I love my rats and have already written a bit about my rat Pippa on my blog so now I just have to write about her sister Poppy. Rats are best kept in pairs because they are intelligent and social creatures.
Poppy is a beautiful brown and white hooded rat. She is the dominat rat of the pair and also by far the most intelligent. She is also much more sociable and much less destructive than her sister Pippa.
The reason I decided to get these two rats from the pet shop was Poppy. Pippa was hiding at the time but Poppy was trying to climb out of a hole that had been chewed in their wooden vivarium. At the time I thought Poppy was the one that had chewed the hole, although I now suspect it was Pippa because she chews everything.
So Poppy was there with her head out the hole and her legs dangling down inside the vivarium. She was holding herself up there with her front paws, an impressive sight. She seemed really friendly and that made me decide to take her home. She has a very charming face.
It later turned out that Pippa was the brave one and Poppy was much more nervous. Poppy is always waiting in the morning and as soon as I go in the room she comes and begs for her breakfast. She is also pretty accurate at knowing what time I have my lunch, mostly because she has learned that I will give her a small piece of brown bread as a treat.
Poppy hates strange noises and when she gets frightened she runs to the corner of the sofa and sits there all hunched up. She is also far less keen to try new things. It took 2 days to get her to go in a rat ball and she only went in after watching her sister do so several times.
The thing I love most about Poppy is her affectionate nature. You can guarantee she will lick your fingers and sit on your hand while you stroke her lovely fluffy fur. Poppy and Pippa are so different from eachother but thats why they get on so well and are both so special to me. I would urge people that don't like rats to get to know a friendly pet rat and see if they change their mind.
Showing posts with label pets. Show all posts
Showing posts with label pets. Show all posts
Saturday, 23 October 2010
Monday, 11 October 2010
Pippa and her terrible teeth
I have two female rats right now called Poppy and Pippa. They have such different personalities, part of what makes them so special to me. I want to share a few of their funny little habits to show what rats are really like.
Pippa was the one in the pet shop that hid in the corner and looked nervous. I was expecting her to be the shrinking violet of the pair but I have been proved completely wrong.
It is true that Pippa is the subordinate rat and her sister will reinforce this by having a little wee on Pippa from time to time and sometimes rolling her over on her back and pinning her there until she starts squeaking. Luckily female rats rarely harm eachother when they have disputes and this is the case with Pippa and Poppy.
Pippa is not a scaredy rat at all. She is usually the one that clings to the cage wires and chews them to attract attention. She will do this anytime, but especially late at night and first thing in the morning when she is trying to let me know she wants her food.
Pippa is not the most intelligent rat I have ever had, far from it. She really loves to run around in her big blue plastic rat ball. Most of the other rats I have owned quickly get bored in their rat ball but not Pippa.
Pippa loves to jump on my shoulder. She launches herself from an armchair and lands on me. On one occasion she just aimed straight for my face. I have never had a rat do that before and I now have to be careful to make sure she doesn't do it again. I had scratches on my face for days and she wasn't far away from getting my eyes. She didn't mean to do it she just didn't understand that she can't land on my face.
Pippa has one major problem. She chews everything. I even took her to the vet to make sure there was no problem with her teeth. She chews the cage wires, the armchair and my t shirts. Everything that comes within reach goes straight in her mouth. My vet has assured me there is nothing wrong with her teeth so she is just a really naughty rat.
Pippa lives to eat but luckily she is so active that she does not get fat. There is no fat on her, she is just pure muscle. She never runs out of food so she doesn't chew everything out of hunger. Her favourite food is cucumber, one of the range of veg treats that she gets a small amount of.
Pippa is truly unique and I wouldn't change her for any other rat. I just have to come to terms with the fact that I am going to lose a t shirt or twenty during her time with me.
Pippa was the one in the pet shop that hid in the corner and looked nervous. I was expecting her to be the shrinking violet of the pair but I have been proved completely wrong.
It is true that Pippa is the subordinate rat and her sister will reinforce this by having a little wee on Pippa from time to time and sometimes rolling her over on her back and pinning her there until she starts squeaking. Luckily female rats rarely harm eachother when they have disputes and this is the case with Pippa and Poppy.
Pippa is not a scaredy rat at all. She is usually the one that clings to the cage wires and chews them to attract attention. She will do this anytime, but especially late at night and first thing in the morning when she is trying to let me know she wants her food.
Pippa is not the most intelligent rat I have ever had, far from it. She really loves to run around in her big blue plastic rat ball. Most of the other rats I have owned quickly get bored in their rat ball but not Pippa.
Pippa loves to jump on my shoulder. She launches herself from an armchair and lands on me. On one occasion she just aimed straight for my face. I have never had a rat do that before and I now have to be careful to make sure she doesn't do it again. I had scratches on my face for days and she wasn't far away from getting my eyes. She didn't mean to do it she just didn't understand that she can't land on my face.
Pippa has one major problem. She chews everything. I even took her to the vet to make sure there was no problem with her teeth. She chews the cage wires, the armchair and my t shirts. Everything that comes within reach goes straight in her mouth. My vet has assured me there is nothing wrong with her teeth so she is just a really naughty rat.
Pippa lives to eat but luckily she is so active that she does not get fat. There is no fat on her, she is just pure muscle. She never runs out of food so she doesn't chew everything out of hunger. Her favourite food is cucumber, one of the range of veg treats that she gets a small amount of.
Pippa is truly unique and I wouldn't change her for any other rat. I just have to come to terms with the fact that I am going to lose a t shirt or twenty during her time with me.
Thursday, 23 September 2010
The Joy of rats
I might have mentioned once or twice that I really like rats. I have kept a lot of animals and I have to say I think you can't do better than a rat. I admit never having owned a dog or cat, or really worked with them much either, but rats are amazing.
I have had a lot of rats, most of them rescued. I have had babies that I got from pet shops and ones from breeders too.
I have noticed that males, known as bucks, tend to be a bit cleaner than females (does). I am not sure why this would be the case.
One particular favourite rat was Snowball. I rehomed him from a pet shop. He was quite an old rat when I got him and I quickly discovered that he hadn't been handled very much. He was a Himalayan colour, not your everyday pet shop rat, so I suspect his previous owner was using him as a breeding buck to produce show quality babies. Maybe he got too old to breed from so they just gave him away.
Snowball was a large rat and his fur was a beautiful white colour, apart from his nose and bottom that were brown, the typical Himalayan markings. He had to live alone because you can't put adult male rats together or they will fight to the death. All my rescued females were not spayed so he couldn't live with them.
Snowball took quite a bit of taming. He was not a vicious rat at all but he was not used to hands and every time I tried to pick him up he tried to bite. This was just his way of defending himself and not his fault at all.
In the case of a nervous rat that will bite I tend to find using something like a towel to get them out of the cage works really well. Once he was out of his cage he was no longer territorial and soon got used to the idea of sitting on my lap and letting me stroke him.
Snowy never became a cuddly pet but as long as he was happy that was the main thing. He would tend to sleep a lot being an old rat and slept on my sofa. At the end of the day he had learned that he was going into his cage for the night and would crawl onto my hand and let me put him home.
I don't really like to talk too much about the end of any of my animals but it is enough to say that he got sleepy and doddery like a proper old man. He began to go off his food and eventually would only take soft food like weetabix and baby food. Fortunately nature took its course and he died in his sleep before I had to make the decision to have him put to sleep by my vet.
What I will always remember about Snowy is the time I brought him home from the pet shop. I had to take the cage apart to get it in my friends car and had him just sitting in a tube which he could have run out of at any minute. It was far from ideal. When I got him home I just put my hand in the tube and picked him up. I was so greatful to him that he chose not to bite me that day. It was clear from his behaviour in his cage that if I put my hand in there he was going to let me have it.
It isn't ideal having to get your pet out all wrapped in a towel but to be fair to him he was a rehomed animal that hadn't been handled by his previous owner and he was perfectly fine once he was out of his cage.
Rats are not vicious animals at all. My current pair Pippa and Poppy are so sweet. They came from a pet shop but were babies when I got them. The shop hadn't handled them at all. They are so clever they learned to come out and let me pick them up. I have no doubt in my mind about them. They will not bite. They are such rewarding pets to keep and Pip and Pop both know their names so they come when they are called. You won't find a better pet than a rat I am sure of it.
Here are some things from my shop that feature a photo of Snowball so you can appreciate how beautiful my big boy was.
I have had a lot of rats, most of them rescued. I have had babies that I got from pet shops and ones from breeders too.
I have noticed that males, known as bucks, tend to be a bit cleaner than females (does). I am not sure why this would be the case.
One particular favourite rat was Snowball. I rehomed him from a pet shop. He was quite an old rat when I got him and I quickly discovered that he hadn't been handled very much. He was a Himalayan colour, not your everyday pet shop rat, so I suspect his previous owner was using him as a breeding buck to produce show quality babies. Maybe he got too old to breed from so they just gave him away.
Snowball was a large rat and his fur was a beautiful white colour, apart from his nose and bottom that were brown, the typical Himalayan markings. He had to live alone because you can't put adult male rats together or they will fight to the death. All my rescued females were not spayed so he couldn't live with them.
Snowball took quite a bit of taming. He was not a vicious rat at all but he was not used to hands and every time I tried to pick him up he tried to bite. This was just his way of defending himself and not his fault at all.
In the case of a nervous rat that will bite I tend to find using something like a towel to get them out of the cage works really well. Once he was out of his cage he was no longer territorial and soon got used to the idea of sitting on my lap and letting me stroke him.
Snowy never became a cuddly pet but as long as he was happy that was the main thing. He would tend to sleep a lot being an old rat and slept on my sofa. At the end of the day he had learned that he was going into his cage for the night and would crawl onto my hand and let me put him home.
I don't really like to talk too much about the end of any of my animals but it is enough to say that he got sleepy and doddery like a proper old man. He began to go off his food and eventually would only take soft food like weetabix and baby food. Fortunately nature took its course and he died in his sleep before I had to make the decision to have him put to sleep by my vet.
What I will always remember about Snowy is the time I brought him home from the pet shop. I had to take the cage apart to get it in my friends car and had him just sitting in a tube which he could have run out of at any minute. It was far from ideal. When I got him home I just put my hand in the tube and picked him up. I was so greatful to him that he chose not to bite me that day. It was clear from his behaviour in his cage that if I put my hand in there he was going to let me have it.
It isn't ideal having to get your pet out all wrapped in a towel but to be fair to him he was a rehomed animal that hadn't been handled by his previous owner and he was perfectly fine once he was out of his cage.
Rats are not vicious animals at all. My current pair Pippa and Poppy are so sweet. They came from a pet shop but were babies when I got them. The shop hadn't handled them at all. They are so clever they learned to come out and let me pick them up. I have no doubt in my mind about them. They will not bite. They are such rewarding pets to keep and Pip and Pop both know their names so they come when they are called. You won't find a better pet than a rat I am sure of it.
Here are some things from my shop that feature a photo of Snowball so you can appreciate how beautiful my big boy was.
Saturday, 18 September 2010
All about Degus
A Degu is a small Chilean rodent that has gradially become a hugely popular pet. You can find them in most pet shops in London these days and most rescue and rehoming centres too. So what makes the Degu so popular and why are so many of them ending up as unwanted pets?
I have a lot of personal experience with Degus. I owned 3 males that I rehomed from someone that was no longer able to look after them. I have also looked after countless Degus for friends while they holiday.
Degus are small grown Chilean rodents that are closely related to Chinchillas and Guinea Pigs. They are sociable animals that live in groups in the wild. They are prey to ground predators as well as birds of prey. They are excellent burrowers and will work together to dig their burrows.
Degus do make good pets but they are not the easiest animals to look after. They look very cute and appealing in pet shops and their obvious intelligence makes them a popular choice.
Degus do have their negative points. They have a very concentrated urine that can ruin carpets and any other soft surface they urinate on. They can be destructive and will pull in and chew things if they can reach them. They can be fast if not tame and occasionally one will bite if it is sufficiently frightened. They require a special diet and do have some health problems that they are more likely to suffer from than other rodents.
The good points of Degus are their charm and intelligence, their lack of odout and the entertaining noises they make.
If you plan on keeping Degus get more than one Degu and unless you want to breed them, which I wouldn't advise as there are too many unloved Degus out there needing homes, get a pair or group of unrelated females or males.
Degus must have a proper diet. Failure to provided it is likely to result in the Degu getting Diabetes. The Degu spends its time grazing on grass with a low nutritional value in the wild. It cannot digest simple sugars properly and needs a special Degu food available in pet shops and constant access to a good quality hay such as Timothy hay. You can give your Degu treats such as grass from your garden, dandelion leaves or clover. Any treats are just that and should only be given in moderation.
Degus also require constant access to fresh water from a water bottle. Unfiltered water is what they need as filtered water has some important minerals removed during the filtration process. Degus need these minerals. There is a mineral in fresh water that makes Degu teeth orange and if your degu doesn't have orange teeth this is a sign it is not healthy.
Another important thing is a sand bath. Degus require a container full of sand to roll around in. This is how they keep their fur clean and prevent too much grease building up. The ideal situation is to have a bath available for them all the time but at least a couple of times a week is vital.
Degus will need a big cage and things to do. They will run in exercise wheels and the complete plastic ones are the best as the ones with treads can be dangerous. A multi level cage with places to hide, dig and climb is ideal for degus.
Degus that are cared for properly can still have problems. The most common is cateracts. These are white growths inside they eyes that ultimately leave the animal blind. There is no cure and these can often appear in Degus, probably because of inbreeding.
One of the degus less endearing habits is that they eat their own pooh. They do this so they can digest all the complex carbs in their diet. It is normal and is also done by other pets like hamsters and rabbits.
My three wise men were rehomed from someone that just didn't have the time to keep cleaning them out and handling them. They were tame when they came to me and quickly learned when they were going to be fed. I noticed that they had a pecking order. The same Degu would always eat first. He turned out to be the one that lived the longest and I named him Chatterbox becuase he was always making noises at the others and at me too. Degu disputes were always solved by squeaks and I never saw any biting.
Degus can live 8 years or more. My rescued Degus were not young and after a year and a half I was left with just Chatterbox. He looked bored and depressed in his cage so I had him out all day on a chair and only put him in his cage when I had to go out. He slept in his cage too but was always so keen to get out and spend time with me in the morning.
He used to sleep on me. He would wake up turn over click his teeth then go back to sleep. I never found out what this meant. I guess I don't speak Degu. He also had a funny habit of dropping his pooh from the top of the chair at a certain spot where it would bounce off a tin and make a noise. He seemed to find some amusement in this.
When he did eventually pass away it was a gradual decline into old age. He slept more and more and ate less and less and one morning he wasn't there waiting to come out as always and then I knew he was gone forever.
It was a very special thing when the first thing I ever sold in my shop was a magnet featuring a photo of my beloved Degu. Since then I have also sold a greeting card with his photo on. It is very special to me that I can share my memories of him in this way.
Here are some things I made featuring my little Degu Chatterbox, starting with the two things that have sold from my shop.
I have a lot of personal experience with Degus. I owned 3 males that I rehomed from someone that was no longer able to look after them. I have also looked after countless Degus for friends while they holiday.
Degus are small grown Chilean rodents that are closely related to Chinchillas and Guinea Pigs. They are sociable animals that live in groups in the wild. They are prey to ground predators as well as birds of prey. They are excellent burrowers and will work together to dig their burrows.
Degus do make good pets but they are not the easiest animals to look after. They look very cute and appealing in pet shops and their obvious intelligence makes them a popular choice.
Degus do have their negative points. They have a very concentrated urine that can ruin carpets and any other soft surface they urinate on. They can be destructive and will pull in and chew things if they can reach them. They can be fast if not tame and occasionally one will bite if it is sufficiently frightened. They require a special diet and do have some health problems that they are more likely to suffer from than other rodents.
The good points of Degus are their charm and intelligence, their lack of odout and the entertaining noises they make.
If you plan on keeping Degus get more than one Degu and unless you want to breed them, which I wouldn't advise as there are too many unloved Degus out there needing homes, get a pair or group of unrelated females or males.
Degus must have a proper diet. Failure to provided it is likely to result in the Degu getting Diabetes. The Degu spends its time grazing on grass with a low nutritional value in the wild. It cannot digest simple sugars properly and needs a special Degu food available in pet shops and constant access to a good quality hay such as Timothy hay. You can give your Degu treats such as grass from your garden, dandelion leaves or clover. Any treats are just that and should only be given in moderation.
Degus also require constant access to fresh water from a water bottle. Unfiltered water is what they need as filtered water has some important minerals removed during the filtration process. Degus need these minerals. There is a mineral in fresh water that makes Degu teeth orange and if your degu doesn't have orange teeth this is a sign it is not healthy.
Another important thing is a sand bath. Degus require a container full of sand to roll around in. This is how they keep their fur clean and prevent too much grease building up. The ideal situation is to have a bath available for them all the time but at least a couple of times a week is vital.
Degus will need a big cage and things to do. They will run in exercise wheels and the complete plastic ones are the best as the ones with treads can be dangerous. A multi level cage with places to hide, dig and climb is ideal for degus.
Degus that are cared for properly can still have problems. The most common is cateracts. These are white growths inside they eyes that ultimately leave the animal blind. There is no cure and these can often appear in Degus, probably because of inbreeding.
One of the degus less endearing habits is that they eat their own pooh. They do this so they can digest all the complex carbs in their diet. It is normal and is also done by other pets like hamsters and rabbits.
My three wise men were rehomed from someone that just didn't have the time to keep cleaning them out and handling them. They were tame when they came to me and quickly learned when they were going to be fed. I noticed that they had a pecking order. The same Degu would always eat first. He turned out to be the one that lived the longest and I named him Chatterbox becuase he was always making noises at the others and at me too. Degu disputes were always solved by squeaks and I never saw any biting.
Degus can live 8 years or more. My rescued Degus were not young and after a year and a half I was left with just Chatterbox. He looked bored and depressed in his cage so I had him out all day on a chair and only put him in his cage when I had to go out. He slept in his cage too but was always so keen to get out and spend time with me in the morning.
He used to sleep on me. He would wake up turn over click his teeth then go back to sleep. I never found out what this meant. I guess I don't speak Degu. He also had a funny habit of dropping his pooh from the top of the chair at a certain spot where it would bounce off a tin and make a noise. He seemed to find some amusement in this.
When he did eventually pass away it was a gradual decline into old age. He slept more and more and ate less and less and one morning he wasn't there waiting to come out as always and then I knew he was gone forever.
It was a very special thing when the first thing I ever sold in my shop was a magnet featuring a photo of my beloved Degu. Since then I have also sold a greeting card with his photo on. It is very special to me that I can share my memories of him in this way.
Here are some things I made featuring my little Degu Chatterbox, starting with the two things that have sold from my shop.
Saturday, 7 August 2010
All about Degus
First things first , what actually is a Degu?
A degu (Octodon degu) is a small rodent from Chile. It was originally thought to be a close relative of the guinea pig but may actually be closer related to Rabbits and Pikas. They are sociable animals forming communities and living in groups. They live in burrows with multiple entrances and are on the menu for foxes and birds of prey. Degus give birth to precocious young, meaning their offspring are born fully furred miniatures of their parents.
The Degu has become increasingly popular in the pet trade and as a result of their very specific requirememnts they frequently turn up in rescue centres as unwanted pets.
Before purchasing a Degu you should be aware that they like to live in groups and will become very depressed and destructive if they are kept singly without much human contact. In my experience a single Degu will seek more human company than a group member but this cannot replace the company of another Degu. Degus will live happily in single sex groups as long as they are related to eachother. There are squabbles over dominance, but once a hierarchy is established there is usually no serious fighting between individuals.
Degus also require a special diet. They are extremely prone to diabetes, a condition that will ultimately result in death. The best way to avoid this is to feed them a complete Degu mix and keep treats to suitable items such as wild grass, dandelion leaves and clover. Check food is safe before feeding if collecting it from the wild. They should also have constant access to hay as they will eat little and often. A source of fresh water, ideally in a water bottle, should always be available.
Degus also require a sand bath, ideally inside the cage and permanently available. They bath often in sand to remove oil from their fur, an important part of thermoregulation for a Degu.
If you can provide the right conditions for a group of Degus you will be rewarded with some very intelligent and fascinating pets. You will marvel at their clicks and squeaks that they use to communicate with eachother. You will be amazed with just how much grass can disappear down the throat of a Degu and you will have a wonderful pet for several years.
If you are thinking of adding a group of Degus to your family the best advice is to do some thorough research first. Buy a book on Degus so you always have information about them available to you. If you feel able to take on a rescued Degu then good for you.
I rehomed my Degus from someone who was no longer able to look after them. They were not young animals and after a couple of years two of them passed away. The most vocal member of the group was left. He was quite sad and seemed to really miss the other two so I had him out all day and just put him in the cage to sleep or if I had to go out. He lived another year and became such a friendly little guy. After his death I used a couple of photos of him on products in my shop. These have been very popular leading me to think that there must be a lot of people out there that find Degus as fascinating as I do.
Here are a couple of products featuring images of my beloved little Degu. Lots more products featuring these images can be found in my store.
A degu (Octodon degu) is a small rodent from Chile. It was originally thought to be a close relative of the guinea pig but may actually be closer related to Rabbits and Pikas. They are sociable animals forming communities and living in groups. They live in burrows with multiple entrances and are on the menu for foxes and birds of prey. Degus give birth to precocious young, meaning their offspring are born fully furred miniatures of their parents.
The Degu has become increasingly popular in the pet trade and as a result of their very specific requirememnts they frequently turn up in rescue centres as unwanted pets.
Before purchasing a Degu you should be aware that they like to live in groups and will become very depressed and destructive if they are kept singly without much human contact. In my experience a single Degu will seek more human company than a group member but this cannot replace the company of another Degu. Degus will live happily in single sex groups as long as they are related to eachother. There are squabbles over dominance, but once a hierarchy is established there is usually no serious fighting between individuals.
Degus also require a special diet. They are extremely prone to diabetes, a condition that will ultimately result in death. The best way to avoid this is to feed them a complete Degu mix and keep treats to suitable items such as wild grass, dandelion leaves and clover. Check food is safe before feeding if collecting it from the wild. They should also have constant access to hay as they will eat little and often. A source of fresh water, ideally in a water bottle, should always be available.
Degus also require a sand bath, ideally inside the cage and permanently available. They bath often in sand to remove oil from their fur, an important part of thermoregulation for a Degu.
If you can provide the right conditions for a group of Degus you will be rewarded with some very intelligent and fascinating pets. You will marvel at their clicks and squeaks that they use to communicate with eachother. You will be amazed with just how much grass can disappear down the throat of a Degu and you will have a wonderful pet for several years.
If you are thinking of adding a group of Degus to your family the best advice is to do some thorough research first. Buy a book on Degus so you always have information about them available to you. If you feel able to take on a rescued Degu then good for you.
I rehomed my Degus from someone who was no longer able to look after them. They were not young animals and after a couple of years two of them passed away. The most vocal member of the group was left. He was quite sad and seemed to really miss the other two so I had him out all day and just put him in the cage to sleep or if I had to go out. He lived another year and became such a friendly little guy. After his death I used a couple of photos of him on products in my shop. These have been very popular leading me to think that there must be a lot of people out there that find Degus as fascinating as I do.
Here are a couple of products featuring images of my beloved little Degu. Lots more products featuring these images can be found in my store.
Thursday, 5 August 2010
My pet rats
As already mentioned I have developed a great love and respect for wild rats. I have been hugely influenced by my experiences with my own pet rats.
I have been keeping rats for a long time and each one has been different. Each had their own unique character. I generally keep a pair of rats but there have been times when I have had to keep them singly due to them being adult males that never integrate. I have had a mixture of pet shop rats, fancy rats from breeders and my beloved rescue rats.
I have had some of the most challenging and heartbreaking times with my rescued rats but it was all worth it. I have been bitten a few times by rats that were not used to humans and in one case had been tormented by people. I had blind rats that had lost their sight to cataracts and a rat that was deaf. Some have had surgery to remove tumours with mixed results.
One of my favourite rats was a big male called Snowball. I got him from a pet shop as an adult whose previous owners no longer wanted him. He was a Himalayan rat (mostly white but with a brown nose and bottom). He wasn't too used to being handled and wasn't particularly tame. I only had him for about 6 months before he became old and weak and ultimately passed away. During those short few months I had him he learned to trust me and allowed me to handle him. It was a really sad day when he finally passed away but in a way a huge relief that he didn't have to suffer. I made a poster of him as a memorial and made it available for people to purchase so he can still make people smile even after his death and that is a wonderful thing. Here is his poster
I have been keeping rats for a long time and each one has been different. Each had their own unique character. I generally keep a pair of rats but there have been times when I have had to keep them singly due to them being adult males that never integrate. I have had a mixture of pet shop rats, fancy rats from breeders and my beloved rescue rats.
I have had some of the most challenging and heartbreaking times with my rescued rats but it was all worth it. I have been bitten a few times by rats that were not used to humans and in one case had been tormented by people. I had blind rats that had lost their sight to cataracts and a rat that was deaf. Some have had surgery to remove tumours with mixed results.
One of my favourite rats was a big male called Snowball. I got him from a pet shop as an adult whose previous owners no longer wanted him. He was a Himalayan rat (mostly white but with a brown nose and bottom). He wasn't too used to being handled and wasn't particularly tame. I only had him for about 6 months before he became old and weak and ultimately passed away. During those short few months I had him he learned to trust me and allowed me to handle him. It was a really sad day when he finally passed away but in a way a huge relief that he didn't have to suffer. I made a poster of him as a memorial and made it available for people to purchase so he can still make people smile even after his death and that is a wonderful thing. Here is his poster
Another rat I chose to honour in this way is Peewee. I was given her to look after when her owner developed an allergy to her. She was a dumbo rat, a fancy rat bred to have larger than usual ears. She had been brilliantly cared for by her previous owner and was immediately tame enough to handle. She didn't like to be in her cage at all and would beg me to let her out every time I went near the cage.
She had surgery to remove a tumour on two occasions, both of which were sucessful. She even begged the vet nurse caring for her after one of her ops to give her some banana. She had a way of charming people. Sadly despite my best efforts she did not extend her kindness to members of her own species. I tried to integrate her with a group of my friendliest females but she attacked them. It seems she had no "ratty social skills" at all. I had her for two happy years. She ultimately succombed to a mixture of age and jaw cancer. I have so many happy memories of my little girl and so may wonderful photos that I decided to make into gifts and share with the world. Here is my much missed Peewee
I have two little girls called Pippa and Poppy at the moment that keep me entertained and carry on the tradition of rats in my life. With luck they will be around for a couple of years yet. They might still join their now famous predecessors one day but not in their lifetimes.
So that is the reason I have such a love of wild rats and I wish we could find a way to live with them rather than just putting out more and more poison. If you own a rat you know how intelligent they are so please give their wild cousins a break.
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