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Falstaff posted:I shared turkey with my girls... last month, during the proper Canadian holiday. Same.
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Nov 28, 2016 23:43
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| # ? May 19, 2024 18:51 |
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 https://gfycat.com/UnlinedZigzagAmericansaddlebred
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Dec 15, 2016 12:09
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  So I'm coming around to the whole surprise pregnancy thing. A rough birth with a lot of attrition, but Juana, Agustina, Sharpe, Harper and Ducos made it out fine. Signed up for two rats. Now own seven. Surprisingly unbothered.
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Dec 15, 2016 12:57
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Obliterati posted:
That's a cute handful of rats. 
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Dec 15, 2016 13:29
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this site doesn't deserve my cute pet pics
Guy Mann fucked around with this message at 13:28 on Feb 24, 2019 |
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Dec 15, 2016 18:51
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Guy Mann posted:My first rat died last night, I needed these. Debating on whether we should get new little ones. Does anyone have any experience introducing an older alpha female to new younger ones? She was clearly the dominant one between her and her sister, but they never had any bad fights or anything.
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Dec 15, 2016 19:40
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I just got one of my girls back from the vet after her third mass removal. This little brat has cost me so much money  She'll be two in a couple months, so I was tempted to just ignore it since it didn't seem to be painful or anything, but this one was growing so aggressively I just couldn't not do anything about it. I've decided that rats are more expensive than dogs, when you consider vet bills.* * Some breeds with chronic health problems excepted. Kuule hain nussivan posted:Same happened to us. She got really weak really quickly, and couldn't eat or drink anymore, so we had her put down. I've done it a few times, and never had any problem. Older rats (particularly females, but males too for the most part) tend to be incredibly patient with young rats. You'll want to watch their first introduction just to be careful, but 99% chance they'll be best buds within the hour.
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Dec 15, 2016 20:58
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this site doesn't deserve my cute pet pics
Guy Mann fucked around with this message at 13:28 on Feb 24, 2019 |
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Dec 15, 2016 21:04
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 Animal Friends
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Dec 19, 2016 15:32
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this site doesn't deserve my cute pet pics
Guy Mann fucked around with this message at 13:29 on Feb 24, 2019 |
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Dec 22, 2016 02:26
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I've wanted a gambian pouched rat for some time now - basically ever since I discovered their existence. Unfortunately, Canada banned the sale, breeding, and importation of them years ago after a monkeypox outbreak in Florida. More recently (say, 2010ish) they lifted the first two bans, but not the third... And the ban lasted long enough that any pouched rats had died out by then, so while it's technically legal to own one here, it's impossible to find one for sale (or at all.) There are breeders in the UK, though.
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Dec 22, 2016 08:03
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Guy Mann posted:Yes, but can they detect landmines and tuberculosis? HeroRATs are cool and good.
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Dec 22, 2016 08:13
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Visiting my husband's parents for the holidays, who are taking care of these very cute and round rats:   Unfortunately they're almost entirely unsocialized so you can't interact with them, and there's no ratproofed areas to take them out in anyways, but they're extremely adorable.
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Dec 22, 2016 17:25
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Awwww. They're indeed very cute and very round.
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Dec 22, 2016 18:08
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I've had a nice time just putting my hand in there and letting them investigate it. They seem to like tortilla chips so I've been putting halves in my palms and they come over and steal it and run away. I wish I had the time to socialize them, but I'm glad at least that there's two so they're not lonely.
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Dec 22, 2016 18:31
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Magic Hate Ball posted:I've had a nice time just putting my hand in there and letting them investigate it. They seem to like tortilla chips so I've been putting halves in my palms and they come over and steal it and run away. I wish I had the time to socialize them, but I'm glad at least that there's two so they're not lonely. Here's a trick. Get some yoghurt, smear it on your palm and let them lick it off. Rats cannot resist yoghurt and they won't be able to just run away with it.
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Dec 22, 2016 18:34
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Jack Trades posted:Here's a trick. That's a good idea, I might try that! They're a little bitey but the palm is difficult to nibble.
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Dec 22, 2016 18:58
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this site doesn't deserve my cute pet pics
Guy Mann fucked around with this message at 13:29 on Feb 24, 2019 |
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Dec 22, 2016 21:09
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Bit of a sad (and gross) story: I'm currently a vet tech student and work as a student assistant in our lab taking care of our various animals. Earlier in the semester, we got a pair of rats in (along with a bunch of mice) for teaching proper handling, blood draws, etc. Instead of the typical feeder pet store rats, these two girls were dumbo rexes! Anyway, they both turn out to be super sweet and I end up handling them a bunch. My favorite was a little grey one that was also semi-hairless. Every time you picked her up she'd just cuddle up to your chest and brux and just be adorable. Sadly, she just started to grow tumors insanely fast. Went from looking totally normal to having a huge abscessed one on her side within 48 hours. And then, over the next few weeks, she just kept getting bigger and bigger in the abdomen. I ended up calling her Lumpy cause, well, she was pretty drat lumpy. We didn't euthanize her right off the bat because she never displayed any signs of pain, infection, or anything. She was still eating, happy to cuddle, and basically ignoring the fact that her abdomen was double the size it should be with a draining abscess on her side. We sadly did end up euthanizing her on Tuesday as she was starting to have a lot of pus leaking from her vagina. She was happy up to the very end. I snuck her a few Skittles as a last meal. We did a necropsy on her (my boss suspected calcified fetuses), found a bunch of uterine teratomas and various other pus-filled growths throughout. We were super amazed she didn't appear more ill outwardly. Even in death, she provided a great teaching opportunity. Sadly, since we're in winter break, we can't run any sort of pathology on her growths. Her cagemate ended up going home with one of my professors cause she too was just too stinkin' cute. RIP little Lumpy.
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Dec 23, 2016 09:10
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Rat update: still cute, still eating.  
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Dec 23, 2016 18:07
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They're very cute. How did it come to be that your husband's parents are taking care of them?
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Dec 23, 2016 18:25
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They were originally his, but he had to move to a place with a no-pets policy.
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Dec 23, 2016 18:45
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My apartments were originally pretty chill about my rats and lizards despite them technically being against the pet policy (pets allowed: dogs, cats, fish, birds - the old boilerplate "I want our complex to be pet friendly but not really" policy), but they recently started harassing me with eviction notices if I don't get rid of my pets despite explicitly saying they were fine when I renewed my lease in October. Halfway to buying a house ATM, loan is almost done with the underwriters. No way I'm getting rid of my pets over such an inane policy. 
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Dec 23, 2016 18:58
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Magic Hate Ball posted:Rat update: still cute, still eating. Things are just like they should be.
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Dec 23, 2016 19:08
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After a year without rats, I got some baby girls:   My first dumbo rats, Two-tone and B-dubs (Black and White). I've had them for 3 days, and they're already super-friendly with me. Seems they were sold to me at about 4 weeks old though. Don't think I've ever had rats that young. They take treats from my hand, and they're not bitey at all.
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Dec 24, 2016 00:36
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Magic Hate Ball posted:They were originally his, but he had to move to a place with a no-pets policy. So they don't get any significant playtime outside the cage? That makes me very sad.
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Dec 24, 2016 00:58
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Falstaff posted:So they don't get any significant playtime outside the cage? That makes me very sad. Yeah it bums me out too. They have a nice big cage, though. I've considered taking them into the bathtub for some playtime but if either got loose it would be a nightmare in this house.
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Dec 24, 2016 03:58
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How Ingratiating! posted:After a year without rats, I got some baby girls: Those ears! 
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Dec 25, 2016 03:26
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I just got a new rat (double rex dumbo) last week Friday, to join my mischief of three rats that I already had. The original three are all litter mates, so they get along just fine, but I'm slightly worried about the newbie (Pipis.) After a couple days of their cages being next to each other, and some 20-30 minute neutral play sessions with no real aggression signs, I thought I'd move them in together. Things seem to be going well, but Pipis seems to have sustained some scratches from her new sisters. I haven't noticed any major fighting since the first day they've been in there, and even then there weren't any long squeaks or major scuffles, just some mild protesting. If anything, Pipis's introduction has caused her sisters to box each other more than her. I'm just not sure if she's getting scratched up way too much for a new introduction, or if I think that she just looks a little sad/pathetic because I think all hairless rats look a little pathetic, haha. Here are a couple pictures to show her slight wounds: http://i.imgur.com/A9Oqetf.jpg http://i.imgur.com/4nDa8Qb.jpg http://i.imgur.com/PNTWUbz.jpg (Very sorry about the turd. I'm sure you all understand.) The only other thing concerning me is her behavior a little bit. She doesn't seem completely warm to me when she's in the cage. She's refused to take any food or treats from my hands, but she is definitely eating (unless she's magically producing big poops) and I've witnessed her drinking a very healthy amount. When I do finally coax her out of the cage, she'll sit in my hood and be very affectionate towards myself and especially my beard, haha. She's also warming up to her cagemates, occasionally snuggling (http://i.imgur.com/rQMT0vs.jpg,) but I have noticed that she's not really exploring the cage, at least not when I'm around. I have a Double Critter Nation, so plenty of room, but she seemingly barely leaves her top shelf. I put a small ramekin of food and a smaller water bottle up there with her, but is that encouraging her to just hole up there and not explore? I feel like all of this is probably just overworrying, and that I have to remind myself that she hasn't even been here a week, so I should be more proud of her for what she is doing so far, but I'm still a very nervous ratdad, haha. Oh, and for the scratches, I am going to attempt to get some nail scissors, but trimming my girls' nails is very, very difficult. Any tips there?
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Feb 1, 2017 17:46
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Some scratches are normal as they're adjusting (particularly with bald rats like her). Just keep them clean and keep an eye on them for infections, otherwise I wouldn't worry too much about them. Her lethargy is of more concern, based on your description - it sounds like she might not really feel at ease in her home yet? Has she been showing any other signs of stress? It may just take her some more time to adjust to her new surroundings. In my experience, trimming a rat's nails is a two-person job, they're way too squirmy otherwise. Have you considered putting some rocks/bricks in their cage? When placed in the right spots so they'll walk on them a lot (I have one right in front of the water bottle) it can make nail-trimming sessions a lot less frequent.* Note that this depends on the individual rat's behaviour so results may vary, but it's worth a shot. I'm not sure what to advise regarding getting Pipis to warm up to you, other than keep trying. She's probably still getting used to all the changes in her life. That takes some rats longer than others, and as long as she's still affectionate and interested in interacting with you once she's outside then it's probably just a matter of time.
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Feb 1, 2017 18:24
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Did you name your rat after the Pipis Room Vine? Awesome, if true.
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Feb 1, 2017 18:47
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Haha, yes. Pipis just seemed like the best possible fit for a naked rat. Yeah, I have a brick under their water bottle but it might not be big enough. I'll stop by Home Depot on my way from work and grab another couple. I do really think she's just adjusting. It's only been a few days, but I do just worry. Poor scratched up baby. e: Would baby wipes be a good idea as far as a quick non-stressful bath?
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Feb 1, 2017 19:13
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After several years without rats my girlfriend surprised me for xmas with some girl rats. They are very cute, but one of them is very bitey, which is a first for me. If I pick Wednesday up she'll squeak loudly and sometimes bite (once was fully into my finger and a few times has broken skin without being too deep). Even if I am not handling her she nibbles me pretty strongly to check if my hand is food when I am trying to socialise them, now I'm used to rats doing this but it's much stronger than my past rats have or the other 3 currently do - doesn't break skin, but it's a firm grab and she doesn't immediately let go when I pull away sometimes either. I'm not going to breed them, so no worries about passing on her bitey behaviour, but does anyone have any tips for avoiding this?
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Feb 1, 2017 21:49
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Darkrenown posted:After several years without rats my girlfriend surprised me for xmas with some girl rats. They are very cute, but one of them is very bitey, which is a first for me. If I pick Wednesday up she'll squeak loudly and sometimes bite (once was fully into my finger and a few times has broken skin without being too deep). Even if I am not handling her she nibbles me pretty strongly to check if my hand is food when I am trying to socialise them, now I'm used to rats doing this but it's much stronger than my past rats have or the other 3 currently do - doesn't break skin, but it's a firm grab and she doesn't immediately let go when I pull away sometimes either. I'm not going to breed them, so no worries about passing on her bitey behaviour, but does anyone have any tips for avoiding this? All my biting-related advice is summed up in a previous post. Falstaff posted:That really sucks. I've had a lot of rats over the years, but only limited experience with chronic biters because they're pretty rare. I'll share that experience, and what I remember of the research I did at the time to deal with the problem, but I can't make any promises of how useful it's going to be. Congrats on your Xmas gifts, though.
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Feb 1, 2017 23:00
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Darkrenown posted:After several years without rats my girlfriend surprised me for xmas with some girl rats. They are very cute, but one of them is very bitey, which is a first for me. If I pick Wednesday up she'll squeak loudly and sometimes bite (once was fully into my finger and a few times has broken skin without being too deep). Even if I am not handling her she nibbles me pretty strongly to check if my hand is food when I am trying to socialise them, now I'm used to rats doing this but it's much stronger than my past rats have or the other 3 currently do - doesn't break skin, but it's a firm grab and she doesn't immediately let go when I pull away sometimes either. I'm not going to breed them, so no worries about passing on her bitey behaviour, but does anyone have any tips for avoiding this? This is what works for me: Confirm your hand is NOT food by squeaking loudly when she grabs you. This works best if you keep your hand still and don't pull away until after she lets go, though I know that can be hard.
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Feb 1, 2017 23:04
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Good advice, this earns you some rat pictures. Wednesday:  Jovie: 
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Feb 3, 2017 18:08
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Darkrenown posted:Good advice, this earns you some rat pictures. Those are some tiny babbies! Update on my situation:  Also, Pipis took a treat from my fingers for the first time on Wednesday and I almost cried.
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Feb 3, 2017 20:09
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Butts and smooshed faces.
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Feb 3, 2017 21:18
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Hi, I'm the guy whose rat unexpectedly gave birth to five more rats and is thus now plagued with seven of the adorable bastards. Question: has anyone got any ideas on how to 'mark' rats to make them more identifiable? The mother who I thought was albino appears to be developing a very faint brown stripe down her back, which is super inconvenient because two of her babies brown colour is now fading away too. I now have three rats roughly the same size and appearance (I can tell the difference if they sit still under good light, but it was based on the much stronger facial colouring from earlier posts). This is making training them to their names a load more difficult, as I'm never 100% sure the right rat has answered the summons. I wondered if I could daub food colouring or something on there to mark them? In payment, pictures (you can see my problem in the first one). My girls:  My boys (I can only tell Sharpe and Harper apart by the fact that Harper is just so fat, yes you are): 
Obliterati fucked around with this message at 22:09 on Feb 6, 2017 |
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Feb 6, 2017 21:58
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Sharpie at the base of the tail. Sticks on there good, and rats don't seem to notice/groom it off. Most labs do it that way, afaik.
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Feb 6, 2017 23:16
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