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Zash posted:Ahh, I see what you mean. She mostly just breeds rats for pleasure so I'm not surprised. She did care for them very well though so I'm pleased! Yeah, just to reiterate, this is not a good breeder. This is someone who is ignorant of rats that likes to play with baby rats and make purty colors. Which seems harmless until your rats rack up thousands in vet bills due to preventable diseases or you end up with megacolon or other serious health problems.
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Jan 8, 2011 21:05
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Superconsndar posted:I have no patience for medicating rats. I scruff a rat, stick the syringe behind their teeth, squirt it in, and continue scruffing them until they inevitably swallow. Dicking around mixing it with stuff and trying to get them to politely eat it is so much We found an ingenious medicating idea online from the Rat Health site. http://ratguide.com/meds/figures/giving_medications_figure_1.php Basically, you make little medicine "cookies" for them, with a touch of flavouring extract to make it extra desirable. For example, our rat that weighs about a pound, and the rat health guide prescribes 10MG of amox twice a day. So we mixed one 500MB capsule worth of meds with the mix, incorporated completely, and then split into 50 "pills" of equal size. We froze the extra pills against a similar situation after Kata finished her dose. Worked like a charm and cleared her right up, and the hardest part was keeping the other girls distracted. It was easy to get the medication too, because for some reason my husband's doctor wrote a script for amox when he was sick, and included refills. It was really cheap even without insurance.
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Jan 11, 2011 01:52
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in comparison.
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It looks like I finally figured out how to discourage the rats from doing bad things when they are out. We have a standard brown paper grocery bag that I stand up on the floor. If they do something bad, I just pick them up from what they are doing and put them in it. It doesn't hurt them or really do anything, but to get out they have to jump out. And most of the time they suck at jumping out so they land on the side of the bag and it makes a loud crinkling noise as it falls over. Sometimes they can even just jump out, but only Wrinkles is that good at jumping right now. Since I started it, they've finally started to abstain from pulling the towel out from under the door to our bedroom, as well as less trying to get onto the coffee table. That's not too cruel or anything, is it?
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Jan 11, 2011 02:27
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No, but it probably isn't connecting with them the way you think it is. It won't click for them that "I do this thing, I have to go in the bag." You're just successfully distracting them and making them forget what they were messing with. Whatever works! 
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Jan 11, 2011 06:40
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Superconsndar posted:
I'm on a laptop, I saw Moses and I laughed. Then I adjusted my monitor and saw Frankie oh my God that face. Any of you ratty people that might be able to tell me how to sex babies? I had a litter of feeder mice not too long ago (not technically rats but pretty similar biology) and I couldn't really tell them apart from guesses. Magic Hate Ball posted:RATS EVERYWHERE There's actually a temple in I think India where they have wild rats running around and they feed them milk and things. It's actually pretty  Sorry these were from a few pages back, it's been a while since I've checked on this thread 
themindisonfire fucked around with this message at 18:13 on Jan 11, 2011 |
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Jan 11, 2011 18:08
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One of my dad's friends mentioned that her daughter was interested in rats, and he apparently scared her a bit by mentioning that mine smelled. Towards the end of his life van Buren did get pretty stinky, I'll admit, but he was an old man after all. Her daughter still really wants them, and Dad feels bad about potentially swaying his friend away from letting her get them, so he asked me to do a little write-up of why rats are good pets. I suggested that if the idea of the buck smell bothered her, his friend should go for females. I recommended a trio instead of a pair, gave the usual "find a breeder or rescue" advice, and mentioned that while the females don't smell as much, they aren't as chill. I haven't heard back definitively, but I think it may have worked I told him I wanted pictures if the gal and her daughter ended up with some rats, and I will share them with you guys if/when that happens.
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Jan 12, 2011 02:52
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gently caress, you guys. This has been the worst weekend.quote:Made extremely painful decision to return beloved ratlings to breeder after 19 months of emotionally exhausting & intractable health issues. 1-4 times a day for 8 months, Casper sounds like he's on his deathbed. Undiagnosable by 3 DVMs; 4 medications; x-rays show nothing. Taking serious toll on our emotional & financial health; difficult to afford expensive treatment that goes nowhere & has no foreseeable end. To ensure they get attention & expert healthcare they deserve, giving care over to someone with resources and experience to help them best. I'm going to miss the gently caress out of our beloved furballs, but I don't think we're going to be rat owners again. At this point, the pain outweighs the joy for us.
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Jan 12, 2011 03:34
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themindisonfire posted:There's actually a temple in I think India where they have wild rats running around and they feed them milk and things. It's actually pretty That would be the Karni Mata temple at Deshnoke. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karni_Mata#Karni_Mata_temple.2C_Deshnoke I would like to visit before I die.
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Jan 12, 2011 07:28
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 Sounds like Austin has some kind of chest issue. Making some very odd wheezing noises. Also Gordon appears to have a growth near where he was neutered. Almost like a 3 ball. It's very strange. 
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Jan 12, 2011 12:26
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I'm not sure what I should be doing... It's very clearly Idresti's time, his back legs are pretty much gone and he's struggling like crazy to get anywhere, and he's just getting smaller... but, it's just so cold outside, there's no way he'd survive any trip to the vet's. He'd definitely not make it to the bus stop, and frankly in his state, I'm worried he wouldn't even make it to the car if I got a ride. I don't know what to do, I wouldn't want him to freeze to death, even on a trip to put him down. e: well, I called the small animal vet, and apparently they do do house calls for situations like this. The next question will be if he'll make it until payday or if they'll let me defer payment for a week... neongrey fucked around with this message at 17:46 on Jan 12, 2011 |
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Jan 12, 2011 15:31
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neongrey posted:I'm not sure what I should be doing... It's very clearly Idresti's time, his back legs are pretty much gone and he's struggling like crazy to get anywhere, and he's just getting smaller... but, it's just so cold outside, there's no way he'd survive any trip to the vet's. He'd definitely not make it to the bus stop, and frankly in his state, I'm worried he wouldn't even make it to the car if I got a ride. How much is it? If you have PayPal, I'll loan you the money right now and you pay me back next week (I'll take a check/money order if you'd prefer to pay me back that way).
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Jan 12, 2011 20:56
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daggerdragon posted:How much is it? If you have PayPal, I'll loan you the money right now and you pay me back next week (I'll take a check/money order if you'd prefer to pay me back that way). I do have paypal but going from paypal to a bank account takes something like a week regardless for me, or at least did last I tried it. I think, or hope, that he can hold out a week and be okay; he's still eating and drinking fairly well, and if I shuffle stuff in the cage I can make it easier for him to get around. Can probably borrow it from my dad, too. It's not a whole lot they want for it, I just have a lot of bs going on lately that means I just don't have it this second. I appreciate the offer, though.
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Jan 12, 2011 21:46
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I work with rats at my job and have decided that I want a rat of my own as a pet. Does anyone have a recommendation for Boston area breeders? I've found a few online (most notably "Star Rats Rattery") but was curious if anyone had first-hand opinions.
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Jan 13, 2011 02:52
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neongrey posted:I do have paypal but going from paypal to a bank account takes something like a week regardless for me, or at least did last I tried it. I think, or hope, that he can hold out a week and be okay; he's still eating and drinking fairly well, and if I shuffle stuff in the cage I can make it easier for him to get around. All right. I just wanted to make sure that Idresti wasn't in (too much) pain. Sick/old rats suck 
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Jan 13, 2011 17:45
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neongrey posted:I do have paypal but going from paypal to a bank account takes something like a week regardless for me, or at least did last I tried it. I think, or hope, that he can hold out a week and be okay; he's still eating and drinking fairly well, and if I shuffle stuff in the cage I can make it easier for him to get around. I hope he makes it a week and I'm sure you won't let the little guy suffer if hes not happy or hes in pain and will call the vet if you need to. 
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Jan 14, 2011 05:50
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Sigh, my poor little Algernon is still sick. I was reading up on respiratory infections, as she has one - is there really no cure? I've had her on amocyl-something with something for a while now and I'm all out, but she's still lethargic, making brown discharge, and looks like she's having difficulty breathing. I guess I'll have to bring her to the vet again, but I hope I can find something to keep her well for six months since I'm leaving to study abroad soon and leaving her with a long-term sitter. I figured you guys might have some advice. Edit: She hasn't sneezed in a while anymore though Double edit: Scratch that. But it's much much less frequent. Shadow0 fucked around with this message at 06:56 on Jan 14, 2011 |
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Jan 14, 2011 06:45
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Well, my dad was going to take me to the vet tomorrow, but as I was doing headcount this morning, I could see through the side of the hammock pretty easily that he wasn't breathing at all. So, at least this means when Idresti went, he was somewhere warm and soft and he was curled up with at least one of his buddies. Despite that, it kind of feels worse than the ones that I didn't know were coming.
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Jan 14, 2011 19:31
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neongrey posted:Well, my dad was going to take me to the vet tomorrow, but as I was doing headcount this morning, I could see through the side of the hammock pretty easily that he wasn't breathing at all. So, at least this means when Idresti went, he was somewhere warm and soft and he was curled up with at least one of his buddies.
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Jan 15, 2011 00:05
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Since it looks like he was just curled up to lay down, it means he wasn't trying to walk, and that's really what gave him trouble, so I'm hoping he wasn't in a lot of pain. I wrapped him up and put him in a box that was just the right size, and he didn't look too distressed. Aryselin's still looking good, but I know he's not going to be around much longer either, since he's almost certainly from the same litter.
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Jan 15, 2011 03:14
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That sucks, I'm sorry. But I think you're right, I don't think he suffered.
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Jan 16, 2011 03:31
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Having rats was such an amazing experience, they are so smart and so charismatic. Ironically, what makes them so awesome is the same reason why I can't have them anymore. Even after just 3 years with them it's so easy to form real relationships with these little dudes and to me 3 years just isn't long enough. I can't bare the prospect of losing something I'd become really quite attached to every 2-3 years, it's just to sad .On the subject of which, here was one of my girls, Mud. The smart and slightly neurotic one of her group. 
Sex Robot fucked around with this message at 22:53 on Jan 16, 2011 |
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Jan 16, 2011 22:36
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This thread has almost tricked me into adopting some little rat pals again. Now I have to find the photos of my babies. Like some of the other posters, at some point I just could not take losing them so often. I love these breeding posts as I had a few litters over my years of rat ownership. If at some point if I cant shake the rodent itch I may have to just get a couple degus just so I don't start in with rats again. Does anyone else here rats give little tiny kisses. Sure way to gross someone out when the enter my home is stop by the cage for some rat kissies.
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Jan 17, 2011 01:29
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Count Piro posted:Does anyone else here rats give little tiny kisses. Sure way to gross someone out when the enter my home is stop by the cage for some rat kissies.
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Jan 17, 2011 02:32
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You know, I don't even know if I should move the hammock back up to the upper level. Aryselin's just as old as Idresti was, and he seems pretty happy with the big cuddly hammock hanging so it rests on the floor of the cage. Varael doesn't seem too inclined to go climbing around by himself, either. Oh well, less work for me, if I leave it there.
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Jan 17, 2011 02:37
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I had pet mice before rats - to me it seems like rats live a really long time. "Better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all" and all that.
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Jan 17, 2011 08:24
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Boco_T posted:By rat kisses I assume you mean "you try to kiss them and you kiss their paw because they try to push you away"
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Jan 17, 2011 08:48
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sadus posted:I had pet mice before rats - to me it seems like rats live a really long time. "Better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all" and all that. I get quite busted up when one of my rats dies, but their short lives allow me to give more rats in need a home. A person usually owns two or three dogs in a lifetime but I have owned over a dozen rats in a few years, almost all rescues. A few weeks of my heartache versus a happy lifetime for a rat. The rat always wins, at least for me.
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Jan 17, 2011 09:52
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O no I am talking real deal rat kisses. All but the very last generation I had gave kissies. All you had to do was ask and bend down a bit and they would hop right up on their hind legs and give you a little lick. My mom always joked it was not a real rat kiss unless you got tongue at which point anyone within ear shot would be instantly repulsed. I don't think the last group really got socialized enough. Their father was a rough and tumble type of fellow so maybe they just learned from him not to give sissy kisses.
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Jan 17, 2011 16:10
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sadus posted:I had pet mice before rats - to me it seems like rats live a really long time. "Better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all" and all that. My pet mouse lived to be four, which is a good deal longer than either of the rats I had, so I guess mileage varies.
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Jan 17, 2011 18:30
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Count Piro posted:O no I am talking real deal rat kisses. All but the very last generation I had gave kissies. All you had to do was ask and bend down a bit and they would hop right up on their hind legs and give you a little lick. My mom always joked it was not a real rat kiss unless you got tongue at which point anyone within ear shot would be instantly repulsed. The two young ones are still a bit shy but all three of our older girls give kisses. Moko goes particularly crazy licking our bald friend's head. 
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Jan 17, 2011 19:53
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My girlie Belle gives kisses on command, have to get in close and go kisskisskisskisskiss really fast and she will lick the end of your nose. It is her party trick and makes most people not sure about rats as pets go aaaaawwww
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Jan 17, 2011 22:29
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ElectricSquire posted:Get a second pair of hands to help out, I never quite got the hang of doing it by myself with wriggly rats but always had success with someone to help me. Using a nail file or emery boards works pretty good. As a preventative measure, we've been using the smallest concrete blocks we can make (pour concrete in a very small form) ... we put the blocks, almost tile-sized, under their water bottles where they have to stand to drink ... this helps to wear down the sharp points.
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Jan 18, 2011 00:36
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My last rat died a week ago of lung disease. We were doing everything we could for her aside from an oxygen tank - lasix, zithromax, and then steroids towards the end until she withered down to nothing and was getting forcefed chocolate ensure and baby food. She kept on going though... I left on a vacation I planned a year before, and my coworker had to put her to sleep while I was gone. She crashed. Right before putting her to sleep, my coworker held her and said that she looked up at her, as if she knew... just like my coworkers last rat did, who also had lung disease. I've been depressed about it so I haven't gone near this thread. I have no rats now. I'm so sad. She almost made it to 3. Even though ferrets get adrenal disease I'm seriously considering getting a couple instead of rats just because they live slightly longer. I love rats, they are seriously my favorite animal. I always get four at a time. But after the last one goes... 
Carebear fucked around with this message at 01:03 on Jan 18, 2011 |
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Jan 18, 2011 00:58
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Carebear posted:I'm so sad. She almost made it to 3. Even though ferrets get adrenal disease I'm seriously considering getting a couple instead of rats just because they live slightly longer. I love rats, they are seriously my favorite animal. I always get four at a time. But after the last one goes... You're just a sucker for heartbreak animals, aren't you?
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Jan 18, 2011 04:08
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I don't know if I mentioned how I got my rats but basically my former neighbor got evicted and just left his rats in his apartment. They were all less than a year old at the time. He had cobbled together two bird cages and one rabbit cage to form a bigger cage. My husband and I dubbed it Frankenstein. I really hated it. It was a bitch to clean and they were constantly flinging food out of it and would somehow manage to crap through the bars. I know many of you like the Critter Nation Cages but I'm more of a do it yourself type of person and I was inspired by the Rat Grotto -http://www.dapper.com.au/grotto.htm Last week I found a shelf on wheels behind my local grocery store and took it home. I've been working on it and it's almost ready! I just need to complete the door and get a ladder or two and a small litter pan. I let them play in it yesterday and they seemed happy with it. Have a cute photo of Bywater munching a Cheerio!  Click here for the full 604x340 image.
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Jan 18, 2011 12:06
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Algernon just passed away. I just brought her in to the vet this afternoon, got her a bunch of shots and a new thing of medicine. I guess the diagnosis was wrong or just too late. At least I won't regret not bringing her in. Just thinking about how I wish I spent more time with her. She kept trying to escape her cage even though she was so weak, perhaps she knew it was nearing the end. She even climbed up my arm. She was alive just hours before when I cleaned their cage...
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Jan 19, 2011 07:33
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What happened to my rat's whiskers?  Both of them had long whiskers when I first got them. About a week ago I noticed that suddenly, only ONE of them had long whiskers--all the whiskers on Amelie were completely gone! Now she has whiskery stubble, so it's obvious they're growing back, but I can't figure out what happened. I thought MAYBE somehow they'd been pulled out in a tussle or something, but even the 'eyebrow' whiskers seem to have been gone. Neither of them have been sick or under any kind of stress, and Squiggles is still totally fine. I have no idea what could have happened.
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Jan 20, 2011 21:31
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redjenova posted:What happened to my rat's whiskers? Squiggles is a whisker chewer.
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Jan 20, 2011 22:04
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redjenova posted:What happened to my rat's whiskers? Have they been near candles or other open flame recently? I had a rat that went candle-sniffing, one of his whiskers caught fire, I frantically chased him around the desk trying to put him out, and he kept running away because he thought I was playing with him  He ended up with short stubby curly whiskers for awhile after that until they re-grew. It was still Otherwise, yeah, Squiggles is probably chewing them off or either rat is over-grooming Amelie. I guess you can wait and see if they grow back properly and if it happens again.
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Jan 21, 2011 16:22
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Oh god, Rat Kisses. Be careful. I leaned in too close to say hi to one of my girls (the sweetest thing) and the must have smelled food on my breath or been confused, because she LATCHED onto my lip and gave me a big tear pulling away. Ow, it hurts remembering it.
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Jan 22, 2011 18:16
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