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Too late for her I'm afraid  She was the best. It could be worse though, honestly. She was two and a half and was slowing down, and seemed like she might be developing a PT. if we'd got her back it wouldn't have been for long and it would have been to spend at most a few weeks fretting while watching her slowly decline with extremely laboured breathing the whole time. She was eating and cuddling the nurses right up until the last half hour, when she very quickly deteriorated and passed away. Seems like a pretty good way to go, but she'll be very much missed. VV honestly, she had pneumonia a couple of months ago (the same bacterial pneumonia that took away her 8-month-old cagemate, which was REALLY loving unfair) and we figured that was it. We treated all the time we got with her after her recovery as an unexpected bonus. It's still poo poo, she was the absolute friendliest little thing and bruxed and boggled madly every time she got a cuddle, but we thought we'd be much more broken up when the time came. Lunchmeat Larry fucked around with this message at 09:43 on Aug 18, 2017 |
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Aug 18, 2017 08:34
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That sucks, but she had a good run. I personally count my blessings with every rat that lasts more than two years. At any rate, condolences.
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Aug 18, 2017 08:52
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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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Aug 20, 2017 01:40
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tiny sushi for tiny rats     (they love nori and faux crab and I was making sushi anyway, so why not)
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Aug 23, 2017 20:44
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Those little white dots on the forehead :3
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Aug 23, 2017 20:54
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I love her forehead dots  
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Aug 23, 2017 21:01
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this site doesn't deserve my cute pet pics
Guy Mann fucked around with this message at 13:30 on Feb 24, 2019 |
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Aug 24, 2017 01:43
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Guy Mann posted:Not even trying to use chopsticks, what a scrub. The joke's on you. Sushi was originally finger food, so these adorable rats are obviously quite cultured and traditional. 
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Aug 26, 2017 20:34
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this site doesn't deserve my cute pet pics
Guy Mann fucked around with this message at 13:30 on Feb 24, 2019 |
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Aug 27, 2017 06:42
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I confess to having made tiny sushi more than once  More than a year after my last rat, I still hear a rustle in thethe house and think it's them. Or almost save a paperbag or left over chicken bone. Big Bug Hug fucked around with this message at 06:28 on Aug 28, 2017 |
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Aug 28, 2017 06:26
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 look at her fingers. look at them
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Aug 28, 2017 11:44
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Big Bug Hug posted:I confess to having made tiny sushi more than once It's only been a couple months rather than a year, but this is where I am right now. Whenever I see a lump-shaped object around the house, for just a fleeting moment, I think it's one of my girls.
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Aug 28, 2017 16:59
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I haven't had rats for 7 years now but I still look at empty cardboard box tans think the rats would really like that!
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Aug 29, 2017 15:20
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Rats suck with their stupid short lives. Does it ever get any easier?
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Aug 30, 2017 01:02
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It does, yeah, kinda. I've been keeping rats, off and on, since I was 8 years old. I've gotten pretty good at saying goodbye, when the time comes. Every once in a while, though, I'll get a really special rat, and it gets difficult again; that's when I take a break.
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Aug 30, 2017 01:09
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That's good to know. I lost my second rat Pico tonight. When the first rat, Nano, died I was out of the country so I never got to say goodbye. I think this was better than that mess. Still blubbered like a big dumb baby though.  This is the first picture I got of Pico.  This is Pico being unsure of what to do with the babies we got her after Nano died. And thissss...  Is what happens when you try to lure a rat out from behind the cage with a treat it can grab.
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Aug 30, 2017 01:58
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this site doesn't deserve my cute pet pics
Guy Mann fucked around with this message at 13:30 on Feb 24, 2019 |
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Aug 30, 2017 02:04
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She was a cutie A complete rear end in a top hat. But an adorable rear end in a top hat.
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Aug 30, 2017 02:43
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Oh my gosh that behind the cage picture!
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Aug 30, 2017 05:51
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Lunchmeat Larry posted:sometimes I feel like this thread is the forum equivalent of people you only meet at weddings and funerals - new rats, dead rats and not long enough in between. Sorry for your loss, it's always hard. What a perfect post to quote to say that I finally broke down after several years and got more rats again.  (L to R, Sunny, Gizmo, Takeshi, Bernard, Teddy) They sat still for maybe two minutes while I got a couple photos like this, then went crazy and ran around.  This little guy was Claptrap. We had him for one week before he got incredibly sick and passed away. It was really rough because I had explained to my husband that they don't last long (these are his first pets), and to have his favorite one leave us so quickly was a punch in the gut for sure. The breeder we adopted him from ended up letting us have a "replacement" rat, as I wanted four rats, and she ended up throwing in Gizmo as a bonus baby, heh. I definitely missed having pet rats, these little guys have so much personality and they are tons of fun! I realized I'm still terrible with coming up with decent ideas for toys, but I'm trying. Pintrest actually has some cool cage and toy designs on there. That's where I got the idea to clip cheap plastic placemats over the metal flooring to protect their paws. Super easy to clean and it makes the giant Martin cage I got for them cage look fancy.
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Sep 1, 2017 20:39
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Skutter posted:
Two minutes? I can't get a single rat to stay still for two seconds to get a non-blurry photo. How did you manage that with five rats? Also, instead of plastic place mats, try getting some cheap fleece throw blankets (Walgreens/CVS have them, often on sale) and cut those to fit your cage floors. I use little binder clips to hold them on. Cut them so you have about an extra inch or two of fabric on the sides that will be clipped, and remember they'll shrink a little later when you wash them. Much more absorbent, you can throw them in the washing machine when they need cleaning, and sometimes you can even find nice patterns (but what the stores get in seems to be pretty random). Fleece from the fabric store works too, but will probably cost quite a bit more more by the yard, especially if you can grab a bunch of blankets when they're on sale.
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Sep 1, 2017 21:07
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this site doesn't deserve my cute pet pics
Guy Mann fucked around with this message at 13:30 on Feb 24, 2019 |
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Sep 1, 2017 21:08
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I use fleece but it's not really absorbent, the piss kinda goes through it and then the fleece sits in it. I have a wicking fabric sewn underneath of the fleece to mitigate that a bit! I have some vinyl flooring I used to line the cage, and then the liners on top. I don't have a good place to clip the liners and they always managed to get under them anyway, so I gave up and just sit the liners in there.  I'm gonna buy some fleece blankets whenever I see them cheap this fall/winter bc they'd be cheaper than buying it by the yard, definitely. coupons help with that, though, and I already sew so it's not a big deal for me to make stuff for the cage. I usually hand wash mine because we don't do laundry as often as I need clean cage liners, and hang them out to dry. maybe I'll take some pictures tonight when I clean up the cage! e: I have a plastic bin full of shredded blank newsprint for them, my husband got me a bunch from his job and the rats love to take it from the bottom floor to the top and make a big nest with it! I also use the biodegradable packing peanuts from dr's. foster and smith orders in a box as a fun dig box for the rats. our cage is kinda overkill for two rats lmao snoo fucked around with this message at 21:20 on Sep 1, 2017 |
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Sep 1, 2017 21:17
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The Snoo posted:e: I have a plastic bin full of shredded blank newsprint for them, my husband got me a bunch from his job and the rats love to take it from the bottom floor to the top and make a big nest with it! I also use the biodegradable packing peanuts from dr's. foster and smith orders in a box as a fun dig box for the rats. Guy Mann posted:A fun cheap toy my boys like is putting a bunch of shredded paper in a 5 gallon Homer bucket and letting them burrow. You can put a few treats in there too, and when they're done they can clamber out on their own so you don't have to feel like you're trapping them or anything.  Those are a great idea! I can't believe I forgot about dig boxes. I even have the perfect box from Amazon that I was going to toss in the recycling. Cheers!
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Sep 1, 2017 22:46
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What's the best (healthiest?) way to put weight on an older rat? My old boy is not quite all skin and bones but sure skinnier than I'd like
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Sep 1, 2017 23:50
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This isn't guaranteed to work (some weight loss is to be expected in old rats, just like with old humans), but your best bet is to provide foods that are high in protein but still relatively healthy: Eggs, cat food, vanilla/strawberry ensure, etc. Be aware that long term high protein diets in rats has been linked with tumor growth, though this is unlikely to be a worry with an old rat. If it's an appetite issue, then try to make sure he's drinking enough, since dehydration can lead to lack of appetite. If he's been sick recently (have his stools been out-of-the-ordinary?), then it might be a lingering side-effect from that, in which case it might be better to just wait for his recovery to bring his appetite back.
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Sep 2, 2017 00:01
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Falstaff posted:This isn't guaranteed to work (some weight loss is to be expected in old rats, just like with old humans), but your best bet is to provide foods that are high in protein but still relatively healthy: Eggs, cat food, vanilla/strawberry ensure, etc. Be aware that long term high protein diets in rats has been linked with tumor growth, though this is unlikely to be a worry with an old rat. Appetite is reasonable, water consumption SEEMS lower than in the past and what I would like. Thanks for the suggestions on food, though. EDIT: and no, no recent sickness. just over 2 years so I'm not expecting a huge rat but still
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Sep 2, 2017 00:09
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I hope you can get some weight on yr boy. if he likes any kinds of food that are naturally moist as well, that might help with hydration. I got a 'feisty ferret' cage and I wouldn't really recommend it, honestly; what I really wanted was a knockoff critter nation that petsmart has online-only and the shipping on that had a $40 surcharge. so I got this cage for a little over $100 and free shipping from a ferret website. I had it in mind years ago when we first looked around. this cage only has a door on the right side of each level, which makes cleaning a pain, and the bars are mostly vertical, which is annoying for hanging stuff. but we've managed.      stay in the drat cage!!!!!!!  I made all of the hammocks except the bright yellow one that came with the cage. the ropes going across were dollar tree dog toys that I unknotted and secured for them to walk on (which they do, constantly). they love the triangular corner hammocks w/ the fringe, too.  fight me also here's a video of them in the smaller packing peanut box: https://www.instagram.com/p/BXRTxBKlqlw/ snoo fucked around with this message at 00:39 on Sep 2, 2017 |
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Sep 2, 2017 00:37
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this site doesn't deserve my cute pet pics
Guy Mann fucked around with this message at 13:30 on Feb 24, 2019 |
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Sep 2, 2017 01:27
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Here's a small photodump of Phoebe, Zoé and Rosie, our three little gals. Rosie is the one with marten coloring (red eyes, grey/white coat, also she's a dwarf), Phoebe's her mom and she's the brown one with dumbo ears, and Zoé is the one with normal ears, from another litter.       
SpacePope fucked around with this message at 16:25 on Sep 7, 2017 |
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Sep 7, 2017 16:20
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Wanna boop all them snoots.
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Sep 9, 2017 23:54
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Since my hamster passed I am thinking of getting a couple rats. For staple food I used to buy Harlan Teklad off of some website but I can't remember which one it was, Even tried searching my all of my gmail's and my way old netzero account to find out. - no luck -might have been bought off of my spouses account. I have a giant cage, plenty of toys, giant bag of Aspen, and KMS Bluegrass all I need is food an I want to have that ready before I get them. Anyone have an Idea? Been a while since I had rats but they are so cute! Edit: Nevermnd - it was the crafty rat edit again: and it doesn't work anymore at least on my computer - anywhere else I can get Harlan Teklad? nunsexmonkrock fucked around with this message at 08:48 on Sep 13, 2017 |
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Sep 13, 2017 08:44
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nunsexmonkrock posted:Since my hamster passed I am thinking of getting a couple rats. For staple food I used to buy Harlan Teklad off of some website but I can't remember which one it was, Even tried searching my all of my gmail's and my way old netzero account to find out. - no luck -might have been bought off of my spouses account. I have a giant cage, plenty of toys, giant bag of Aspen, and KMS Bluegrass all I need is food an I want to have that ready before I get them. Anyone have an Idea? Been a while since I had rats but they are so cute! Skip Harlan Teklad and just get Oxbow's rat food (Young Rat/Mouse for when they're babies and Regal Rat as adults). It's one of the best quality food and it's a hell of a lot easier to find.
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Sep 14, 2017 04:22
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Thank you^^^ I just always bought HT as a staple diet not what they were only fed, unfortunatly there weren't any pet rats, so I got some mice, I got Kaytee crap just as a starter for now because that's what they were being fed just to make sure they eat because they will recognize it as food immediatly). My husband came home and stared "OMG they're tiny rats!". Giving them some time before I actually handle them to get them used to their new enviroment. This is Hephaestus: I cought him sleeping in the wheel (which was completly clean when I put it in yesterday haha!)  Edit: it's a 100ish gallon long tank with wire topper thing, I couldn't put them in the giant rat cage because the bars are spaced too far apart for them. I also ordered these from Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000HHHDXS/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 and https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005FTMYHI/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 I also have an unopened lava block somewhere just have to find it - It might be burried underneath some empty vodka bottles. VVV: I will take that as a note and will handle them later tonight when I get home from work! 
nunsexmonkrock fucked around with this message at 15:18 on Sep 14, 2017 |
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Sep 14, 2017 14:43
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Handling them sooner rather than later is better for socialising them they're not like hamsters where you need to give them a few days to stop freaking out over having slightly different walls, I made the same mistake with my first pair!
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Sep 14, 2017 15:00
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Just as an FYI, tanks aren't great homes for rats, because the glass sides prevent proper ventilation which can exacerbate breathing issues (and pretty much every rat is born with a mycoplasma problem, so this is important.) If you want to stick with the tank, or if you can't afford a replacement, you'll need to clean the cage often and regularly. Also, I strongly encourage you to get your little guy a friend. Rats are social animals and being kept alone without another rat buddy can lead to a shorter, depression-filled life. Luckily, two rats are pretty much the same amount of work as one rat, so it's not like it would be doubling your workload or anything.
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Sep 14, 2017 17:13
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That's why I have a topper wire thingy for it that gives it two more levels and holes drilled in the sides of it I also got these thingies so I can take them into the back bedroom to put on my lap to come over to me and get used to me: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002DJRNQ/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 Sure no nutritional value but it's a treat. Edit I found some frozen peas in my freezer that I used to use for my fish, I tasted one and tasted fine, just to double check I can use them as treats too. Man these guys are fiesty. I have to tire out the cat before I can put them into the carrier thing to bring them upstairs away from the cats - more for the cats protection than the mice haha! nunsexmonkrock fucked around with this message at 01:01 on Sep 15, 2017 |
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Sep 14, 2017 23:31
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Guys I haven't had rats since I was in Jr High (now 36) and my daughters got me two for my birthday! They're named Betty and Veronica, and they're adorable. Bookmarking this thread.
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Sep 19, 2017 22:36
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Paladine_PSoT posted:Guys I haven't had rats since I was in Jr High (now 36) and my daughters got me two for my birthday! Post cute pics. It's mandatory.
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Sep 19, 2017 23:44
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Happy to! Betty (Left) and Veronica (Right) They were rescues from a local pet store's feeder stock so they're very skittish right now. Veronica has warmed up to me and spent an hour today in the hood of my sweatshirt sleeping and sniffing my ear. Paladine_PSoT fucked around with this message at 01:13 on Sep 20, 2017 |
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Sep 20, 2017 01:10
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