RatPalace.com - Pet Rat Care and Discussion

Tue Feb 07, 2006 6:03 am

Sounds like good choices. Well, as I forgot to say before, Thistle and Bramble are ADORABLE. I can't wait to see how they thrive in their new enviroment. Mr. Green

_________________

Tue Feb 07, 2006 6:16 am

This is such great news! That is so great that you were listened to and the rats are in a much better situation. So sorry to hear the little ones didn't make it but I am sure you ended up saving many more by taking a stand for those rats. Congrats on your two rescues. They are beautiful and so lucky to have been rescued by such a great rat mom. You took a stand and made a difference!
Not to be over dramatic but this reminds me of a quote I love by MLK "Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter".

_________________
Rat Goddess and the Bruxysnugs
Mama Lucy Beledi Bellatrixy Tatinka Kreaver

View my rat cam here

Tue Feb 07, 2006 6:18 am

I love the names Thistle and Bramble. lurve

_________________
EMILY-------------------------------------------------

Rest in peace, Violet and Isadora. <3

Tue Feb 07, 2006 9:30 am

Oh, man, YOU DID GREAT! I've followed the whole thread. (((((((((((((((((((((((((HUGE HUGS)))))))))))))))))))))))))))) for doing the decent thing- it really isn't common for people to do it, after all. I don't know you but I am so proud of you. ((((((((((((((((((((((((MORE HUGS))))))))))))))))))))))))))

_________________
~Paula~
Ratties: Frisco, Simon & Minna
Mousies: Polly & Pocket

Tue Feb 07, 2006 6:38 pm

You have turned a very sad story into something I look forward to reading each day. I withdraw my first post.

Thank you for being there for those ratties. Thank you for rescueing those little girls. You are a hero in my book.

_________________
Rats are man's best friend. They gave up long life to be able to give more love.

Wed Feb 08, 2006 1:32 am

Wow..I'm so happy to hear what you did. It's nice to know there are other animal lovers out there just like me..Thank you for helping these guys!! As if they forgot about them...it's a good thing you noticed right away!! Best wishes to you and your new ratties!!

_________________
~*Allie*~
Puppy: Pepper (my big suck) Kitty: Kitterz
Birdie:Mehico aka.Cheeky
Ratties: RIP Penny...i miss you pretty girl <333
Peaches n' Cream..2 bRATS
Jibroney!! --new rescue rat

Thu Feb 09, 2006 1:28 am

Wow, good for you for brining those two girls out a bad situation. I cna't wait for losts of updates on them (and the Pipster too!)

_________________

mother to:
rats: scooter, kermit, lestat + tsume
mouse: bingo [rip sweety. you're with peanut + wizard at the bridge]
horse: phoenix

Fri Feb 10, 2006 4:34 am

How are they doing? Is the baby alright? Shaz

_________________

Fri Feb 10, 2006 5:05 am

They're doing well- Bramble is growing and eating well, she eats solids but I still supplement her with KMR. She's really active for her age, and I think she'll grow up to be just fine.

Thistle is gaining weight, she had runny poos for a little while but I've been giving her acidophilus and yogurt and her tum is settling. She doesn't do much- she eats well, her lungs seem clear, but she just seems unhappy. She's afraid of everything- she runs and shakes when I try to pick her up, and she spooks at the slightest movement. She's afraid to build a nest, afraid to eat- making a trip to the water bottle takes her a good 15 minutes because she's so cautious and if anything spooks her she runs back to her bed, hides under her blankies, and has to start all over.

I think she'll be fine, she just needs a lot of work- the fact that she's alone(except for baby Bramble) isn't helping. I probably should have tried to get at least one other adult to keep her company while in Qtine. On the other hand, I'm worried about introducing her to my girls- she seems terrified of even Bramble, which is understandable- in the lab they were killing each other, eating each other, and attacking each other from frustration. She doesn't trust anything, including other rats- she's just extremely traumetized, and it's going to take a lot of work to get her to come around.

I'm not sure yet, but I also worry that she may be pregnant. Sad

It's too soon to tell, but she's getting a little bit of a belly- I'm hoping its just due to her eating alot, because she was *so* skinny, but I just don't know...I'll just have to wait and see. If she is, I'm prepared to help her raise and socialize the litter, but I can't keep any of them at all- I'm pretty much at my limit of 30 now, and ideally I'd like to get my numbers down to about half that before I start breeding again- so I really just don't want anymore rats for a while now. If she is pregnant, hopefully the litter will be small- it may be, since she was so malnourished.

Anyway, I'll try to get pics tomorrow. I'd appreciate it if everyone could send all of their good no-babies vibes our way.

_________________
--Brittany

"He who breaks a thing to find out what it is, has left the path of wisdom."

Fri Feb 10, 2006 5:23 am

Britt I feel with you....I am in the same situation now with 30 rats and possibly more comming. Shaz

_________________

Fri Feb 10, 2006 7:26 am

Maybe we could come up with enough cash to get her spayed? Hopefully people can step up and adopt if she has babies, but sending no-babie vibes!! Poor girl. I'm sure she is scared and at least she has the baby. I have one boy that took months to calm down and he hates all my other male rats, so has to live alone. She doesn't know yet how lucky she is, but she'll come around in her own time and in her own way. You saved her from a life of drug addiction, after all!

Fri Feb 10, 2006 7:36 am

Is it just me or does it seem like we're on an 'accidental/unwanted litter trend' here Confused

I've read so many posts recently about all these incidences...I want to help give them all homes but I can't Sad

that she just ate too much...

_________________
~Mikaela and the RitterRatten~

Blaze~Shadow~Luna~Chinchilla~Malt~Merry~Pippin~Nim~Tiri~Cinder

Fri Feb 10, 2006 8:16 am

I really do appreciate the offer to help raise money for an emergency spay...the thing is, I would worry about putting her through a surgery as skinny and emotionally unstable as she is. She really is a nervous wreck...and I would hate to do anything to upset her further, and a vet visit plus surgery may be more than she can handle right now. If need be, I do have the money for a spay- but I'd worry about putting her through it. That, and I personally have ethical issues with spaying a pregnant rat- I don't condemn anyone else for it, and in fact have suggested it to people in the past- but it's just something I have a problem with. To me, any fetuses developing inside her are the same as babies that have actually been born, and so it just doesn't seem right to me...I personally would only be able to do it if it were a life or death situation for the mother.

If she is pregnant, I'll cope, and I'll make sure all of the babies have good homes- even if that means keeping some. It might mean that everyone has to be a little cramped in the long run, and it may mean I would have to put off breeding even longer, but that's just how it is. Hopefully she isn't pregnant, and if she is, hopefully the litter will be small and people will be willing and able to adopt them.

I do appreciate the sentiments though, very much. Hug

I just don't think I could go through allowing any babies inside of her to be killed, and I'm not sure at this point that *she* could go through an emergency surgery.

I am planning on taking her to the vet Monday though just for an overall checkup...I know it's going to stress her a great deal, but I've just never seen a rat so incredibly frightened of everything....that coupled with how malnourished she is AND a possible pregnancy just makes me worry for her and I'll feel better if the vet has a look at her. Maybe he'll be able to do some x-rays to see if she's pregnant. (?) I dunno, we'll have to see. If she settles down some by then I may not even take her, as it is I try not to even walk by her cage unnecessarily to avoid freaking her out. Sad

I'm going to give her a few more days to settle in, and then we're going to have very quiet, short forced socialization sessions for a while. Hopefully, gaining come confidence around humans will help her to gain confidence around other rats and she'll have a smoother intro into my colony. Crossed Fingers

_________________
--Brittany

"He who breaks a thing to find out what it is, has left the path of wisdom."

Sat Feb 11, 2006 4:32 am

Oh, poor girl. I hope her problems are *just* socialization, and not some mental thing from poor breeding.

Moral issues aside, I would be worrried about putting her through an emergency surgery. It sounds like it would just stress her out and frighten her more, and since she isn't in great health, it could do more harm then good.

If she is pregnant Crossed Fingers

for a safe delivery. I'll try to help out as much as I can, but I doubt my parents would let me adopt any. Maybe fostering since it sounds like space is more of an issue than funds?

_________________
Rosie

* * *

I miss you Tut, Goldy, and Raoul Angel rat

Sat Feb 11, 2006 9:42 am

I agree with you about the surgery, and your ethics. You have a lot of strength to do what you think is right and I commend you! Even if she has horrible breeding, I think she'll calm down some, even if it takes a long time. I have tried both forced socialization and trust training and the latter has worked best for my two timid rats. You might try handling her at the same time each day. Then she can know when to expect you and what to expect--a short visit maybe, some treats, lots of soothing talk and say her name a lot. They can recognize their names so fast and it gives them something to reassure them--a secret code word from the person that never hurts them. She might also like playing under a small fleece blanket or towel. One of mine was very scared, but would play with my hand when he was under the blanket and my hand was over it. You are doing everything right. best wishes for them.

Sun Feb 12, 2006 7:54 am

I have always heard that for really unsocialized rats (abused and terrified, not just unsocialized), forced socialization works best. Trust training seems to take A LOT longer in those cases, and since she is probably pregnant, I think it would be best to get her at least more excepting of people as soon as possible.

I second what scrubjay said about letting her play under a blanket. That worked well with Shadow (who was completely unsocialized when I got him).

_________________
Rosie

* * *

I miss you Tut, Goldy, and Raoul Angel rat