Charlie - "Aggressive" Adult Male Available for Adoption MTL

Fins us on Amazon
Shop with us on Ebay
Advertise with us
The Rat Shack Forum

Help Support The Rat Shack Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
V

victoria

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 3, 2009
Messages
4,614
Location
Montreal, QC
I was contacted two weeks ago about taking an aggressive, two-year-old male. He's lived in two homes already and no one was able to meet his needs. He has only been handled with gloves when his cage was cleaned his whole life. I was told his second home got him to the point where he was fine outside of the cage but attacked when he was in his cage. I agreed to foster him, not knowing what to expect.

He arrived yesterday as I rushed out the door to deal with an emergency with a rabbit at the shelter. My husband set him up carefully and after a long day trying to stabilize a sick rabbit, I got to meet my new buddy. He's lonely, timid, and not used to being handled but not aggressive. I reached into the igloo when he was sleeping last night and no issues.

I don't think he's two years old... probably closer to 18 months.

He does have a minor URI, I have an appointment for him tomorrow at the vet. Once he's done his meds, he'll be available for adoption.

I'm looking for a home that's experienced and has other rats. Given that he hasn't ever lived with rats before, he may need a neuter to calm him down. I can have him neutered prior to adoption, I get decent rates from my vet and since I'm already getting him examined, there won't be an additional pre-op check up required.

Here he is, I only got this one picture today when he was snuggled on the couch with me. I'll put up some more later this week.

If anyone's interested, transport to Ontario can be arranged.

file.jpg
 
He's handsome! I hope you can find a home for him. Hopefully he is just a scared and misunderstood lonely boy who needs some buddies and lots of loving.
 
Half resisting a rescue urge here.

I can take him in (BF agrees), but I feel I need to stay where I am for now, which is 1 above the limit I set for myself (4) - while knowing my favorite number so far is 6. With the piggies getting older and developping lots of health issues, and the rats starting to head back on meds, I can see an overwhelm alert ahead if I take poor Charlie in now... but if this boy doesn't end up finding a home, I will open my heart to him.

Just had a weird feeling that I was living the Container (my first ever rattie) situation all over again... :?

Victoria, he's been with you a few days now, did he start showing some aggression?
 
Unepuce said:
Victoria, he's been with you a few days now, did he start showing some aggression?
Click to expand...

Quite the opposite. He will lunge to bite through the bars very aggressively - I tested it by feeding him through the bars carefully - but that's not aggression.

Going to the vet I had to take 3 carriers on the metro - Ginger, the four girls and Charlie. I had to put him in a carrier like the one you have and put it in a tote bag on my shoulder. We barely made it to Longeuil and he'd had enough jostling around and started chewing his way out. I took him out to calm him down but as soon as I had to walk again, he would start chewing right away. Long story short, Charlie rode hidden (not so well at times) in my purse or in the tote bag. Not at all nervous on the metro (for those of you that aren't familiar with the metro system here, it is insanely hot 365 days a year and so loud you have to yell to have a conversation most times) and he behaved the whole 90 minute trip home, even waiting for the bus in the rain.

I did warn the vet he may be aggressive in case he was just comfortable with me but he was fine being poked and prodded and getting weighed in a Kritter Keeper. (Kritter Keepers are very small carriers.) He even slept on the chair for an hour while the other girls we examined and we discussed PTs.

I cannot understand how he was labelled as aggressive. He's not greasy (Shelagh says aggressive males are usually greasy), he never gets puffy, he doesn't even react if the girls up top climb down the sides of his cage or when a bunny walked over him on the couch. (For the record, most of my other rats will go out of their way to chase/bully the bunnies if given the chance.)

His first home did have snakes and many other rats (although I have many other rats as well :wink:) and his second had ferrets, so it's possible he reacted that way because he sensed predators... it's the only thing I can think of. I got his cage with him - it's not in great shape but it's a decent size so it's not that...
 
I have honestly never had a hormonal male with a soft coat...the overproduction of the hormones is reflected in the buck grease IMO. I think he may have been fearful but not hormonal. He sounds like he could be a truly amazing little guy. :heart:
 
Finally got some better pictures of this sweet little boy :)

file-9.jpg


file-4.jpg


file-3.jpg


file-10.jpg


file-2.jpg


file-1.jpg


He is your typical lap rat. He hangs out on the couch most of the day/evening - we often forget he's out he's so calm and quiet! AND he's litter trained :D
 
Unepuce said:
Aaaawww... Still no home lined up for the sweet boy?
Click to expand...

Still no home but Carole offered to take him and try to bond him to Jay (see shelter thread) if we can't find anyone. An adopter would be better of course, that way she has the space for the next rat that needs help but at least with Carole he would have a healthy home and a friend, possibly more if he accepts them.
 
yeah... I saw the SPCA thread... Going back up to 8 at the speed of light if I let myself!

I knew I had a soft spot for dumbos... but I am finding out I have a soft spot for males as well...

ETA - Took another look at Charlie's pic... gosh he looks like Tanner!!!
 
Yeah, if he's aggressive I'll chew off my right foot. ::rolls eyes:: When will people learn what's actually aggressive in a rat?

Give him a wee cuddle and kiss for me if he's up for it? :D
 
Im actually going through a situation right now where my fixed boy Xander is ill. He's got a tumor in his chest possibly attached to his liver that the vet won't touch. He's just over a year and a half, and his cage mate leia is only a week younger. She is going to be so depressed when he goes. I wasn't planning on having more rats for a while after these two, but i wasn't planning on xander to go so young. I was really hoping to find a rat similar to aher age so she won't be lonely.... I feel bad because Xander is still with us but if this boy gets fixed i would be delighted to have him come live with me. I can't stand the thought of my poor girl losing her best friend and having to live alone.
 
Littlefizz said:
Im actually going through a situation right now where my fixed boy Xander is ill. He's got a tumor in his chest possibly attached to his liver that the vet won't touch. He's just over a year and a half, and his cage mate leia is only a week younger. She is going to be so depressed when he goes. I wasn't planning on having more rats for a while after these two, but i wasn't planning on xander to go so young. I was really hoping to find a rat similar to aher age so she won't be lonely.... I feel bad because Xander is still with us but if this boy gets fixed i would be delighted to have him come live with me. I can't stand the thought of my poor girl losing her best friend and having to live alone.
Click to expand...

Sorry to hear about your boy. I was contacted by the same woman that surrendered Charlie to me about an adult female (over a year) that needs a home. Would you be interested in a female friend for Xander?
 
OH GOD, VIC. He looks JUST like Pegasus(RIP) and Percy. Well, plus balls, I suppose.

But you are right.. Percy is 16 months-ish, and they look identical. I wouldn't pin that boy at two years old, really, either.
 
Scythe said:
OH GOD, VIC. He looks JUST like Pegasus(RIP) and Percy. Well, plus balls, I suppose.

But you are right.. Percy is 16 months-ish, and they look identical. I wouldn't pin that boy at two years old, really, either.
Click to expand...

Are you just seeing this thread now? LOL Unepuce has more pics of him and his new buddy Jay in her posts :)
 

Latest posts

Back
Top