I took Sophie to be put to sleep this morning. I think I got the timing right. I definitely wasn't too late; she was still getting around the cage, but eating so little, looking so tired, and letting her lovely white fur go grey and spiky. It always feels like such a betrayal even when I know it's the best thing. Thisbe was missing her this evening.
Morse is really wheezy now and Pickle looks poorly and won't eat. I wonder if I have something going round that's taking the vulnerable ones, or if it's coincidence. The poorly ones have all been wheezy before so it could be just coincidence. Good job I'm not planning to take them anywhere.
We've been vetwards. Morse just has an upper respiratory tract infection, but Pickle has a really bad chest so had steroids as well as the Convenia jab. They had their jabs this morning and are both looking a little better this evening, but Pickle's recovery is little short of a miracle. The vet was talking about putting him to sleep this morning, now he's pottering around and eating a little.
Mystique suddenly started biting my hands yesterday. She seemed frightened rather than aggressive, but I didn't make a lot of headway with her yesterday as I yelled the first time and snatched my hand away, so she thought she'd won. Today I tried squeaking, which didn't work. Then I pretended that I didn't care and let her get on with it, and she didn't even break the skin, just kept testing. I tried to flip and dominate her and she freaked out, so it looks like ignoring it is the way to go.
Well that was too easy - I can't quite believe it. Mystique is now just chewing me occasionally, not breaking the skin.
Success with the poorly rats too. Morse now has no URT sounds and Pickle is much less wheezy. They've both had another antibiotic jab and we're going back again on Monday. I love this Convenia stuff - it really is convenient and it works so well. No stressing about getting a full dose of abs into them twice a day, just an injection every five days.
We're expecting a couple of visitors to arrive in just under two weeks. A diabetic ratty and his brother are coming to stay while their mum has a break. I need to rearrange to make a space for their cage.
There may be a pair of girls coming to live here in a month or so, if no-one else offers them a home first. Their current mum is allergic to them so needs to find them a new home.
The boys have been here since Monday evening. They were a bit worried about coming out at first, but by Tuesday evening they were fine and had a potter around the playpen to sniff all the new smells. They're both diabetic, I believe. One is enormous and the other is at the drinking gallons and losing weight stage, but he seems quite happy with his lot. They're getting lots of fresh veg and no simple carbohydrate, along with an eggy garlicky cake that their mum left for them, and I'm not worrying too much about the fat and protein levels in anything.
My second Explorer cage has arrived at my mum and dad's. It was delivered there because they were more likely to be in, and that was good because if it had come here it would have ended up in a depot somewhere miles away. I should be collecting it on Saturday. It will be good to get the two cages of boys transferred into there - they could do with more floor space, and Morse is having back leg issues so it will help him.
The big girls group is settled into the first Explorer. They are really happy in there, but it is hard to shut the door without losing anyone. Also Misty is biting again, which provides a distraction for the others to escape. Why did I get two identical rats? By the time I've figured out who it is I have a hole in my hand!
I think the two rehome girls are coming here on Saturday, though I need to phone and check. The cage is all ready for them. Their names are Rose and Hardy. That'll be fun. We already have a Rosie, and one of our vets is called Rose too.
Last modified: Thursday, 22-May-2008 08:18:32 BST
