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My downstairs roommate smokes what seems to be a half pack to a full pack a day of cigarettes. Sometimes, he smokes in the room directly below where my rats are. That room (where he sometimes smokes) is a common area, but I don't want to be a complete hardass since he is the homeowner. Is this a cause for concern with their respiratory systems or am I over-worrying?
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Oct 23, 2016 15:46
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| # ¿ May 2, 2024 23:35 |
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 My girls got some cheese and tomatoes, and then a chocolate chip each for dessert.
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Nov 26, 2016 04:25
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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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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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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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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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Is it normal/okay for rats to get "eye boogers" of porphryn? My double rex keeps getting them every other night or so but they clear up/have been groomed away by morning. Also, she's still sneezing a bit but is much more active/friendly with her other rats (every night is a cuddle pile and every morning she's right up at the cage wall to say 'Hello!'  ) It's been over a week now since I've had her. Are her sneezes still just new cage sniffles or should I be more worried?
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Feb 7, 2017 18:04
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My double rex dumbo got herself tangled up in a t-shirt I put in their cage (she was fine, nothing actually caught)   One of my friends said it looks like she's in a baptism dress haha
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Apr 28, 2017 02:50
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what a smol babby medical emergency help my double rex is melting I guess
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Jun 2, 2017 16:06
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There's no better place to smooch a rat.
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Jul 9, 2017 11:51
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 look at her fingers. look at them
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Aug 28, 2017 11:44
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Despite your claims, all of my rats are very fancy.
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Feb 3, 2018 13:30
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The thing you notice first is that they are very warm. They're also a little squishier feeling, and they can also feel a little slippery. My naked rat doesn't like being picked up at all though, so I try to keep it to a minimum. She does like being pet/stroked though.
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Feb 3, 2018 16:04
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 The last thing you see before you die.
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Feb 21, 2018 04:40
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Sorry to bring the mood down, especially after such a cute picture, but I had to say goodbye to one of my babies today. Her name was Chill. She was very very sweet and always licked my fingers when I put my hands in the cage (without a treat.) This is the first rat I've ever lost, but she's survived by her three sisters.  I got home at about 2AM Saturday and went to give my girls treats, when I noticed she didn't come to the cage wall. She had been dealing with some respiratory issues, and had taken a two week course of antibiotics. She'd stopped coughing, her lungs sounded good, and she was eating and drinking really well, she was getting better, or so I thought. When I found her in the cage, she was nestled in some blankets, and when I picked her up, I was shocked at how cold and limp she was. She was barely breathing, could hardly balance in my hands, and was struggling to keep her eyes open. I'd read online about rats' final hours, and I knew it was probably too late to do anything. Still, I didn't want her to suffer, so I packed her up and took her to the emergency vet.  This is her on a heating pad in the final hour of her life. She was a lab rescue, and I know she lived a much better life with me than she would've gotten otherwise. She was taken too soon, though. She only lived to be about 18 months. When I was filling out the last of the paperwork and spending a few quiet moments with her, she leaned into my hand in a way she's never done before. I know that she was probably just feeling for warmth, but part of me thinks that she may have been saying goodbye to me just as I was saying goodbye to her. I'm happy I had the opportunity to care for her, and to be there when she passed.
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Mar 25, 2018 07:09
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I think I had my last avatar for about a decade, so why not take this excuse to change it up a bit
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Mar 30, 2018 22:55
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What, in your opinion, is the cutest rat behavior? My favorite is when my girls already have a mouth full of food, but still try to shovel even more food into their maws, even resorting to using their front paws.
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Apr 3, 2018 04:01
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 father... please, release us
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Apr 12, 2018 23:24
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I'm glad my rats can bring other people any amount of the joy they bring me. By the by, if anyone else has a Critter Nation, Milk Bone Mini's are the best thing ever because the bars are spaced just enough to put one in, twist it, and leave it stuck there. I love leaving the peanut butter ones as surprises for my girls. e:  We just hit the 12 year anniversary of our gang tag's inspiration! Scholtz fucked around with this message at 06:11 on Apr 15, 2018 |
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Apr 13, 2018 05:49
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Jaded Burnout posted:One of my rats seems to have fewer toes every time I go to clip his nails (and it ain't me). I probably just missed them the first time, but I hope his scraps with his brother and pals isn't getting that serious. Do you have towels or anything with small loops in the cage that his fingers could be getting caught on?
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Apr 20, 2018 07:07
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Rats are adorable babies and if they want our major cities we should give them our major cities.
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Jun 11, 2018 10:12
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I got worried recently because one of my new baby double rex rats looked like her skin was darkening, and I thought she might be sick. She was just growing some peach fuzz.
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Aug 27, 2018 10:40
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Just lost the last of my original 4 rats last night. She lived to be a decent 26 months old and died peacefully at home, the only of the 4 to do so. I'm happy I was there for her last moments. 
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Nov 15, 2018 18:10
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Boss... is that you?
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Dec 21, 2018 04:11
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I'm sorry, Snoo. 
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Feb 3, 2019 20:04
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You gave him a good life, the best. You did all you could, and he left knowing he had you there for him.
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Mar 29, 2019 03:30
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I'm sure you didn't. There's a ton of research/evidence that shows rats exhibit a lot of empathy, and sharing food is one of the biggest signs of love to an animal. Either that or, due to their illness, they were too out of it for there to be any extra stress.
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Mar 29, 2019 17:54
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https://twitter.com/moonsmoothie/status/1117091642849288192?s=19 13 gosh darn years, Neil
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Apr 13, 2019 19:27
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It's tragic but I'm almost always happy to see this thread not have many recent posts in it. I have been super fortunate with my current rats. All 4 are nearing a year old, and no signs of respiratory distress or tumors. If your rats are healthy right now, take a moment to appreciate that, and give them some extra scritches. 
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May 12, 2019 06:27
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Good excuse to keep ice cream around the house, too
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Jun 8, 2019 06:55
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I know a lot of people have issues with buying their rats a wheel and then them never using it. I have the opposite problem: I upgraded them with a new Wobust Wodent Wheel, and they've already been running quite a bit on it!
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Jun 20, 2019 02:42
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snoo posted:always with the tumors 
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Jun 21, 2019 19:32
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Jun 25, 2019 16:12
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Content warning for the first episode of Stranger Things 3, there is a scene about 30 minutes in that is not for rat lovers. 
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Jul 5, 2019 04:30
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Yay!
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Sep 9, 2019 15:47
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I've heard of people using dixie cups with part of the bottom cut out as a makeshift cone. Maybe you could use that until you get the real one.
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Nov 9, 2019 08:52
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Jaded Burnout posted:Good news: rat is off antibiotics now That's just his bicep. He's been getting too strong because we've been praying for him too hard.
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Dec 23, 2019 21:04
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My first hairless rat loved cantaloupe so much. I'd always say "Pipis loves her 'canterlope'!" and she would ravenously chow down on it. Made me really sad when the day I had her put to sleep, I gave her some, and she tried soo hard to eat it, but she was either in too much pain or her lack of appetite kicked in.. Oh well. She had probably 50x her body weight in cantaloupe in her lifetime. 
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Jan 3, 2020 08:04
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My state is shut down, including my vet, and one of my rats has a tumor on her neck.
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Mar 26, 2020 23:20
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| # ¿ May 2, 2024 23:35 |
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a month late to Tiger King memes, but, When your rats start nearing 2 years old: 
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Apr 11, 2020 00:35
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