Ratty Corner and the Brandywine Rats

Health:
22nd April 2009 - Ivermectin for mites.
1st May 2009 - repeat Ivermectin.
18th December 2009 - Nail bitten off on his left hand, due to me not noticing him climbing Jet's cage.

Temperament: Generally calm and cuddly.
4th October 2009 - A little fooffy at his visiting brothers' scent markings. Tried to 'dig' the back of my wrist, which hurt.

About Meri

Meri was born in my second Brandywine litter, and was one of fourteen littermates, eight boys and six girls. Meri is a darker cinnamon than his brother Simo, but is more easily told apart by his curlier whiskers and bigger build. Meri is the only rat I have who regularly finds his way out of the rat room, getting over whatever barrier I make for the doorway.

Meri and his siblings are named after rivers of Finland, in celebration of the Finnish ancestry of their sire, Barnaby. Meri is named after the Merikarvianjoki.

18th December 2009 - We had a fantastic piece of acting this evening. Meri had climbed up our new rehome boy's (Jet's) cage for the umpteenth time, but I didn't catch him in time so he got a nail bitten off. Thankfully less blood than usual.

I grabbed him down and put him on the table, where he lay flat on his front creeping forward (like dogs do when they're trying to look as if they're not really moving). I've never seen a rat do that before. He then flopped over to one side, and I was actually starting to get worried. But when I scattered their mix in the cage and called them home for tea he miraculously recovered and ran down the ladder into the cage to dig for food - with the injured hand.

Awards/Critiques

MRC Cup Show, 3rd October 2009 - 2nd of 4 in Rex. 3rd of 13 in Stud Buck Challenge.
Fair head, ear and eye. Tail length OK. Good curl to coat although could do with more on shoulder. Curl evident under. Nice solid boy. (LO)

Pictures