Ratty Corner and the Brandywine Rats

Health: 7th Mar 2009 - Slight matchstick tail. Her siblings are all OK. I'm assuming it's because she's the biggest and growing a little too fast at the moment. Advised not to increase feed but try to get her to grow slowly to avoid weight problems and mammary lumps later on.
20th April 2009 - Ivermectin for mites. Tail rounding out nicely.
1st May 2009 - repeat Ivermectin.
29th November 2009 - getting a tum on her. Reduced the food for the whole cage, as they're all getting a little chunkier than I'd like, but Kala is the worst.
15th May 2010 - Mammary lump under right back leg. Well hidden in the fat!
21st May 2010 - Lump removal.
24th May 2010 - Kala has removed both stitches and glue, but the wound is holding together. Some swelling.
30th July 2010 - Lost some weight and breathing slightly heavily. Started on Clavaseptin to see if it helps.
3rd August 2010 - Looking much better. Continuing with Clavaseptin.
23rd August 2010 - Breathing heavily again. Tylan injection - vet says it works wonders in chickens.
3rd September 2010 - Kala had 3 injections of Tylan, but the vet added in Convenia to the last one and that had much more of an effect. Just had a 2nd Convenia inj and she sounds much better. One more in 5 or 6 days just to make sure.

Temperament: Kala has a really lovely temperament, she loves exploring, but will settle down for a cuddle with me, and is one of those rats that completely relaxes in your hand as you pick her up.

About Kala

Kala was born in my second Brandywine litter, and was one of fourteen littermates, eight boys and six girls. Kala wasn't meant to be staying here, but she is such as sweet and affectionate little girl that I was pleased when the reservation for her and Janhi was cancelled. It is becoming hard to keep the weight off Kala as she gets older; she was just a long and gangly girl but she's becoming quite chunky and has a bit of a tum. At one stage I was tempted to look past her patchy markings and her size and breed her to pass down her top rate people-oriented temperament, but I am no longer planning to breed down from this litter. She also has an incredibly long tail.

Kala and her siblings are named after rivers of Finland, in celebration of the Finnish ancestry of their sire, Barnaby. Kala is named after the Kala river or Kalajoki.

Awards/Critiques

MRC Cup Show, 3rd October 2009 - Unplaced in Adult Owned Doe Adult (Pet).
Placid and sedate for a doe. Very soft and woolly fur. A little introverted. (JB)

Pictures