Hope's Rescued rats, adoptables and lifers- December Update

[Joanne]

I hope it is a great day for you!

 

[hopefloats]

It was a good day but very warm. We took Claire, Molly, Lola, Aaron, Jackson, Oliver and the 2 new baby girls. They were all a hit. Everyone stopped to check them out and we had some interest in adoptions and fostering. One already emailed me about it we also got $7.00 in donations A lot of eww rats but of course Jackson smoothed them over with his sweet self. It was in the mid 80's so hot as hell out there. I had ice packs in the cage, and under the blanket of the playpen and a very willing 3 year old who would spritz them and us with water often. I had a pea fishing pool that I dipped them in occasionally and they also had snow cones

The kittens are about 6 days old now. We had to go back to the vet to learn how to do enemas on them since they are battling constipation.

Mable who came in a few months ago from the shelter is off, I think she is off a bit. I cannot pinpoint but I am hoping it isnt PT. I had enough of that around here.

Ursula's time is limited her mouth is not improving but it is instead getting worse. Monday we are going in for spays I suspect will be be putting her to sleep this week. Otto was neutered a few months ago but he has a large lump in his testicle area which wasnt there so he is going in to be checked out.

 

[Joanne]

Nice set up! Do they provide the shelter for you?
I hope you get some forever homes from this. It's great someone has already contacted you.

 

[hopefloats]

They had a misting tent and a place that had ac. But when you were sprayed with water there was enough of a cool breeze to make it bearable. My rats are spoiled they have their own ac unit in their room so they dont know anything about the heat so they laid around mostly but they took ok to the spray bottle hitting them but I was paranoid as can be with letting them be outside. We dont do that with rats but they all did well and had plenty of cool stuff.

It was for a foster but I could use those as well I would love to put rats in other houses to take the load off.

 

[dspch911]

:laugh: I have to say with that pea fishing and the spray mist - they looked like drown rats.... That is one big pea fishing pool!

 

[Vladina]

Hope, those photos were wonderful to see and I was so proud seeing that tent with all the bubs and the signs with rat information, great! Looks like you were working so hard to keep the fur kids nice in cool in that heat.

What a doll that little girl was to help keep the ratties cool, aww! And of course, I am always so proud of Jackson, doing his awesome job of charming the folks about ratties. Hurray!

Job well done! Can't wait to show the photos and post to Marc, he will love it!

 

[hopefloats]

Hope, those photos were wonderful to see and I was so proud seeing that tent with all the bubs and the signs with rat information, great! Looks like you were working so hard to keep the fur kids nice in cool in that heat.

What a doll that little girl was to help keep the ratties cool, aww! And of course, I am always so proud of Jackson, doing his awesome job of charming the folks about ratties. Hurray!

Job well done! Can't wait to show the photos and post to Marc, he will love it!

I wish I would of recorded her telling people how nice rats are and Jackson doesnt bite. She was giving them all an earful of rattie information. She is Zander sister, he couldnt be there I guess his dad thinks he needs time which made me sad She was so cute talking about the rats to adults. She was saying they are not gross they are nice. She was just full of words. I just failed at gettign it on video, I thought I had time, then she got cranky as kids do and they called it early we had horrible flash flood warnings so I loaded up my furbabies and we left. I wasnt playing with that stuff.

 

[Vladina]

Hope, you said Zander was not there because his Dad thought he needed time, but I didn't understand what you meant by that?

Oh, I would have LOVED to have seen a video of that little girl talking about the ratties...that would have been priceless! A three year old ambassador and publicity gal for rats, yes!!

I am so sorry about Ursula..this breaks my heart. I know rats live for every minute and make the most of their time, and I know Ursula will be enjoying all of her time with you to the fullest. Send her my love?

 

[hopefloats]

Claire and Molly are in for spays. Martin and Daddy of the boys are in for neuters. Katara is in for tumor removals. Otto was neutered a few months ago. He has a hernia that formed so we are having that repaired. I had to drop off alone since it was kitten feeding time so I had to use their cart to get them all in the building.

I should hear in a few hours about how it is going. Keep your fingers crossed.

 

[Velo]

What an interesting picture to see, so many rat patients! And those water bottles are familiar. XD

 

[temblabamomo]

Hope all went well today. Wow! And to think, I get stressed trying to pack one critter carrier. That's quite the production with all those cages!

 

[hopefloats]

Yes it all went very well. Everyone is down here in the living room. which is now offically full of rats LOL I gave them all metacam, fed them dinner and we are keeping an eye on them tonight. Tomorrow After I clean the cages I will put them back in their groups.


One of Katara's tumors was ugly which I know exactly which one. She had two one on her chest and one by her back leg, typical mammary tumor spots but the front one was turning into multiple tumors. It has lumps and bumps all over. they grew so fast It wasnt even funny. Both were about the size of an egg or a little bit smaller. Medusa's tumor is still a little bigger than a grape so I am not removing that as of yet

I have an appt to put Ursula down tomorrow. I was going to take her today but she seemed the same as yesterday and it was far to difficult to load anymore rats in my jeep. I wanted the vet who did the sedated exam on her last week to be there so I could have her check her out and see if we are at our final point. I know we are but I want to have someone else confirm that with me. I started to syringe feed her ensure yesterday and we did it a few times today. I gave her a little extra tramadol and she is resting now. I know her days are limited even without the thought of me putting her to sleep.

 

[hopefloats]

I dont know why that picture is upside down LOL but I cannot go upstairs to fix it because I just put the final coat of paint on my stairs! so i will fix it tomorrow. Ipad's do funny things!

 

[Joanne]

Wow, where do the peoples sit? LOL
Sorry to hear about Ursula. It sounds like you are going with your gut instinct...

 

[hopefloats]

We still have plenty of room It is a large living room thankfully Old house so very large rooms. We have couch and chair in here and ottoman but the rats take up a majority of the room today. I had mable and Stella being introduced with cooper, Maisey, turbo, Sweetie and Cashew since Mable is having some sort of issues. The other group was all young girls so I think this will be a better set up for them. I moved them into the cage tonight after I cleaned it and they all are getting along great.

Ursula group is down here right now because of her being sick. I just brought them all down and tossed them in the cage. I try to keep all the sickly ones in the living room but I have a few stragglers that dont have groups so they are here as well. A few weeks I can introduce them to other groups and hopefully clean out a few small cages. It is never ending intros around here. So many mean boys and not enough neuter time LOL

 

[Vladina]

Hope, I am so sorry about Ursula...I wish I could find words to make you feel better about it but it is so hard, as you know.

I will be thinking of her. Give her all my love (and a kiss too).

 

[hopefloats]

I had Hippo and Maude while their owner was away for a few days. Both girls took a turn for the worse and Maude lost her battle on Saturday. Both of these girls were born here in dec 2012 when we took in 3 pregnant mommas.

I had an appt to take Ursula in to be put to sleep so I took hippo as well. She has lost so much weight and was really struggling to breath so she went with us. I will say I am lucky to be able to be there for her final moments. I was there when she came into this world, grew and learn how to cope with her disability and watched her thrive in a home with a loving family.

She slept the whole way on my daughters lap, I switched between her and ursula giving them as many kisses as I could.

My little Ursula came to me on March 9th, 2013. She came with Patchwork girl, Ella who had softball sized tumors, cee-cee who died right after surgery, Meduse, and Cruella. This girls earned their evil names because they have bitten me since day one. I was finally able to pet Ursula this week I kept telling her that it was ok and she didnt have to hate me till the end. I will miss her little teeth when I clean the cage and watching her puff up with her little territorial self because I changed her bedding. Even though I couldnt really hold her, she was still such a huge part of my day. The part I had to watch my fingers while in her cage, while feeding her, opening the doors, cleaning and anything else that involved my hand in her cage

Play hard at the bridge sweet girls.

 

[SQ]

Awww Hope,

I am so very sorry about Ursula, Hippo and Maude

Thank you for sharing their stories and pictures of Ursula and Hippo

Such sweet girls .... and you made sure they had the best possible lives

 

[Joanne]

Noooo, not Hippo! I am so glad she was born in your care - you gave her the chance to have a normal life. Surely she and her siblings would have been snake fodder in anyone else's hands.
You've had a rough few days. The girls are now at rest. Perhaps some rattie therapy is in order - snuggles always make me feel better...

 

[dspch911]

:rose3: RIP sweet girls! Oliver and Popper will be glad to see you again!