehoming one rat is hard enough let alone 15. However I am so glad you got to witness the magic of birth. Now how are you going to care for all these rats? Oh you have no idea, her just push them onto others or better yet put them in a purse and leave them in a PetSmart bathroom.

I understand people do make mistakes and things in life interfere. That isn't what bothers me. It's those who chose not to listen and keep making the same mistakes over and over again. Then when we call these people out on their mistakes after we have helped them clean them up they think we are "attacking" them. That is just plain nonsense. Most of these individuals don't want to accept the responsibility of their actions. It floors me. 

We have had some real doozies lately. Some of these people have actually been added the the Do Not Adopt list. Which is pretty sad. I have quite a few times lately literally wanted to just beat my head on my desk. These people can't really be that ignorant can they? I suppose they can. We do get those that want help and actually ask specific questions about things. There are a lot of knowledgeable people on the forum and combined we know a great deal about rats and other pets. I am glad that people come to us for help and want to better the lives of their pets. These people are welcomed openly.

It just has really gotten under my skin lately with this influx of idiots.

The Beast

Long story short.

I have a DCN (Double Critter Nation) and have been wanting to add to it for some time. I am a member on a forum called Florida Rat Community. There was a member on there who no longer had her rats and was selling her DCN for the price of an add-on. So why buy an add-on when you can have anther DCN right?

So last weekend we arranged to pick up the DCN so I could add to my existing one. I did some cleaning on it and it sat in the dining/living room for a few days in many many pieces. I now have a TCN (Triple Critter Nation). I am absolutely in love.

I had my kids split up into two groups of five. Now they are split into a seven and three. The dynamics and relationship of the two groups are blending rather nicely. I am quite pleased with myself at the moment.

Top

Hammocks made by Chelsey's Cozies

Middle

 

Hammocks in the Middle and Bottom made by Stacy's House of Hammocks

Bottom

The Beast

Along with the DCN that I purchased used I also received a full bass pan, one without the cut out. (Bass Pans) I am ordering two more of these. One with the cut out and one without. They are galvanized, so I have contacted a local company that does powder coating and they gave me an estimate for all three pans of $50. That is so worth the time and effort it would take me to spray them with rustoleum paint.

FYI: If you are ever going to purchase bass pans and you are going to coat them yourself. You MUST let the paint cure for at least 2 weeks.

Now one day I do want to either:
1) Make a Quad CN - this is 2 DCN's hooked together side by side (or)
2) Make a side by side TCN

This endeavor won't be accomplished until I have a much larger place to live. And a whole heck of a lot more storage. I swear I need a rat only closet.

Tilty Rat

Titly Rat aka Tazo.

Symptoms: Unbalanced gait, circling, uncoordinated, and trouble grasping objects.

Possible issue: Inner Ear Infection

It all started with me seeing her fall off the shelf in the Critter Nation (CN) into the litter box and stumble out of the litter box smashing her face into the bottom pan.  So of course off to Dr. McKinnis we go. Dr. McKinnis works out of South Seminole Animal Hospital located in Fern Park, FL. I have been through many many veterinarians before I could actually find one that:

1) I trusted 

2) Would actually listen 

3) Had a vast experience with rats

These types of veterinarians are extremely far and few between, so if you find one keep them and don't let go. Seriously, don't let go. 

Back on point. I took Tazo in to see Dr. M (as most of us call him), he did a thorough examination of her. Firstly, rats as a general rule are hard to diagnose. There are so many different types of health issues that have a lot of the same symptoms, so sometimes you have to start and one end and work towards the other. I of course suspected an inner ear infection, but Dr. M didn't really see any indication that it was this so we move on to the next closest thing. Meningitis. 

Meningitis is a bacterial infection that affects the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord. I was shocked to think that this was the issue but she had all the symptoms, so we went with it.  Tazo received and injection of steroids and we were sent home with some antibiotics and oral steroids. i was to call Dr. M in the next few days and give an update on Tazo's progress. 

So we did the antibiotic rounds and the steroids, Tazo was getting better her balance was back and she was circling anymore. Everything seemed to be back to normal and this was the update that I gave    Dr. M.  It has been approximately 3 weeks since the initial fall and everything was going fantastic. Until Monday morning. I was doing my normal routine, cleaning the cage and feeding the kids when I saw Tazo and her tilty head. 

Tilting of the head is an indication of an inner ear infection in rats.  BACK to SQUARE ONE!

What a great day to have an issue Tazo, Monday a holiday no Dr. M. So of course I was a panicked mess all day long pacing around the house wishing I had some Baytril in the refrigerator. Of course I didn't. First thing the next morning there is a call into Dr. M, he is in with a patient but the tech will get a message to him. 

I am so thankful for Dr. M, if he knows you pretty well and has confidence in you then usually if he has seen your rats at some point he will just get you some antibiotics made up without you having to bring your rat in for the visit. Which is what he does for me, unless it is an emergency. So poor little Tilty Tazo is on Synotic with Baytril in ear drop formula twice a day for a week. I hope this kicks the nasty bacteria so my girl can go back to her old self again.

Tilty Tazo

A Journey of 10 Lives

All about 10 little rat lives that is. Yes I said RATS!

A little about my kids; they all have either been rescues or surrendered, I have yet to have a breeder rat. Surrendered meaning others who could no longer care for them for one reason or another. My oldest out of this colony is approximately 18 months and the youngest is around 4 months. Each one of them has a different and amazing personality, most are quite outgoing but I have one or two that are a little on the shy side when it comes to strangers. They really remind me of tiny dogs. Ten tiny dogs, haha; what a funny statement. Just today when we had free range time, I was walking around the dinning room table and all of them were following me like little lost puppies. I really wish I had my camera then. Speaking of cameras that should be a rule of rat ownership:
You must always carry a camera. (You never know when they will do something cute and amazing)

The purpose of this is to basically boast about and show off all my kids. While in the process I also want to educate others about the care and responsibility of rat ownership. For now though we will do introductions of my crew: