Rat Rescue

Harry and Archie - the latest!

2007-05-22T08:40:00.000-01:00

Anne says:

I've kept going with the yesterdays new litter, Archie seems happy to use it, happy to eat some as well, he's not eating as much of it as he was! I tried moving the tray down to the next shelf but Archie wasn't having that, methinks there's a bit of laziness going on with him! I got a new container to make into a litter tray, it's longer then the other one so he can't hang his ass over the edge, it's deeper as well so he can't kick as much litter out. In fact some days there's more on the shelf than in the tray anyway! but now, well they sit there using it with their paws holding the sides, looks really funny though! And less cleaning of poop up for me!

I have a huge coffee table, the top slides open and you can hide all your junk inside, very useful! But, it's a ton weight to say the least because it is full of loads of junk! (Reminds me of a coffin actually) Harry has taken to getting under it and hiding food, of all the places to choose he chooses there! so now I have to try lift it while Kay hoovers under it, Harry sits washing himself in his cage watching with great interest! The first picture is Harry hiding under the table. As you can see by the second picture of Harry having a cuddle he's huge! And the third picture, well that's Archie eating a magazine! Do you know he's ate my highway code! Where he found that I don't know! It probably explains why he's never ate as much littler, he'll know his highway code anyway!

Oh and guess what?They've only gone and ate a hole in their new bunker! They ate a hole in it and used the stuff to block up the hole that was meant to be there. Sheesh!

Vito and Steve

2007-05-22T08:33:00.000-01:00

Vito came to us last September in a group of four unhandled, scaredy boys. Vito was the oldest chap and the younger boys were just too much for him. He started getting quite aggressive to them and in the end we had to split them up.

We despaired of ever finding Vito a lovely home as no one wanted a bitey, aggressive, "sewer-looking" rat. Then Alison came along and offered to give the old, grumpy chap a new home. And she worked a miracle!

See her web page here and meet Vito's new buddy, Steve.

Mori's letter to us

2007-05-16T10:39:00.000-01:00

Mori and his brother Sherlock were rehomed last year to the lovely Cat West and her family in Ramsgate (who are the CavyRescue no.1 fosterer's too!)

Mori writes:

Dear Mummy Stella,

Today I poo'd on Mummy Cat! It was a really stinky poo too and it put her off her dinner! I love cuddles and beg to come out on a daily basis for a walk on the sofa and a stroke. I smell of boy grease but I think it could be the next big perfume! My brother is still pretty lazy but does multiple stairs now - his bum wobbles when he runs!

Looking forward to seeing you the next time you visit with Daddy Jason.

Love Mori the gorgeous, sexy squish! x

Lily the rat's PMT

2007-05-16T10:26:00.000-01:00

Laura updates us on the antcis of the ratties she rehomed from us....

Bozza is his usual self. He still gets very excitable every time he comes out of the cage and he’s also very playful. He’s now 650gr and he might still be growing! He has regular fights with Lily (every day!) and they both get all puffed up, but nobody gets hurt so we let them sort out their issues as Bozza becomes visibly annoyed if we interrupt their discussions: he doesn’t like leaving things unfinished!

I think Lily might be suffering from PMT as she’s a really nice girl but now and then she becomes mad! When she’s in that mood we need to monitor her when we put fresh food in the cage because she terrorises the older girls and picks fights! She also acts as the guard of the cage and so we need to be careful if we want to put our hands in. The rest of the time she is lovely and she likes her cuddles. Very strange! Milly on the contrary is still the same little girls that loves sleeping on the sofa next to us and lives for cuddles.

Pixie, Blossom and Co..

2007-05-16T10:25:00.000-01:00

Lauren rehomed three lucky ladies from us last year..here is an update

Now, about those naughty girls... here's what they've been up to lately... Phoenix (formerly Lea) still rules the roost and is still extremely bossy and wide of hip!! LOL! Don't tell her but I totally worship and adore her despite her ways! She still snatches food from all the others and drags lids across the bed to stop the others having any. If I hold the lid at one end and say 'No Phoenix', she simply gives the '3 second countdown'. Basically, if I do not release my grip on the lid within 3 seconds she gives me a warning bite! Sometimes I keep hold of the lid anyway so that the others can get some. She then bites me and shoves the others! Ha ha! I love her!

Princess (formerly Mia) now thinks she's royalty and always seems to have an air of aloofment! We are her mere minions! She is still inseparable from Honey! Honey for some reason has got rather rotund, yet she doesn't eat any more than the others, infact I'm surprised she can get any food the way Phoenix guards it!!

Blossom is her cuddly old self, she is Phoenix's personal servant and seems to creep and crawl around her feet to try and keep 'in' with her so that she won't get beaten up like the others! It doesn't work, she still gets pummelled!

My tiny baby Pixie thinks she's the 'leader' and is really bold around Phoenix. She mostly gets away with it, but there was this one time... (cringes at the memory!!)

They've formed a really tightly bonded group which is fantastic. (hilarious to watch all the different personalities interacting!) Trouble is, I can barely get them out the cage each day. I set the bed up for their run every morning, they have to be forcibly removed from the cage... where they proceed to dash into the igloo on the bed. They stay there snuggly and asleep until about 9pm have a short run around then tug at my trousers asking to be put back in the cage! Later when we go to bed they become hyper active and clatter and smash round the cage!! ha ha! Funny buggers! Ah well, as long as they're happy.

Harry & Archie's bunker

2007-05-03T15:17:00.000-01:00

I've taken some pics of the bunker, or should I say the remains of it! They've completely redesigned it if you ask me! It's got the opening at the front and a sneaky one at the back but now the boys have added a new one of the back and two side by side on the side, I'm waiting to see what's going to happen when the two on the side meet because to be honest I think the whole thing will collapse and they'll fall out the bottom!

I've no idea what they think they're up to, I'll have to buy another one cause it wont be long before this one dies completely. I was watching Archie the other day, down two ladders, get some cardboard squares, up two ladders put them in the bunker, then off he goes again, thing is the holes they have in the side are so big the cardboard falls out, lands on the second shelf and the pile gets bigger, they've both been at it but I'm wondering where they think the cardboard is actually going?

Then, they use the side holes to go in and out now! Harry struggles to get up the side and manoeuvre in, I mean the front opening is huge and easy to walk into? What's that all about?

Harry & Archie's latest escapades!

2007-05-03T15:14:00.000-01:00

The boy's are fine, the fighting seems to have died down for now, we make a big fuss of Harry when he's out and he's preening himself on it! honestly he's like a real big baby! It seems to have calmed his jealousy down a bit tho so hopefully he'll leave Archie alone, something must be working because they are sleeping in the bunker together again, well I should say in the remains of the bunker! there's really not a lot of it left to be honest, I'll have to take some pics to show you.

We've moved the boys into the sitting room but when they're out I'm like a cat on hot bricks all the time in case Harry takes it into his head to start eating the sofas in there, he's ate the covers off one of the cushion on the sofa in the back room! Kay said he'll be fine, she wasn't saying that when one of them started to eat her £5 pocket money, oh no she didn't say they'd be fine then! Expensive tastes eh? Maybe she'll put things away, pigs may well fly first tho!
Archie has turned into a real shoulder rat now, he's very bouncy about the floor but when he gets a dried bit of pasta he loves to sit on your shoulder and chomp away on it, he sits there sometimes watching Harry running about the place. I was letting them run up and down my legs but Harry has a thing for feet, he bites them! One or two bites later and I thought well that's enough of that game! Tonight is boiled egg night, last week I forgot the pan was on and I burnt the eggs! they stank to the high heavens, I took the burnt bits off and gave the boys the rest but they must have thought she's having a laugh if she thinks we're eating them! I put them out for the birds, the eggs not the boys, and even they didn't eat them! In fact the little wild mice we get didn't even eat them! To be honest you could have bounced them like golf balls, there's a golf course at the top of the street, I should have taken them there! I don't think they pan will ever be the same again! Took days to get rid of the smell.

Harry & Archie!!

2007-04-10T05:03:00.000-01:00

Here is the latest news on the two boys from the Birmingham Rescue....

As for the boys, well Archie has discovered that there's a world beyond the walkway and settee! Only thing is he's got a passion for paper, I've discovered all sorts of papers with chewed corners, Archie looks guilty then bounces off, I'm sure he's sniggering!

And if you're doing anything on the floor, how nosey is he! I wouldn't let him look yesterday and he was running back and forwards behind me having a fit, then he seemed to think I'll make a flying leap up her back! Painful! He follows us from room to room, he's like a little dog at times! I hide treats about the place and he goes on a hunt.

The other day I caught him pulling the carpet!! I think not! He loves his toys and loves getting in the cupboard where they all are! Harry, well I've put him on the floor a few times but he doesn't seem to enjoy being there as much as Archie does so I tend to sit on the floor and lift him back up when he's had enough.

It's easy to get Harry back to the cage, just strum you fingers on it and he runs like hell to get back in! I can't wipe the shelves down when he's around because he goes mad, I have two big scratches down my arm from the last time! Harry seemed quiet pleased about that!

When you hold Harry and stroke him you should hear the noises from him, he squeaks and squeals the whole time, I thought it was the girls that made so much noise! And the size of him, he's huge compared to skinny little Archie! He's like a miniature version of a polar bear!

He has a thing about taking every bit of food into the house at the bottom, the other day I cut pasta up into tiny bits (took me ages!!) but he got round that by stuffing loads of bits in his mouth and dashing up and down with it! I gave them some rice last night and he started carrying that down, must have taken him all night cause it's all gone now!

Faversham Rescue babies - update

2007-04-10T04:44:00.000-01:00

A while back we were involved in a rescue from the Faversham area of Kent. Our fantastic fosterer Cat looked after the two mums (who now live happily Chez Cat with some new ratty friends, glad that their breeding days are over)and numerous babies until homes could be found. Two months on, here is how it is going for the ratties in their new homes ....

From Tracy in Ashford:

It's going fantasticly with the girls. They are so adorable and into everything.When I go into see them in the mornings they both peer sleeperly at me as if to say 'Don't you know what time it is?'

I've put a radio in with them which is on in the background all the time.

They love coming out and run all over the top of theircage, on the sofa and even in the top drawer of the cabinet.

We're having great fun together and no two days are the same with them.

From Viv in Dover:

The babies are great ,full of mischief and growing big.

I brought them a pack of hammocks and toy's the Saturday before last and they have had great joy in eating them. One of them i don't think i will be able to use again as it disintegrated in the wash found bits of it everywhere.I think it's Whiz and Roly that are the culprit's for the chewing .

Baldric on the other hand finds eating real food his best past time when he's awake you can normally find him eating. His belly is nearly as big as my older big boy Dickie's but he is just shorter in length so her resembles a little ball with arms and legs. When he's free ranging i chase him around with my hand to give him some extra exercise but as soon as he gets back in the cage it's straight to the food bowl he goes to compensate for the energy he has used up.

Their personalities are really coming to light now and they are all so good tempered and get on so well with the big boy's Bobby and Dickie it's great to watch them all interact and play .

You never know if they carry on as they are and don't become hormonal teenagers i might be after another two from you in a few more months!

From Carol in Ashford:

The girls are doing just fine - they are very friendly, eating well, and seem to enjoy climbing around in and out of the cage. Maisie is still slightly smaller than Stella, but she is hyper-active, which may account for that.

They get on really well with Cleopatra and Boadicea, and there has been no problems at all.

From Ann and Paul in Graveney

The girls are lovely. Mollie's an absolute angel, she wont stay still for 5 seconds and is always running around creating mischief! She's definately Pauls favorite, she just loves to climb down his t-shirt and tickle his armpits!

Cassie's the quietist at the moment, but she still has a good run around at playtime & Bubble & Squeak are great, Squeaks now the biggest, I think she must steal treats from one of the others!

From Tilly in Tunbridge Wells

They’re brilliant rats, so friendly and confident. I took them to the Estuary Rat Club show a couple of weeks ago and they loved all the attention they got, climbing over lots of people. They’re also famous now; they had a photo in the courier – copy here: http://www.fancy-rats.co.uk/community/viewtopic.php?p=602751&highlight=#602751

I still can’t tell the agouties apart unless I turn them upside down and look at their bellies, but I’m sure they’ll develop some individuality as they grow up.

Bozza and Co!

2007-04-10T04:38:00.000-01:00

This cute picture is from Laura and Johnny in North London. Over the last few years, they have rehomed several very lucky ratties from us.

Here is the latest photo of the gang!

Update on Sonny & Co

2007-04-09T05:18:00.000-01:00

A while back you may remember that we rehomed three very 'challenging' boys to the lovely Nichola in Dartford. They were three unhandable, scared, bitey boys..just look at them now..

Nichola says:

The boys are absolutly great. Wouldn't be without my chunky monkeys. I can't even remember the last time i was bitten, it's great. They had been scrapping a little bit more then usual recently, but when cleaning their cages out Thursday i put their cage on top of the girls cage and so far have not heard a peep from them. Though i have found it a little awkward getting their feed in and miss seeing their little cheeky faces watching me from the bottom of my bed so next time i dismantle the girls cage to clean, the boys will be going under their cage so i can get to them better. All three enjoy a play and a poke when they're rumaging around in their cage and as long as i don't wake them up too early all three will jump onto their drawbridge in the morning for cuddles and strokes.

Mika is still the most confident and will meet anyone that comes into the house and sit on their shoulder without any worrying. Sonny and Fredo will come out and say hi aswell, though prefer not to.

Asides from that they've just been my little stars, active and friendly, couldn't have asked for nicer boys. So glad i took them on or i don't think i'd ever have owned boys and am so happy i do.

Harry & Archie have a chinese takeaway

2007-04-02T12:00:00.000-01:00

As for the boys being buggers!! I'll buggers Harry, he's only gone and ate a whole load of holes in the curtains no less!! a row of them in my nice curtains, don't think I've recovered fro the shock! Then............. I only go catch him ripping holes in the settee covers!!! My god he's gonna cost me a fortune at the rate he's going. Thing was he was looking at me and then diving in the corner then running away then coming back, so I thought I wonder what he's up to then Kay says "have you seen this" and I nearly dropped of the chair!

Last night was cage cleaning night, every day I wipe the shelves down, have to with Master Pappercrapper around, anyway Harry comes running up like something possessed! All hell broke loose, he wouldn't stop attacking the kitchen roll I was using then he refused to come off the second shelf so I hauled him out and he was squealing like a stuck pig! I put him on the settee and took his walkway away so he was running up and down on there like something gone mad! When I let him back in he spent the rest of the night in there sulking!

Archie just goes from one shoe box to the other quiet happily, likes to know what you're doing all the time tho, loves to be in someone's hair and quite frankly doesn't care who's hair he's in! I have a plan, I've decided to put the litter tray on the top shelf until he gets used to it then take it down to the next shelf then onto the bottom, good plan I thought. This morning one of them has used to litter tray but someone is going beside it! Ever get the feeling they're laughing at you?

The other day I gave them a mixture of rice and noodles, now when they have them separate they like them but together, my god you should have seen the mess, the whole shelf was covered with noodles and the rice was all gone!

Harry & Archie's latest tales!

2007-03-21T16:00:00.000-01:00

Harry's doing ok with the litter training, a damn site more than can be said for Master Pappercrapper! But.... he's doing it in the cage now so that's something, and I've got a hell of a lot of litter stuff here so he better get his ass on the stuff! I was looking at it the other day and I thought I reckon I have enough litter for a few generations! They like their walk the plank system, Archie has taken to bouncing down the plank! He's funny when he gets on there, reminds me of tigger to be honest, he sort of bounces and skips down! Harry walks down the first plank then when he gets on the second one he runs like hell, I make a den at the bottom and they dive in there then we fight, they run out the back and I get them, they run out the front then I get them, they think it's great fun, I hope they do anyway, I mean they could be saying oh god that pests here again!! The other day Harry jumped out from the den and nearly ended up in my mouth( and don't say you must have a big mouth!!) Then he ran over my shoulder and away! They go back to the cage for snacks and the litter (Archie just goes anywhere in the cage!) I gave then a cornetto box, now I've spent a fortune on beds and Archie has ate his way through the bunker, since the box went in to play with Harry's been in the bunker and Archie has taken to living in the cornetto box! I see his nose peek out now and again but you can see he's saying "this is my box back off!" So I've been saving boxes for when it needs changing.

I've been trying them on different foods, some they like some they don't but porridge seems to be the firm favourite, I tried it with banana in but they didn't like that so now I leave it just plain and they seem happy with that. A lot of the things I bought like the wine sticks, fruit wood branches, they haven't really shown any interest in, hope they do soon cause they'll have teeth down to the floor if they don't start gnawing on something! Archie bites his nails then very kindly spits them across the floor, or if he's sitting on the back of the settee he'll spit them at you, Archie has such manners! He sneezes in your face from time to time, very charming I have to say! Harry's sneezing has stopped and Archie's are just the odd one now and again so that's not so bad, sooner he stops the better tho! Harry is a hell of a lot bigger than Archie now, don't know if this is normal?

Harry has become as naughty as Archie, this morning I left them for about 30 seconds and when I came back Harry was running across the desk with a photo of Kay in his mouth, not sure if it's cause they like her or fancied chewing her to bits!

We've been building bigger and bigger dens for the boys, getting quiet adventurous to be honest then................... yesterday after dismantling it we found one of the cushins had been eaten!!! A couple of years ago I bought the covers at an Asian festival we have here in August, I quiet liked them!!! I have no idea which one of the two did it but they both had the grace to look guilty! So the den was dismantled, I put a fort house on the settee and put the fleece blanket over it , last night I discovered they've decided to start eating the covers off the settee!! It's not as if they aren't fed I have to say! I think letting them loose on the floor might have to wait a little while longer to be honest, I'll have no house left if I let them loose at the moment!

The other pic shows Archie manicuring his nails and kindly spitting them at me! Mind you he was probably saying get away with that camera for goodness sake! He's still not using the litter tray, uses the same corner of the cage all the time tho. Harry has for reasons only known to Harry been slowly but surely putting the little cardboard squares from the bottom of the cage into the litter tray so now you can't see the littler! Harry often comes out for a play around in the mornings where as Archie is not a morning rat so there's no signs of him at the moment! Harry has now decided to eat the settee covers so I think I'll go sort him out before I have no covers in the whole house!

The last picture shows Harry in the now demolished den, to be honest i lifted the cover up and took the pic quick and it makes Harry look quiet spooky!! Kay say's he's starting to look like a mini polar bear these days!

Harry the guinea in the garden

2007-03-21T15:51:00.000-01:00

We received an email from Diana today, a lovely lady who rehomed the gorgeous Harry:

Harry wanted you to know how brave he's been today.... he's been out on the grass for a couple of hours but OOO it's a bit scary! He's decided that it's safest to sit in his tunnel and nibble at the grass from there
hahahaha he's soo funny ! I've attached some pics of him.

We've had a bit of a prob with Harry though..... his little friend that he loved soo much has been quite badly bitten ! Everything seemed fine until a couple of days ago when we heard alot of teeth chattering coming from their house, poor little Russel has some nasty bites so he is now living on his own as Harry won't have him in the same house anymore.

I think maybe now that Russel is bigger and no longer a baby piggy, Harry has decided that his house isn't big enough for them both, he is top piggy after all ! So not too sure what to do with Russel at the mo... maybe have him neutered
so that he can live with the ladies.

Off to get Harry and the others in now as I don't want them to get
cold, they've had two hours out.. the two Rexy boys were so happy, loads of
excited piggy noises ! it's lovely to have them all out on the grass
again.... Harry did come out of his tunnel eventually !

Bye for now, Diana & Harry.

Faversham rescue boys

2007-03-21T15:45:00.000-01:00

We recently rehomed some lovely chappies from the Faversham rescue to Viv in Dover. She says:

Thought i would let you know all the boys are in together now, intro's went really well with no problems at all .I have sent an email to Cat letting her know they are all settled.
I have attached a photo of all the boys together doing what boys seem to do best - lazying around in the hammock!

Harry & Archie's latest antics

2007-03-08T15:25:00.000-01:00

Tinkerbelle & Mischief

2007-03-06T05:51:00.000-01:00

These two girls were the last two babies rehomed from the Faversham Rescue. their new mum Tracy says:

The girlie's are settling in well. I've named the little girl Tinkerbelle, as she's small but full of mischief and the other girl I've called Indiana after Indiana Jones because she's so adventurous!

Harry & Archie have 60lb of cat litter...

2007-03-05T08:14:00.000-01:00

The yesterday's news cat litter arrived, well yesterday! When I ordered it I don't know why but I thought it was 15lb bags, where I got that idea from I don't know, after ordering it I realised it was 30lb bags and the minimum order was 2 bags! When the guy arrived he asked what on earth was in the box, I said cat litter so he asked how many cats I have, erm none says me its for 2 rats, I wish you could have seen his face, he said you mean to tell me I've nearly broke my back carrying that for 2 rats, erm yep I said. The guy said well that's gonna last for a few generations of rats that lot! It's sitting in the hallway like something growing! It's watching and waiting to trip me up I think! What on earth I'm going to do with 60lb of the stuff I don't know!

Tonight I got 2 planks of wood, put one end of one on top of the cage and the other end on a stool, then I put the other on the stool down to the settee, Archie caught on quicker that Harry at this game. They were both on the settee so I thought I'd take the chance to do some cage clearing and get the bunker out to wash and see what can be done with it after Archie's Architecture attempts.

As soon as I started they ran up the planks like two rats on a mission! Trying to do anything was a nightmare, they were pulling my hand open to see what I was doing, then I had Archie on the top of the cage and Harry under it sitting on the bunker, getting the bunker out was fun because Harry wouldn't get off the top and every time I tried to lift him off he grabbed the side of the cage and squealed!

I finally got the condo in, Archie's had a go at the fleece already so I don't have high hopes of it living long to be honest! They have some of yesterdays news in, I suppose they could unroll it and read it if they get bored! Harry seems to have taken the bottom bunk and Archie the top, Harry's facing the room and Archie's facing the wall so I get a nice view of his rear!

Harry & Archie's latest antics!

2007-03-02T05:42:00.000-01:00

Weds 28th:
The boys can now officially fit through Archie's new door at the same time! This morning they've stuffed the hole up with the edible bedding! What they're going to do when it comes out for a wash I don't know cause they love it, mind you looking at Archie's performance on it I have to wonder! Archie woke up yesterday when Kay got in from school and Kay got him out, now I don't know what he was up to but Kay said she had to put him back in because he was just so naughty!

Yesterday they had their first peanuts in the shells, it's not a good idea to give them peanuts in shells on the settee, trust me! They were more interested in crunching shells up than the nuts, and the shells go a long way very fast very very fast! Harry grabbed bits of shell and wrecked it in all four corners of the settee, Archie just hung over the sides and wrecked his shell and watched it drift to the floor! So I had to put the boys in while I cleaned it up and got the hoover out.

They've never come across the hoover before so I was wondering what they'd make of it, as I pushed it backwards and forwards they followed it, you could see Archie was just itching to get at it! Then they came back out but seemed disappointed that the mess had gone! Harry is starting to play a bit, I have little fights with Archie, he hides and I drum my fingers on the cushion and he runs out to grab me but I box with him and chase him then he begins it all again, yesterday Harry joined in for the first time! It was so good to see him playing too, they will both now come for a cuddle although in Archie's case it lasts about 30 seconds then he's off. After about an hour Harry wanted back in his cage, Archie likes to get under the fleece blanket and have a sleep there, he was there for about an hour!

March 1st:
Archie's ate a whole new door in the bunker, now they have 2 back doors! The other morning they were both sleeping with their heads hanging out the new door! It's a bit whiffy so tonight I've taken it out, after it gets a wash I'll see what if anything can be done with it! They have the condo in now, lets see how long that one lasts!

I have a plank of wood going to from the top of the cage to a stool then another one goes down onto the settee, it's causing a lot of interest, I'd put them on the settee while I sorted the cage but once they knew what was afoot they dashed up to get in the way! So now they are running up and down it, in and out the cage.

I've bought some of that yesterdays news litter, after Archie eating the last litter lets see how this one goes! I'll have to take some pics of their rat run, it goes along by my pc chair so as I'm sitting here I'm trapped! Archie's made himself a bed on the settee and Harry's lying on top of the condo.

Lumps on rat's faces

2007-03-01T05:39:00.000-01:00

Q:
Could you give us some advice? We just found a lump on Gretchen's face. I don't think is an abscess. We checked the Rat Guide and there is a type of tumour that grows around the face area which apparently is not a good idea to operate as it leaves a wound that never heals. Did you ever have a rattie with a lump on the face? If so did you operate? Gretchen's lump is on the side of the face, on the mandible.
A:
As to the lump - two things:

Mike got abcesses on his face - they came from nowhere and were the size of a malteser. The first one he got we thought was a lump, but it was a hard abcess. The vet operated and we bathed it for a week and had him on antibiotics and it was fine. He got another one about three months later and we did the same thing. Our vet operated as the pain to squeeze it would have been unbearable.

Mike healed beautifully. He died of respiratory problems awhich he had suffered from all his life about three months later - he was an old chap - nearly three.

Sugar - a rat permanently being fostered for us - was put to sleep yesterday after having ongoing problems with lumps on her face. She had them removed but they would grow back quickly.But the lumps started up last June and so she did have an extra six months.

So, I would say go for it. Remember how bad Gretchen's face was when she had the skin problem, she was a scar face - and look how well she healed.

Please let us know how she gets on.

Faversham rescue rats

2007-02-28T03:45:00.000-01:00

We recently were involved in a rescue from a home in Faversham where babies were being sold for two pounds each and living in appalling conditions. All buit two of the kids have been rehomed now.

Two happy new rat mums who we rehomed to have sent their stories in to us:

BEN & CO

Please welcome Little Ben and the Agouties:

They came from the Adtrader rescue in Faversham, there was a post on her a little while ago, and I picked them up from Stella at Cavy Rescue last Wednesday.

Ben was named by his foster carer, Cat, and somehow the name got stuck, but I still have to find names for the other two - suggestions welcome, so far I've got

Magnus
Marvin
Jasper
Bobbie & Billie (would go nicely with Ben)

I can only just about tell them apart by the tip of their tails yet (one has a little more white) which doesn't help finding suitable names I think one of them is getting a little darker though, so there is still hope.

I'd forgotten how much kittens eat, each of the three of them at the moment eats about the same as my two oldie boys together

They are really cute though and very friendly and lovely

OK, I know you don't really want to read all of this, that's what happens when you put off writing the intro for a week

I've got another photo for you though - end of playtime, look how Little Ben's gone to sleep...

TWIX AND CRUNCHIE

Here are pics of my boys !

This is Twix

This is Crunchie

The boys are doing great-Crunchie seems to be trying for alpha male position...Mikey seems to have quite a lot to say about that!! No trouble so far though.

I had to mail Cat (the fosterer) earlier about Twix though. He is fine and loves cuddles, but he is scared of literally everything and when we have them out free ranging we have to take the tube off the sofa now if he's out or else he hides in there the whole time

Cat has said lots and lots of cuddles should bring him round, plus he still has other places to hide on the sofa so he is not totally out in the open.

UPDATE: MARCH 1ST:

Just to let you know that Twix is now doing great bless him. The tube is back on the sofa as he now runs through it rather than just hiding in it. He is still having heart attacks anytime we move or make any kind of noise but he's not hiding and he's the first one over for treats now !

Harry and Archie - their first week

2007-02-28T03:29:00.000-01:00

MONDAY
We started litter training yesterday and got off to an amazing start. I bought some potty litter for little critters. Then had the unenviable job of collecting poop and popping it into the tray, poopy popping! Then it went in the cage, Archie got his eyes on it and just about broke his neck in the haste to go and investigate, and here we hit the jackpot, he raked through it, looked at it then started to eat the litter!!!! So litter training lasted all of 5 minutes! Back to the drawing board and look for some different litter! I've seen some of the recycled paper kind on the internet so I'll look into that today.

Archie was already in disgrace as it was, he's just about demolished the fleece on one side of the new bunkercube! I wouldn't mind but they're never out of it, or off the top of it either. Yesterday was also the first time the boys have been out and investigated together, Harry is really getting quiet brave now. But Archie being Archie, he's found a way onto the computer desk and I have pics that look as if he's showing Harry how to do it! Harry seems happy to investigate their toys, Archie seem happier roaming around and looking for mischief!

They're still sneezing but it's nowhere near as bad as when they arrived so I'm hopeful it'll stop in a few days time. Harry's squealing has taken on a whole new style, he doesn't squeal when you pick him up to get him out, he's just squealing when its time to go back, or when he's doing something he shouldn't be and you go to move him! Harry has now taking to venturing out the cage doors on his own! Archie's eating is slowing down a bit, thank god cause it means the other end will slow down a bit too! They love porridge but not scrambled eggs, and how they've got porridge on the walls I'll never know, must have had a porridge fight during the night!!!

TUESDAY

The boy's had their first boiled egg yesterday, remind me to only give them boiled eggs the night before cage cleaning day in future tho! Archie was in and Harry was out when I put the egg in, Archie looked like he thought all his birthdays had come together and really got stuck in! Harry then arrives on the scene and became an egg thief, he ran off with the whole egg, fastest I've seen him move as it happens! Archie was looking down at him from the top shelf, so I shelled another one and gave it to Archie under strict instructions to hide it, funny tho because you'd have thought he knew what I meant cause he dashed down with it to the igloo house!

We also solved the problem with the bedding, I bought them some vegetable edible bedding! It appears to have stayed in the igloo house but it's in and out of the bunkercube! Archie's in disgrace over the bunkercube, it now has another door courtesy of him! He's ate a hole right through and out the side! And I know it's him because I've caught him a few times! The daft thing is when I came down this morning one of the boy's has stuffed the hole up! Probably thinking I wouldn't notice it! It's big enough to fit the pair of them through at the same time now! If he keeps it up I reckon the whole side will be gone in about 2 or 3 days!

Harry's coming on great now, comes out of the cage door himself and lets you pick him up with no squeaking, but try stopping him from doing something he wants and he'll squeak the place down! They were both playing on the settee last night, Kay gets a bit worried when they chase each other, looks a bit rough at times, I hope they're playing anyway! Archie was playing with a piece of string with me last night then they both began the laborious task of demolishing a box! Harry then went in and Archie curled up on the settee under the fleece blanket and had a nap. Archie is the more playful of the two, Harry will investigate and explore toys more than Archie will. They've now both been on the webcam now although it's easier to show Harry off because he'll stay still a bit more than Archie will.

I've ordered something called yesterdays news for the litter tray, hope it works cause it comes in 30lb bags and the minimum order was 2 bags, that's 60lb of it! That's a hell of a lot of litter for 2 small boys! The only stuff I could get local was the potty litter stuff and as they decided to eat it I gave up on it within 5 mins anyway!.

I've just turned around to see two heads sticking out of Archie's new door!

Sonny & Co - update!

2007-02-26T15:53:00.000-01:00

Nichola writes:

Eeeep I am so happy. Last night for the very first time i had all three boys on their drawbridge (the cage door I turned into a drawbridge so they can sit on it when they come out) cuddling up to my hands and arms. Then all three tried to get onto my shoulders and they didn't flinch as much or run back into their cage everytime i moved like they used to!

I am so happy, they were rescues and didn't like being handled much when i got them but now they're my true babies and enjoy cuddles more then the pesky girls! I think we're finally truely bonding rather then putting up with eachother hehe. And no bites! Yey!

When I got them on the 12th February but they were pretty unhandlable then and drew quite a bit of blood. This evening I was wiping down their shelves and Fredo (He once bit down to the bone of my finger and it still hasn't healed properly) actually jumped from his top shelf onto my shoulder and sat there while i was cleaning and stood back up again.

I was so happy! And they've just had their pancakes for pancake day hehe.

Harry and Archie - Day 4

2007-02-26T13:29:00.000-01:00

Yesterday we took delivery of a bunker cube (very tasteful brick design), hammockchoob (very dashing dragons and flames design, to bring out the kung fu side of them) and a cage condo( red/white stars on a bright blue background style, very dashing!) from fuzzbutt.

Archie was out and about tearing about as he does when they arrived so he dived all over them. I put the bunkercube in the cage, the others are in the cupboard for re-decorating day! Anyway, I don't know if it was because Archie had dived on them first but he seemed to think the bunker was for him.

He went in, explored the inside of the bunker, came out and explored the outside of it, then went and got something to eat (as he does) and sat on the top of it and ate he food there. Then he slept on the top, so I thought oh he likes it. Later in the day Archie was again out and Harry discovered the bunker, we didn't even realise he was fast asleep in the back. then Archie went in, ran towards "his" bunker and discovered Harry there, oh he wasn't happy with that! There's a little wooden swing outside the door, and Archie sat there eyeing Harry up!! Real evil looks at that! His ears where right up, Harry ambled out, Harry tends to amble and not run! Soon as Harry got out Archie dived in, Harry sat on the top then Archie threw a major tantrum!!! He was lying with his head hanging out and when Harry looked at him from the top he went off it!!! He started jumping up and down inside the bunker and looking at the roof! I've never seen a rat have a tantrum before!!

Harry then went in the bunker but Archie must have thought it would be a bad idea to leave so he lay down with his head hanging out looking quiet doleful! I think he's resigned himself to the fact its for both of them! They went to sleep in there and looked nice and snug.

Harry's coming on great now, we have a 2 seater settee in this room and we sit there with Harry, he'll go off your knee now, he walked the full length of the settee! He even climbed up Kay and had a walk along the back of the settee and onto the windowsill for a few seconds! He's really coming on in leaps and bounds. We leave the top cage door open so they can come out when they want, Archie's out a lot, Harry seems more content to amble about on the home front! Now when Harry arrived here he used to squeal when you picked him up, now he squeals when it's time to go back in!

In the mornings it's always Harry that comes to greet me when I come in the room, I put my hand in and give him a stroke, he licks my fingers! This morning he looked at me, he was lying in the bunker looking very snug and doe eyed, so I put my hand in and stroked him while lying there, he must have been too comfy to move!! Archie, he's in the igloo downstairs', Archie is not an early morning rat! He doesn't show for a while of a morning but he makes plenty of noise to let you know he's there! When he does show up it's usually to do something he shouldn't!

Four rat boys - a fosterers story

2007-02-26T13:25:00.000-01:00

We recently took in four sick young rats taken from appalling condiitons in Birmingham. They are currently being fostered by the lovely Cat until they are well enough to be found hoems.

Here is their story, from Cat:

Sat 24 Feb

I just wanted to let you know that we gave the himmies their medication tonight mixed with a bit of nature lite dog food stuff (as recommended in the gourmet book) and it was gone in seconds! I am just making a daily tick list chart so we can all keep track of their medicine - when it was given etc, that way no-one will get confused.

They are so friendly and already run to the bars for a fuss and a stroke. We have named 'the boss' Bruce! So there is Bruce and Tufty so far. They are all so adorable and we can hopefully boost their confidence so that when they are rehomed they are really outgoing lads!

Thank you so much for letting us help, it really is so rewarding.

Mon 26 Feb

All 4 boys are doing extremely well and are SO friendly! We called 'the boss', Bruce and he is the friendliest of all and he hasnt nipped yet, he likes to come out of the cage for a walk and a little cuddle.

Tufty is so shy but loves a cuddle!

My sister called the smaller one with a tail splodge, Ted! He is always first to the food bowl and likes to sit in the tube with Tufty. He is the best at shoulder riding, although Bruce gives him a run for his money!

Last but by no means least is the most cuddly and gorgeous but quiet, Codex! The name is random but just came to me and when I said it out loud he ran over to the bars and looked at me.

They have eaten their meds like such good boys and know already that when we go into the room they are gonna get a cuddle!