Mommy & baby rescue rat's thread *UPDATE 11/27...our ending*.

[undergunfire]

The rat lady in my town, Ann, is calling the man today to see if she can go over there to get the mommy and the rest of the babies tonight .

One of the baby boy rats that Ann will be fostering has already found a home. I just need to get him into Pheonix, then a lady in Pheonix is going to drive him part way to San Diego to get to his new forever rattie loving home!

:biggrin2:


I am so excited and doing a thousand happy dances over here :bunnydance:. It feels so amazing to make such a difference in these rat's lives.

 

[undergunfire]

Ann just called the guy, and he is flat out refusing to let the mommy and the babies go right now. He said he wants to keep them until they are weaned, because he wants to keep one baby, but is unsure which one yet :grumpy:.

Ann and I are going to see what we can do about that. Maybe even offer him money for them, to get them out of there.


On the other hand, the two male adults are being dropped off with Ann as we speak. She will foster them until we can find a home for them. They may have already found a home with another forum member on the rat forum.



*Sorry for all the updates, but there is so many!*

 

[JadeIcing]

undergunfire wrote:

*Sorry for all the updates, but there is so many!*

Do not be! We want to know!

 

[XxMontanaxX]

undergunfire wrote:

*Sorry for all the updates, but there is so many!*

I don't know what to post other than GOODJOB AMY, but I AM reading all these! So keep updating! :hug:

 

[undergunfire]

They squirm around so much, that my crappy camera can't even take non-blurry shots :grumpy:. I need to buy a new one ASAP. I HATE this camera. Anyone want it ?!

Arg, I'll TRY to get better pictures and group shots tomorrow.





Baby #1: Boy? Appears to have a rex coat. Berkshire. Agouti or black?

Baby #2: Boy? Agouti hairless Berkshire. I call him "Alfie".

Baby #3: Girl? Agouti hooded hairless.

Baby #4: Girl? Agouti hooded hairless. Runt of the litter.

Mommy, and a total sweetie:

It is so darn hard to sex them, arg.



Ryan and I need to go out later and get stuff (whatever the rat forum tells us we need) to help the runt. She seems tiny and weak :?. I am not sure if mommy is feeding all that much.

 

[XxMontanaxX]

Awww they are so cute and wrinkley!!!

Goodluck with the runt. I hope she'll be ok.

 

[undergunfire]

We went out and got some organic plain soy milk, high quality kitten food, and meat flavored baby foods.

I heated all that up with some oats and pedialyte, the babies have been eating it like crazy. Mommy isn't interested though. I am not sure she has touched much food at all.

Babies are 3 weeks old, it takes 3 weeks for babies to be born. I hope the guy wasn't lying and mommy isn't pregnant again. I will personally have to give the man a peice of my mind. Mommy doesn't look pregnant, but you never know.


I may have to hand feed the baby for a week. She is eating solid foods, but is so tiny. I think she may have been from one of the other litters and is actually a few days younger than the other bubs. All babies are a bit dehydrated, especially the runt bub. I have been working on getting pedialyte into the runt using a staw. I'll need to get a tiny eye dropper tomorrow.


Right now the runt bub could or could not make it. I know the other three babies are going to be just fine.

 

[XxMontanaxX]

That's good about the other ones.

I hope the runt makes it.

Macey was a runt you know.

How are they all doing today?

 

[undergunfire]

Everyone is doing great, even the runt! The babies are always popcorning and running around all over the place . The boys are wrestling, they are so happy and growing so fast.


I need to buy a new cage tomorrow that holds 7 rats max, it is called a Fiesty Ferret. I am going to see if PETsMART will do a price match. They have it in-store for $159, but I can order it offline for $129, I just don't feel like waiting a week to get it. They have done price matching for people on the rat forum, so I don't see why they wouldn't price match for me.

Mommy is probably staying (Spartan loves her...you can tell by the way he looks at her from across the room), and maybe the two "boys". The "boys" are really attached to each other, and I can't imagine them going to another home and something happen to them :?....like their new owner doesn't give them vet care or something. I rescued them all from a bad situation, and I don't ever want them to go through anything like that again.

Baby girl #3, if she is a girl, is definitely going with a lady on my rat forum . I am going to try to convince her to take the runt as well, if she makes it and if she is a girl. Baby #3 & #4 are close to each other, so I would be sad to see them separated.



We'll see where they all end up. I'll know for sure once I can tell sexes. I am pretty sure that we still have 2 boys and 2 girls, but it is really hard for me to tell.




I just love my little rat family :hearts. To think they would have been in a snake's belly if I hadn't come along, is just very sad .

 

[undergunfire]

PETsMART price matched the Feisty Ferret cage for me. It would have cost me $174 in store, but they price matched it for $120 :biggrin2:! Leonidas is in the bottom half for now, and Spartan is in the top. I wish they would get along!!


Mommy and babies are all doing great! They moved into Spartan's old cage, and the babies have been climbing all over the place in there, they love it. Mommy really likes it, because she can crawl into a hammock to get away from the babies for a little while.

They need names, really bad.


Baby #1: "Troy"?
Baby #2: "Ralphie"?
Baby #3: not sure.
Baby #4: not sure.
Mommy: "Persia"?



I am open to suggestions. I like non ordinary names, more people like names .

 

[TinysMom]

I can NOT stand rats at all...but what is a hooded rat?

I've got to say - if I wanted a rat...I really like mama for some reason. I don't know why I'm drawn to her.

But I don't want a rat.....I can't stand the thought of touching one.

Peg

 

[Bo B Bunny]

LOL peg did you grow up on a farm? My SIL is the same way and shivered when we'd play with our rats.

They are such SWEET animals. I think once people decide to try - they love them! I convinced a lady one time that rats were the best pets for kids and she actually later said she couldn't thank me enough because they were her favorite pet ever!

Hooded is when they have the black or tan color over their head and sometimes a saddle marking. with the white as the base body color.

I love that rexy boy! He's adorable!

Little tiny runt girl name: Twiggy, Twinkles, Minnie

 

[undergunfire]

A hoodie can come in any color: Blue, American Blue, Silver, Mink, Agouti, Black, Harley, Fawn, Bermese, ect.


I agree with Bo, people just need to take the time to appreciate rats . They are wonderful little animals, in which I don't consider a rodent at all. They should have their own classification, they are too great to be "just a rodent".

Peg, have you seen Rattatoulie yet? If not, you should rent it and watch it, it will change your mind a bit, if not all the way, about rats.

Ratties are kind of like little chihuahua's, if you think about it. They beg for treats, pets, run around, roll around, some play fetch, you can teach them tricks, they can ever walk on a leash like a dog!


I don't really like cats all that much, but once I am around them a lot, I start to think they aren't all that bad. Like when I went to your house and Mitzi was always practically on my head .

 

[TinysMom]

Bo B Bunny wrote:

LOL peg did you grow up on a farm?

I didn't grow up on a farm....well....not officially.

Let's see - when I was growing up we had two chickens (from a school project of watching the eggs hatch) and several rabbits (we had one - it ran away- after 10 days we got another one - the first one was found....you get the idea...right? Boy were we shocked when our two boys had babies...we were even more shocked when we had babies again shortly afterwards as we didn't know how young rabbits could get mama pregnant).

One of our chickens was an attack chicken....she/he came running around the side of the house when a car pulled in to attack the people in the car.

I also had a pet skunk when I was 16. That was neat. I loved having a skunk...I'd take him out on a leash and everything. Unfortunately - he got out of his enclosure one weekend when mom and I were away and he spent a day at the neighbor's house (they didn't realize he was mine) and then wandered off from there. I was heartbroken.

I also had gerbils (Jack and Jill - and yes - we had babies).

We also had cows from the farm behind us that came onto our property sometimes.

Oh - and I had a dog (german shepherd) and cat.

But that's not a farm.....is it?

Peg

P.S. I've seen Rattatouile (sp?) ~ saw it the first day it came out and bought it on dvd the first day it came out. Still doesn't make me want a rat.

But seeing that mama.....*almost* could make me want a rat......but only almost. Still can't handle the thought of touching one.

I would like a ferret or sugar glider - and actually - I'd really love to have a descented skunk again but Art has put his foot down and said, "NO" to the idea of a pet skunk.

 

[undergunfire]

I would loooove a pet skunk someday. I think they are so sweet.

 

[katt]

they are soo cute!

i am not really a fan of hairless animals, okay, i down-right don't like them. they are okay to look at in photos, but that is as far as i will ever take hairless animals!

but i like the ones with fur!!!

and everyone is completely right, rats are nothing special till you hang out with one for a while!

i am completely in love, and i have only had the girls for a couple of days!

 

[undergunfire]

You will be hooked for life, Katt .



Anyway, I took pictures, but I will post them tomorrow. I am tired and have an achey back...and don't feel like getting on the desktop .

The two boys found a home. They are going there this weekend. A nice lady in town named, Anne, will be taking them. Baby #1 and Baby #4 (runt) will be the ones going to a new home.


Now, I only have mommy and her daughter left to rehome . It's sad to see my little family go, but I know it is best for them to go to new homes, so I can take in rescues in the future.



Baby #2....he is staying. His name is definitely Ralphie. I love the little dude. I am going to bond him with Spartan and Leonidas (who have yet to bond :grumpy.




Speaking of Spartan and Leo, they had a bonding session the other night, and got into a scuffle....I just noticed tonight while I was trying another bonding session....that Leo gashed a huge hold in Spartan's lower area....thank god he was about a half an inch from Spartan's "little petey" :shock:.

 

[JadeIcing]

Yikes! Maybe no bonding. :?

 

[undergunfire]

JadeIcing wrote:

Yikes! Maybe no bonding. :?

Yep, I am beginning to think that my big, squishy manly rat (Spartan) wants nothing to do with other rats. He is a mommy's boy and loves his huge part of the cage....all to himself.

I did intro mommy rat and Leonidas last night, and they got along great. She wanted to breed with him, and he was all like "AHHHH, LADY....WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" (because he is neutered).



I want to try to rehome mommy rat and her daughter, though. Mom rat is a sweetie, but I don't have a huge connection with her....so I woud love for her to go to a new rat experienced home where she can be spoiled. That way, I can save room for more rescues/fosters in the future .

 

[undergunfire]

Mommy and daughter may have found a home with a lady in the Phoenix area. Wish them luck, they deserve this home...this lady is very rattie experienced!



Which reminds me :shock:...I need to start sewing up hammocks for the two baby boys, so they have a few to go to their new home with .


Black Friday = 99 cent flannel prints at Joann's for hammocks :biggrin2::biggrin2::biggrin2:! Ohhhh, and I have coupons for tons of %'s off! WOOOO!!!