I have decided to name the little boy that i have kept shannon,
Shannon Daniel
Monday, March 21, 2011
Monday, March 14, 2011
Thursday, March 10, 2011
The Big Day
Lucy is coming today to pick up her little rat friend, he will be the first to leave. I am excited for them to start their relationship and hope it is just as tight as the one i have with calir, oh! I wonder what she is gonna name him. I am sending her home with the same little plastic cage that a kept clair in for the first few weeks of her life with me.
Tomorrow I will take peaches (the little girl) with me to her new home in Hamilton also clair Jr. (little boy who looks just like clair) will he heading for his new home in Toronto.
I am glad to see them leave, 8 rats in my room is like living in a zoo at night, and they have been eating me out of house and home.....
So that leave 3 little dudes one of them i have decided to keep and the other two are up in the air, folks have said that they want them but they still need time to think about the commitment.
Tomorrow I will take peaches (the little girl) with me to her new home in Hamilton also clair Jr. (little boy who looks just like clair) will he heading for his new home in Toronto.
I am glad to see them leave, 8 rats in my room is like living in a zoo at night, and they have been eating me out of house and home.....
So that leave 3 little dudes one of them i have decided to keep and the other two are up in the air, folks have said that they want them but they still need time to think about the commitment.
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Day 23
Oh fuck are they cute, i think i have now found homes for all the little wigglers, the gray hooded one will be going to Toronto, the little girl will be going to Hamilton, the white will be hitching a ride with a traveler, and the three black boys will be staying in Guelph, one will room with Fred. still haven't come up with a name for him yet. if you got any suggestions let me know!
here are a few pics of the disgusting little brutes.
Sunday, February 27, 2011
day 16
feeding frenzy!
when i got home activity in the cage was dull at best clair was nibbling and preening, being still and quiet as if not to disturb her brood, the bebes all asleep but for spasmodic wiggles and little yawns.
Now just before i hit the hay, i peer in to the cage with my bed time snack in hand to see a fiesta of movement in the cage, no doswey little doppers here. a little one sat in the food dish nibbling this and that, a playful rumble was happening in one corner while two little bebes cling to the rim of the coffee mug watering hole exploring the new way to get a drink. they rock around the cage trying out new snacks, attempting to climb the cage bars and stealing treats from mom
it is easier now to imagine what it will be like to have eight full grown ratters living with me, thank you so much folks for giving them loving homes to go to. still looking for a home for one of these little buggers.
when i got home activity in the cage was dull at best clair was nibbling and preening, being still and quiet as if not to disturb her brood, the bebes all asleep but for spasmodic wiggles and little yawns.
Now just before i hit the hay, i peer in to the cage with my bed time snack in hand to see a fiesta of movement in the cage, no doswey little doppers here. a little one sat in the food dish nibbling this and that, a playful rumble was happening in one corner while two little bebes cling to the rim of the coffee mug watering hole exploring the new way to get a drink. they rock around the cage trying out new snacks, attempting to climb the cage bars and stealing treats from mom
it is easier now to imagine what it will be like to have eight full grown ratters living with me, thank you so much folks for giving them loving homes to go to. still looking for a home for one of these little buggers.
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Day 15
Today I gave Clair a cherry. I came back to the cage a little later and two of the little ones where licking and sucking on the fruit. They are getting a little big too be looking for milk from mom they soon will be ready to go home. March 11 is the big day, when Mom will be free!
Oh and the white one has opened his little pink peepers and now rumbles around the cage with the rest of the gang.
Friday, February 25, 2011
Day 14
They grew eyes!
Photo shoot with the babes who now all of them but one have opened their little peepers.
I have been in contact with two folks who want to take 4 of the little darlings off my hands. The Black and white one, the white one, and one of the black ones with be heading to a new home together here in Guelph. One of the other boys will be heading to a new home in Toronto and I have decided to keep the third black guy. That leave the little girl left. She is the one with the tan head.
Photo shoot with the babes who now all of them but one have opened their little peepers.
I have been in contact with two folks who want to take 4 of the little darlings off my hands. The Black and white one, the white one, and one of the black ones with be heading to a new home together here in Guelph. One of the other boys will be heading to a new home in Toronto and I have decided to keep the third black guy. That leave the little girl left. She is the one with the tan head.
in a bowl
in a glass
in a spoon
brothers in arms
in a glass
in a spoon
brothers in arms
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Day 12
Took apart the epic nest yesterday, Cliar was not happy. but I think the little ones will be fine without their canopy nest. they are very furry now, but no eyes yet. Clair is still nursing, I can see that she is getting tired of it. March 11 is the day she can be free again!
I have posted ads on kijij and Freecycle to no avail. Next is to put up posters, hope to have them up for next week.
I have posted ads on kijij and Freecycle to no avail. Next is to put up posters, hope to have them up for next week.
Monday, February 21, 2011
Day 10
Saved the little girl from a tangled mess Tonight. I had read about this happening in other rattie blogs and FAQs but really didn't think I could happen to me. I was layin in beddy watching the tube (the Simpsons: season 22) on the internest when desprete squeeks priceed the air. The little ones some times squeak alot if mum isn't being attentive enough but these squeaks seemed different. I went over to the cage and removed Clair so I could get into to see what all the hubbub was about. I reached in and pulled out the little girl who had tangled her self so tightly in the loose threads of the sweatshirt mum had shredded and furnished the nest with . She was frantically trying free herself but only succeeding in twisting futher into distress. I quickly cut her loose and she sat still in the palm of my had her little body shuttered from the trauma. I stoked her until she breath returned. She was no worse to ware but for her tiny ear was little red from the irritation of the tangle. I plan to clean the nest out and remove any more tangled traps the little ones could fall into.
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Day 9
Today I took out the little ones for some snuggle time and discovered that one of the pink/white ones is actually a hooded champagne that means that she has a hood of light tan over her head and sholders and the rest of her body is white.... oh so pretty... will post pic of her soon. This was the coloring of my very first rat 'bill'.
Hanging out with Fred this evening while I transcribe minutes, he loves to chill in hoods i hope his kids like to too.
Hanging out with Fred this evening while I transcribe minutes, he loves to chill in hoods i hope his kids like to too.
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Day 8
I am trying to spend time with the little wigglers to get them used to being held and snuggled. In this picture you can see that ears are getting bigger and their fuzz is growing in. They don't make much noise when I hold them but they sure like to wiggle around and fight for who gets to be on the bottom of the pile.
If Clair is around when I have them out she will grab them up in her mouth and try to return them to the nest.... what a good mom.
Friday, February 18, 2011
Who's the daddy
If some of you where wondering Clair was not divinely inseminated. I have a new rat friend living with me. His name is Fred Astaire. He is a red eyed white that lives in a big cage in my bedroom. He came to live with me a few weeks ago his human friends got another kitten, too much cat for one house so Fred moved in with me. He is a dopey guy that likes to just chill in laps and lick your teeth if you'll let him, Kim taught him that one. I didn't think that one little hang out would end me up with 6 more rats.
love at first sight
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Day 7
Thursday, February 17th
Clair is strong and happy, she has build another nest or rather resting spot in her cage just for her self. I assume it s place she can go to be away from the little ones, who grow stronger everyday, they can crawl real well and pull them selves up and curl around my fingers.
Oh! I just took out one of the pink ones for a snuggle and discovered that her hair is growing in... it feels like soft soft velvet.
still don't have and forsure takers yet! remember I want to give away 4 of these little wigglers.
Clair is strong and happy, she has build another nest or rather resting spot in her cage just for her self. I assume it s place she can go to be away from the little ones, who grow stronger everyday, they can crawl real well and pull them selves up and curl around my fingers.
Oh! I just took out one of the pink ones for a snuggle and discovered that her hair is growing in... it feels like soft soft velvet.
still don't have and forsure takers yet! remember I want to give away 4 of these little wigglers.
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Day 4
Monday, February 14
Clair now comes out to play. Sitting at her door when she wants some thing, more food or a shoulder ride. When ever on the floor she wants to run to her old nests in the walls but I can’t let her go in fear that she won’t come back, babies can only be alone for 4 hours and some times when she disappears into the house she is gone for a day or two. Clair lets me touch the babies now, who have now grown their markings. There seem to be two pink ones, meaning they will be white like their father, one gray hooded one and three all gray ones, but who knows what they will look like until their fur grows in.
Day 3
Sunday, February 13
Clair doesn't seem to have much of an appetite, she is much thinner now and I worry about her eating enough. i try to give her a wide array of food choices along with the staples. She likes cooked pasta and leaves her once favorite (cheese) to the last. I am sure to change her water mug frequently and keep her food dish full of choices.
The wigglers are warm in the bigger nest that Clair is almost obsessively building. They squeal and squeak when ever her weight shifts on top of them.
The Birth
Friday, February 11
Clair was still very much preggers when I got up in the morning, she rode around on my shoulder a little in while I got ready for the day. left the house around 1pm and got back around 4 or 5, went to check on Clair and she had already popped out 4 little babies and was now hidden in a box I had put in the cage licking and cleaning another 2 babies. It was hard not to watch the whole process, but I knew it was better for her for me to let her be. I draped part of the cage in a blanket to keep the babies warm and give mom some privacy.
A little later I checked again on the happenings in the cage, Clair was now out and about in the cage, peering out at me though the bars. The babies were in two groups and not tucked away in a nest, Clair hadn't built one yet. the four out in the open looked very still and quiet, the two now three in the box looked pink and wigglie. I knew for the little ones to survive they had to be together and in a nest with momma sitting on top nursing them and keeping them warm. again I decided to let her be to do what she thought best. a little later I checked to see if anything had changed. Clair was trying to build a nest but the little box I had put in for birthing was in the way so she was trying to use the material I had put in that she herself used as a nest only by borrowing into the sheet of flannel she was knocking the babes all over the cage. I decided to remove the material and the box. Clair was frantic and a soon as I opened the cage crawled out and into my sweater. I pulled out the box and flannel and picked up all the babies and piled them into one corner of the cage, at this point I noticed that on of the babes was dead and removed it from the cage. I popped an unwilling Clair back in the cage who sniffed all her babies then began to build a nest by pushing and pulling up the bedding to form a little cup around the pink wigglers.
I worried that if Clair had a hard time building a nest maybe her milk hadn't come in yet and the little ones couldn't nurse. I decided to give them a few more hours alone. I checked on the little family again around 11pm. Clair was sitting on the nest little babes under her. I wanted to check for milk bands on the wigglers which means they are nursing but didn’t want to force Clair off the nest or touch the babies more then I had to. I waited a little longer until she was off the nest and peered into the cage, and sure enough I could see their little bellies full of milk though their pink skin. babies where in a nest and mom was nursing things where going to be fine.
Clair was still very much preggers when I got up in the morning, she rode around on my shoulder a little in while I got ready for the day. left the house around 1pm and got back around 4 or 5, went to check on Clair and she had already popped out 4 little babies and was now hidden in a box I had put in the cage licking and cleaning another 2 babies. It was hard not to watch the whole process, but I knew it was better for her for me to let her be. I draped part of the cage in a blanket to keep the babies warm and give mom some privacy.
A little later I checked again on the happenings in the cage, Clair was now out and about in the cage, peering out at me though the bars. The babies were in two groups and not tucked away in a nest, Clair hadn't built one yet. the four out in the open looked very still and quiet, the two now three in the box looked pink and wigglie. I knew for the little ones to survive they had to be together and in a nest with momma sitting on top nursing them and keeping them warm. again I decided to let her be to do what she thought best. a little later I checked to see if anything had changed. Clair was trying to build a nest but the little box I had put in for birthing was in the way so she was trying to use the material I had put in that she herself used as a nest only by borrowing into the sheet of flannel she was knocking the babes all over the cage. I decided to remove the material and the box. Clair was frantic and a soon as I opened the cage crawled out and into my sweater. I pulled out the box and flannel and picked up all the babies and piled them into one corner of the cage, at this point I noticed that on of the babes was dead and removed it from the cage. I popped an unwilling Clair back in the cage who sniffed all her babies then began to build a nest by pushing and pulling up the bedding to form a little cup around the pink wigglers.
I worried that if Clair had a hard time building a nest maybe her milk hadn't come in yet and the little ones couldn't nurse. I decided to give them a few more hours alone. I checked on the little family again around 11pm. Clair was sitting on the nest little babes under her. I wanted to check for milk bands on the wigglers which means they are nursing but didn’t want to force Clair off the nest or touch the babies more then I had to. I waited a little longer until she was off the nest and peered into the cage, and sure enough I could see their little bellies full of milk though their pink skin. babies where in a nest and mom was nursing things where going to be fine.
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