Darwin's been a hormonal pain since the beginning of December. I'm seriously considering sending him for the chop. He spent last night in the carrier because he was being such a bog-brushy terror to everyone else, especially poor Toby. It's just that he's such a gorgeous chunky hunky boy, it seems a real shame to curb his masculinity.
Well, I'm definitely up to the job. Nice office, nice people. I've spent a whole day filing. It's a panic job because they failed an internal audit on their training records. I've just got to stick it out and earn as much as I can at £7 an hour. Think of the mortgage. And the vets bills.
I had such trouble cleaning out the three young boys on Thursday evening. Little Brunel is obviously growing up. He got all upset at me stealing their poo, and attacked my hand. Wrapped himself around me and bit, but he must love me because he didn't break the skin, just left lovely little toofie shaped dents in my hand. Awww. There's always one, isn't there?
Darwin is for the chop on Tuesday. I feel guilty, but am hoping that he will actually feel happier once his hormones aren't driving him all the time.
Thisbe has taken up flying. She launches herself from the edge of the table and lands splat on the side of the little boys cage. I think Py is losing interest as his neutering takes effect, and she needs a maaaaan!
Darwin's lost his furry cushions. I was feeling bad about it at first, but he was such a horror last night that I felt he deserved it this morning. Poor boy didn't like the walk up to the vet, very cold today and the main road is noisy in the morning. He rode in my coat while I carried the carrier. He seemed glad to see me when I collected him at lunchtime.
I haven't posted for a while, so I thought I'd do a complete update on my ratties.
Tizzy is getting cheekier and braver the longer she stays. She has a habit of nipping me, just to show she's there. I've got a short vid of her flying across to meet the little boys. Little madam! Here she is:
I'm not really getting close to Py yet. He's quite scared of me, and seems to come up to nip me just to prove to himself that he's not. He doesn't mind being stroked if he's busy with something else, but makes himself scarce when I'm changing the food or cleaning the cage.
Vixen has grown another lump, making one in each armpit and one in her, um, legpit? - which vindicates my decision to stop getting them removed, but means she's going to need a one way trip to the vet soon, and it's my call as to when. :-(
Sophie is getting bitten and peed on, but I'm not sure by who. I suspect Py, but I don't see it happening. She seems happy enough in herself, and is getting less suspicious of hands.
Lucy is the quiet one in the cage. She's still not happy with being stroked, and avoids being touched where possible, but shows no inclination to bite. She just does her own thing.
The three little boys are growing up. Brunel is getting a little possessive of his cage. And the table. And everything in the vicinity. He wraps himself round my hand and attacks me! He got my finger in his teeth last night, quite hard, and refused to let go until I squeaked at him. No blood though.
It seems to take him a while to get fully worked up, so he's OK when he first comes out to play, but gets more and more stressed about me being nearby.
Otis is calming down a bit, and no longer runs away from me all the time. He actually comes up to me now for a fuss, though I think he's going to be one of those 'all over the place' boys. He had problems this morning with his breakfast. I gave them some chopped up raw swede, to my surprise it's something that they love, but Otis was trying to hold two chunks in his mouth with one paw, and walk away on three legs. Trouble is, the stuff is a little slippery, so it kept escaping! Silly little man!
Well, what can I say about Babbage. He's a lovely rexy beanbag. Very easy going, no trouble at all.
My three old boys are well past two now. Theo has recovered from the lump he had removed, and the subsequent messy healing. He spends a lot of time mooching around, enjoying any passing attention.
Sweet William. He's feeling his age, and spends much of his time in his favourite hammock, dozing.
Louis has a den up in the top left of the cage, and lives there most of the time. He's not a particularly fussy rat, but endures my attentions with good grace.
He's still oliver the place. He was called Oliver because he was oliver wriggle when he was small, and he hasn't changed. Here's a video for you - Oliver allowing no-one except Archie to share the peas!
Toby, my pet shop rat. He still shows the effects of too much time in solitary when he was small, though he does seem more integrated with the group than he used to be. Olly and Darwin both push him around, but he seems to cope. Toby doesn't like being picked up, but enjoys the cuddle once you have him.
We're still waiting for Darwin's testosterone levels to fall. He's not quite as hissy, but still bog-brushing around. He had another scrap with Oliver last night. He's lovely to hold though. No aggression to human type peeps, and he feels so solid and chunky.
A dark horse, is Max. He's friendly, seems to be somewhere in the midst of the pecking order, but doesn't come to notice that often. He's a nice solid cuddle, busy about the cage.
Eddie is a little character. He's adventurous, friendly, cheeky. Always seems to be in the thick of the mischief.
Hubble is my little friend. He climbs up my leg to get a cuddle, and loves to sit on my shoulder while I fill water bottles and clean the cage.
Doppy is a sweet boy most of the time, but a pain when I clean the cage. He hates me stealing the poo, and gets all proddy about it. He also sits just where I want to wipe, and tries to steal the cloth.
Tez is a sweetheart. He's always in the thick of things, climbing the outside of the cage, making escape holes in their playpen. He's good for a cuddle, but not for too long. 'Stuff to do, Mum!'
Archie is overshadowed by the infection he and his brothers had when they were little. I think it's left him with a weak heart. He always seems tired, and asks for my attention in a very undemanding way. He enjoys his cuddles.
Hmm. A quiet little boy. So quiet I almost left him out. He enjoys a cuddle, busies himself around the cage. He likes the 'steal the cleaning cloth game', but mostly enjoys sitting in the way when I try to clean up.
There we are, that's a complete ratty roundup for today.
Ratty Corner is the home of Brandywine Stud, NFRS Registration 2011-04
Last modified: Saturday, 10-Nov-2007 22:52:52 GMT
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