Search results

Yes! I had one boy in particular who would sleep with his eyes open. One time he was napping on top of his house with his head lolling over the edge. Slowly he started to slide off and when I saw he wasn't catching himself I had a moment of panic when I shouted his name but he just kept staring...

Are random paintings allowed in this thread too? I'm currently rat-less, so I've been getting my fix by lurking around the boards and doing some paintings of my most recent pair of ratties. This is Karel de Grote!

Lol at #150! I had one guy who hated the sound of the camera and would always wake up and run off. I'd feel so bad I'd bring out the treats and suddenly all was forgiven!

Wow, what a good long life!

How lucky that you found him and he got the love and care he deserved. Sorry for your loss.

How fortunate that you found each other, you obviously had a special bond together. It's amazing how much these little guys can teach us; this is the legacy they mean to leave for us, not the pain of their loss. I hope your memories eventually ease your grief.

Distel continues to be an inspiration even beyond the grave! I've decided the two ratties I lost this last year need some memorial portraits. I just completed this one for Distel in egg tempera. I'm working on one for his companion Karel now.

What a special pair, how wonderful that they had each other. Sorry for your loss.

Distel came to us as a shy and unsure little fellow; his name, Dutch for the flower "thistle," was very fitting. The first couple months of playtime consisted of him huddling on a floormat and eyeing the laminate in the hallway with great suspician. He eventually mustered the courage to leave...

No, maybe I can figure out what Benadryl is called here and bring it up. She didn't mention a nebulizer either. Thanks for the ideas. She's pretty aggressive in treating respiratory infections, but not so much for looking into other possibilities or conditions.

My 2-year old boy Distel is having a heck of a time with a respiratory infection. I could use some advice on how to keep him comfortable as he seems to be constantly sneezing. Here's the long version: He was put on antibiotics for 5 weeks in September, then relapsed a week after ending them...

Yeah, at first I thought mites as well (he's had them before--in fact, this board helped me diagnose him the first time :-)) but this looks different and it has changed very slowly with no more bumps appearing so I got worried about how much longer to wait and see.

Ok, thanks for your insight. At first I thought it was a tiny pimple, but now it looks more mole-like. Our vet isn't bad, but the poor little rat freaks out and I don't like aggravating his persistant respiratory infection so I've been more conservative in taking him anywhere. It seemed like...

I noticed a tiny flesh colored bump on my guy's ear a long while back. It was so small I couldn't hardly feel it with my fingers, so I've been watching it for months without seeing much change. However, I'm pretty sure it has gotten bigger recently, and I can feel a lump when I stroke the ear...

When we first got Karel, I wasn't sure if we'd be able to keep him. He was a "reject" from a breeder due to temperament, and he just kind of came along when we picked up his buddy, Distel. My boyfriend picked the name "Karel de Grote," which is what the Dutch called Charlemagne. The name turned...

Well, we had a few weeks of hope when he seemed to be more like his old self, but sadly, Karel passed away. The vet speculates it was actually a lung tumor. Thanks for everyone's help, we gave it our best shot. He will be missed dearly.

He's on doxy and baytril, the carprofen is a painkiller. This is the most stubborn rat I've ever met, he is turning down even the most tasty treats. He was taking it mixed in yogurt for awhile, sometimes honey water, banana, or strawberry mush, and then I've gone through a whole range of...

Thanks for everyone's input. We've been giving the meds for about 20 days now. Somedays he seems a little better, and some days he seems the same. The vet is satisfied it is a respiratory infection, and she is worried he might have some scarring which will prevent him from breathing normally...

It looks like lasix is the same as furosemide. I'll have to get a prescription which means waiting for the vet to be open. The pain killers seem to be making him more comfortable, he even wanted to come out to the play area yesterday (though I didn't let him run around). Poor guy, looks like...

Ok, I'll keep the heart problem possibility in mind in case he doesn't respond to the antibiotics soon. How would a heart issue be treated? I couldn't hear anything when I "rat phoned" him a few days ago, but the vet didn't like how his lungs sounded with the stethoscope. He is also keeping his...