Rat-a-Tat

Cute pic time!

2010-03-22T23:59:00.000-06:00

Just have to sharesome new pics of the rattie mansion that just came in the mail today, along with a dose of cuteness! Enjoy!

New fun, and new challenge

2010-03-08T22:27:00.000-07:00

Good thing: the boys got some really exciting new treats today! Mommy splurged at the grocery store and got some yogurt and sunflower seeds! they adored the seeds, and actually enjoyed the yogurt as well! i love seeing them so excited about new things! Huzzah!

Bad thing: found out the cage I built is too small for them as adults (13" deep is not deep enough) so now my new task is to build them a bigger, better cage! Luckily I got my tax refund and still have several months before they reach adult size. But hey, I love projects! So I'm gettin' my nose to the grindstone and there will be madness! hehehe

"These are a few of my favorite things..."

2010-03-06T00:39:00.000-07:00

I recently discovered the boys have an intense love of carrots! This is great news because not only are carrots a nice healthy treat, but I can use them as motivation for training (once they get through their "short-to-nonexistent attention span phase)! Huzzah for motivation and treats that are good to give =D

Jasper says "hi" from his favorite nap spot!

Update: Jasper's eye...or lack thereof

2010-03-04T18:54:00.000-07:00

So after doing a week of ointment on Jasper's eye, it was clearly not getting any better. Good news though is that it wasn't getting any worse. The veterinarian at school said that he was not comfortable diagnosing any sort of issues in a rat, which I respect his honesty. My Lab Animal teacher that has been helping through this said that if it doesn't look like anything is infected or gross (ie no purulent discharge, foul odor) I could stop the ointment. I probably will just atrophy, if it hasn't already, or is just underdeveloped. she told me to keep an eye on it. I check his eye daily now just to make sure he isn't getting worse. He is such a little trooper! He has been an angel. He never fusses when I peek at his eye and I make sure to give him plenty of love and positive reinforcement afterwards for being such a good boy =)

I'm relieved that his eye doesn't seem to bother him and there doesn't really seem to be anything "wrong" with it. Jasper is pouncing along just fine, keeping up with Nico and oftentimes getting the best of his brother ;) I couldn't be a more proud rattie mom! I'm just glad he's going to be ok!

New set of cage liners and hammocks!

2010-03-01T01:37:00.000-07:00

So this weekend I cooked up another set of liners and hammocks for the cage, so that I can wash them one at a time and still have something in there in the mean time. I really love this set!

And lastly, how can I resist posting pictures of cuddling rats!?

Cuter and cuter!

2010-02-26T18:53:00.001-07:00

My boys are getting bigger and they just keep getting cuter! When I first introduced them to their new home, they had no idea what to make of it! They explored every inch, but just didn't seem to realize that there were hammocks hanging for them to snuggle in! Well now that they have figured out how to get up in them, it's their favorite spot to nap! Right now they are snuggled up on top of each other on the bigger hammock and they couldn't be cuter! Eegad I just don't know what to do with myself! Teehee!

The road to healing

2010-02-25T01:27:00.002-07:00

When I adopted Jasper, he had been scratched on his left eye by a littermate, probably when they were only a few days old. I knew I wanted him from the start, so a little eye problem is no big deal for me. I'm almost done with my veterinary technician training, and I am a teaching assistant for the laboratory animal class, so I'm use to handling these little guys, as well as restraining them. Jasper is not too keen on having to get eye ointment twice a day for a week, but he's being a real trooper! He is actually really great for me when I put a little dab of ointment on his eye, of course then he runs off and grooms himself, trying to get it all off -___- oye vey...hopefully this will help. His eye does seem to be getting better, but it's still very sunken in and he keeps the lid mostly closed. If it's not better within a week, my teacher said I can bring him back to school and have one of the veterinarians take a look at him. We'll see on Monday how he's looking. Keep your fingers crossed!

Welcome home boys!

2010-02-24T21:26:00.001-07:00

Monday night I brought home my first pair of little ratties and BOY did I get a handful! They are crazy, rowdy little clowns and I LOVE them! I couldn't ask for a cuter pair of kids =)

This blog is going to be all about my boys and their lives growing up! Here are their vitals:

Jasper:
Birthday: 2/25/10 (about 1 month old)
Species: Fancy Rat
Color: Black Hooded
Likes: corner hammocks, carrots, snuggling, sleeping in the litter tray
Dislikes: his eye ointment

Nicodemus:
Birthday: 2/25/10 (about 1 month old)
Species: Dumbo Fancy Rat
Color: Black Berkshire
Likes: exploring, wrestling and pinning Jasper, climbing, carrots, hiding in the pvc pipe, trying to escape the cage
Dislikes: being held for too long