Rattitude – Where Rats Rule!

Another cleaning day but not like other cleaning days.  Yesterday we moved the new boys in with some of our resident rats and we thought all would be well.  Sure there were a few squabbles and a bunch of screeching and some serious boxing matches throughout the night (yes, all night long) but it was nothing we were not expecting or prepared for.

Today, on the other hand, after a relatively peaceful breakfast together, the mix of new and old boys started to go awry.  I was in the middle of my usual Sunday activities which includes cleaning the girls homes when a terrible racket started coming out of the boys room.  Dropping everything I go dashing into the boys room only to find Mrs.R already holding little Starsky.  Then I noticed the blood.

No blood, no foul.  That is the rat introduction rule of thumb. Let them squawk, let them box, let them run up and down the ramps and chase each other about just as long as no one gets seriously hurt. A few bumps and bruises are fine, but bleeding is a show stopper.  Starsky was bleeding from his back leg at his ankle.

We rushed him into the bathroom for a washing off under running water to get a look at the cut.  It looks deep but stopped bleeding almost immediately.  We put some styptic powder on it just to help staunch the flow and moved Starsky, Hutch, and Snuggie-Bear back to their “Welcome” home. Starsky also was given a very tiny drop of a vet recommended anti-inflammatory due to his ankle appearing to be slightly swollen.

The new boys’ temporary home was due to be cleaned and put back in storage after I was finished with the girls, but I guess that will have to wait until next weekend when we try again, provided Starsky is back to 100%.

Today is our usual cleaning day. I’ve just finished the boys habitats and I am now sitting in their room keeping an eye and ear on them.

Today we moved WiiOne in with Dash; they get along fine normally and Dash needed the company. Wii is also much bigger than Dash so if there is any funny business from Dash, WiiOne should be able to settle him down.

We also moved the Christmas boys in with the lower two-thirds of the triple Ferret Nation to live with the boys that were living there. Also re-opening the ramp as the “older” boys still with us are doing very well.

It’s a lot more work when adding new rats in with resident rats. Besides having to do an even more thorough cleaning than usual I had to come up with some new ideas for rat furniture layouts.

So far so good. All the new arrangements seem to be working out well.

Updates to follow …