Star’s Rat Rescue Has Babies
One of my favorite Rat Rescues is enjoying the wonders of baby rats … two litters worth actually. Brittney, the fine young lady that runs Star’s Rat Rescue, recently took in two (pregnant) female rats who gave birth to a total of 20 baby rats! You can follow along with their daily progess reports at the RatChatter forums, here are the links:
If you can make room in your heart and your home for some new born rats, please contact Star’s Rat Rescue. I am sure they would appreciate the help.
Here are a few iPapers, just to show what sweet little babies these are:
A darling pup sucking his toe
A mini rat pile with a very curious tyke
How can you resist these little ones?
Peanut and the Rats
Mrs.R wrote a post on the RatChatter forums earlier tonight introducing our newest family member, Peanut. Peanut is a Netherland Dwarf rabbit. Here he is in his new home:
Peanut the Netherland Dwarf Rabbit
He is an adorable little boy that we are “fostering” while he waits for a dental procedure. The veterinarian that is performing the procedure is very close to were we live which I believe made it that much easier for the Toronto Humane Society (THS) to allow us to care for Peanut, at least until then. Peanut currently has his profile on the front page of the THS web site. The profile explains Peanut’s special needs:
I have maloccluded incisors, which means that my front teeth grow all funny, making it difficult for me to eat. Before I go home, the vets here are going to remove them!
We will be taking care of Peanut before he has his operation, as his foster family, with every hope that we will become his permanent adoptive home.
… but what about the rats?
Please remember the Toronto Humane Society is funded strictly by donations; AND, is a no kill shelter! They can use all the help people can offer. Also, something that is near and dear to our hearts is the re-homing of the rats they currently have in their care … approximately 90 as of this evening. We saw almost all of them while we were looking for Peanut.
The rats range from the young to the not so young, but they all appeared curious and interested in the humans wandering around … and if we had room … if we had room …
Toronto Humane Society
Rat iPapers with Cat-the-Rat and Starsky
Just something to share for those fancy pet rat keepers that like to have rat iPapers … and for any rat lovers in general.
Cat-the-Rat: Up close and personal a la Turq!
Starsky: an homage to Alfred Hitchcock
3 New Girls
Just like Mrs.R wrote recently on the RatChatter forums, I am writing an introductory post for the latest addition to our mischief.
Although we do not consider ourselves rescuers we seem to have gathered a bit of a reputation for taking in rats that need a new home; and, we give them their forever home. Our latest additions are three adorable little girls from a nice family that recognized they would not be able to offer the time and attention fancy pet rats need.
Here are a couple of pictures of the little ones in their temporary (quarantine) home:
Ditto and PJ
PJ and MJ
We hope to integrate these girls with our older group in a couple of weeks.
More Not Less
Although I have been posting mostly of our losses of late today I am happy to write a short bit about our new additions.
We have recently adopted two young rat boys. Their names are still to be decided although I am leaning towards Ossie and Skitch, but Mrs.R is not really a fan of either … yet.
Here is a picture of the boys their first night in quarantine:
Our two newest boys.
We adopted the little guys from a local big box pet store. We usually shop there for various pet supplies and often walk to the back of the store where they keep the small animals. They have had two rat enclosures for the last three to four weeks but we had never seen any movement out of the second smaller enclosure.
We asked one of the store employees and she said there were two boys in the smaller habitat that had been returned to the store although she was not working the day it happened. At the mention of the word “return” Mrs.R immediately decided they needed to come home with us as we both thought they would not be adopted by anyone else with the “returned” label being attached to them.
The boys are very sweet and in great health. They are still a little nervous when being handled. One insists on burying his head wherever he can, while the other is a nervous and jittery. That gave me the ideas for my name choices, but we will see what their behavior gives us for more ideas.
Update: The boys have their new names … Tom and Jerry
Shadow Goes Into the Light
Our Shadow left today … some time in the early hours of the morning.
Shadow - RIP - Mar 15, 2009 to December 31, 2009
He is survived by his brothers: Turq!, Tanzi, and Colby … may they see the New Year through.
Mynx, the Second Passing
It’s been a few days now and it still is not any easier to write these posts. Our second Mynx, one of the Prodigal Sons passed to the Rainbow Bridge on Dec 22, 2009. I will remember him as one of the strongest willed rats I have known … and I will miss his indomitable spirit.
Mynx - R.I.P. - Jun 22, 2007 to Dec 22, 2009
Read Mrs.R’s post for Mynx on the RatChatter forums
Sesame Street is 40 … with a Rat
I love Google doodles … it may have been in November that Sesame Street celebrated its 40th Anniversary but I found this today:
Sesame Street's 40th Anniversary Google doodle with Ienie Mienie
Pet Promise Certificate
The good people at Petfinder.com are gearing up for this year’s holidays. This is from what I found in my email today:
Celebrate the Gift of Pet Adoption!
Want to give a pet as a gift? Give our Pet Promise Certificate instead!
With the Pet Promise Certificate, your loved one can adopt the pet that best suits his or her lifestyle — and you promise to cover the adoption fees for the new family member.
In addition, the Certificate features a New Adopter’s Pledge that promotes responsible pet parenting.
Petfinder
I think this is a great idea being put forward and would like to see something like this as a standard. Please feel free to share this with your friends and family … and other pet-friendly people, too.
Happy Thanksgiving
It’s been a rough month but I am still very thankful for my wife, Mrs.R, our little ones (past and present), and our friends and extended family at the RatChatter forums … where I first saw this little smile maker:
Enjoy!
