how do you make yourself 'stop'

[Cityratt]

Im having serious issues with internal termoil the last couple weeks since getting the hugemongous cage. I want to save them all. Honestly.

I thought with Karma's babies it would satisfy the GGMR for a while.
I was dead wrong.

I know i can accomodate for a few new additions but I dont want that many more (as much as I love them all, i just know i have limits, and i think that magic number is 7 - which leaves room for two more). But i dont know if i would be able to stop after that.

And its not just rats that are in situations like "If they arent adopted now they will be euthanized" its just rats everywhere that need homes. I want to help them all - but i know in my gut that it wouldnt be a wise choice. I just cant stop looking at websites with homeless ratties and wanting to take them all in.... :sad3:

 

[Godmother]

LOL, I think you are asking the wrong people!!! The blind leading the blind.....

 

[Cityratt]

lol - point taken godmother...i figured i wasnt the only one.... *sigh*

 

[lindsayfawn]

I'm the same way! That's how I ended up with Alice and Willow and then called Ang and was like "don't be mad ok" lol
I want to save everything too, I wish I could win the lotto then I'd dedicate a house to the ratties and then pay people to help take care of them with me. Would be great!
You're not alone!

 

[jorats]

Boy do I know what you are talking about and I'm definitely one of those that have gone way past their comfort number.
It's just so hard with so many rats needing homes. I do hope you find the strength to stop yourself. And when you do, please tell me your secret.

 

[Cityratt]

especially when your new cage can hold alot more rats than you planned on having....

But i figure. if i MAYBE adopt one more Girl. Then have the two boys neutered. then i have 6 in the cage. then I have room if one of the Foster boys are still in need of a home (and my funds have recooped since the neuters)....

Then i still have 2 'smaller' cages, and i COULD technically fit more in the monster cage....but then reserve those spots for the 'emergency' intakes.... .... :gaah:

 

[jorats]

Oh god, cityratt, you are doomed, you are counting, calculating and manipulating already... you are doomed.

 

[Cityratt]

:tmi: (and hopes Brian doesn't see this thread)

Poor guy. He loves the furkids too - but is smart enough not to go hunting for them....
then again. he doesnt have to. because i do. and he knows the....

"Brian..... .... come look...."

 

[jorats]

My hubby is not much help either... He knows there's trouble when I say, honey, how far is *name of city* from here?
He'll gently approach me and say, but jo, I thought you said we were going to go down in numbers. Then I do that stern look and say, Scott... they need me. And he walks away, head down. :lol:

I'm doomed too!

 

[Cityratt]

My hubby is not much help either... He knows there's trouble when I say, honey, how far is *name of city* from here?
He'll gently approach me and say, but jo, I thought you said we were going to go down in numbers. Then I do that stern look and say, Scott... they need me. And he walks away, head down. :lol:

I'm doomed too!

LMAO - I SO KNOW THAT CONVERSATION! :giggle:

 

[Godmother]

Although I was joking and serious at the same time, here's what I am trying to do in order to start being more sensible in the face of temptation:

1) avoid browsing the pets section of kijiji and similar sites

2) Make a Pros & Cons list when faced with temptation, then be honest about whether you could overcome the disadvantages, e.g.

Advantages of adopting this (these),,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, Disadvantages of adopting
================================================================

They would be safe,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Time needed for quarantine, intros
It's fun having a new ratty,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, Vet costs
I've always wanted ... (an agouti, hoodie, etc),,,,,,, Need to clean cages more often
Just one more couldn't hurt, could it?,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, I never want to feel as overwhelmed as I did last fall
I'd stop feeling guilty/worried,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, Difficulty/expense of finding care for them when I am away
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,I'd like to have more time to know each individual


3) Beware of messages from rat-rescue friends (!)


Let's hope these helpful hints work better for you than they do for the rest of us!!!

ETA: Sorry, the Adv and Disadv columns were separated when I wrote the message, but blanks got removed somehow. I don't know how to fix this other than adding filler characters

 

[Cityratt]

Thanks Godmother.

That list, being something perminant, may help. Bearing in mind that i always need to have SOME room to help in an emergency rehoming situation.

Working at a vet clinic and getting things at cost really doesnt help the realization of vet expences. it really is a double edged sword in that respect. I mean REALLY its like "yea. i could afford a new puppy - the vet expences are reasonable" (which is one of the reasons why i foster dogguide puppies...because i am NOT at a time in my life to make another 15 year commitment)

 

[KristyR]

Yeah, with two bedrooms for rats, plus adequate quarantine space, plus four ferret nations, two super pet exotics, two my first homes for rats, plus a couple of other random cages as needed... plus wanting to save them all.... :doh: ... leaves me with 38 rats. So technically 14 of them are fosters, but I'm not kidding myself into thinking that they are going anywhere... or that I really want them to. But geeze, 38 rats is a bunch of rats! I am definitely at my limit...OVER my limit.

Now if I had someone else to take care of the house, and I didn't have to go to work, and could devote myself full time to the rats... now that would be a different story. :rathugz:

 

[Riana]

Personally, while I am a total animal lover like the next person here, and I would love to have 'x' many dogs, cats, rats, etc, I really look at myself and decide if I can give them the love that they need. There's a difference between loving them and being able to give them the proper amount of love they need, and I'm at the point where I know that if I had any more, my ability to give my animals what they really do need would suffer. Not as though I'm never tempted, but I really couldn't justify putting my current animals in any sort of position just because of my ego for wanting more pets.

That's what I do. ^_^; I don't know if it would work for others.

But the threat of being skinned alive, booted out of the house, and possibly disowned for getting another pet may have something to do with my willpower, too... :?

 

[LA]

Well I can't say I am the best. I'm not quite sure that I should have 6 on my martins, but they all get along quite well and Lily's fur from barbering is coming back.

I know that I absolutly CANNOT handle more then one cage. I find that more then 6 would be just too much for me. Right now I have made things easier. Because we had 6 I moved the enclosure to make it easier and it was better for the rats. We now don't have to carry them to the enclosure. I am glad that Wayne and I do this together because cleaning the cage would be almost impossible by myself. I like your list Godmother. But I know now that I fit anymore rats in my cage, and I won't have two cages so I won't get anymore. I don't look at the ads for adoptions.

One thing to keep in mind that Jo told me. Yes the rescues need us but we aren't any good to them if we have too many rats and can't care for them anymore. Keep that in mind.

 

[Dewi]

Cityratt I'm exactly the same way! What has finally stopped me from getting anymore rats is the fact that I can't afford even more vet bills and going on holidays is really difficult for us (we have 20 rats after all).

So long as you can afford vet bills and food etc. I think 10 is quite a sensible number as far as rats are concerned. Boy I'm being a bad influence here. But in the end it's your bank balance that will force you to stop.

Actually I often daydream about having copious amounts of money so I can go crazy with the rats and also employ people to help me look after them. People dream of yatchs and fast cars. I dream of getting more rats :?. Oh okay... bit of a lie... I also daydream about houses.

 

[Shelley]

It's been an ongoing struggle for me to try and not take in anymore rats... but sometimes one just comes along that you feel you can't pass by. The thing is - usually those are the rats I'm not looking for, I tend to stumble across them during my time online. (Which is how I got Molly and Pickles )

I have 3 large cages right now, and I can honestly say on a permanant basis that is more than enough. I have 8 girls in one cage and it is a lot of work. I try to factor in expenses, and it is really individual. Since I am supported by my parents and my sister, we have the money and time to take care of all our rats.

I know I'm at my limit now again, mine seems to keep coming back to the magic number of 12 or 13, but because of my plans for the future I know that number will have to decrease over the next two years. For me, I really really really want to get a Border Collie puppy, and I keep searching for one even though I know there is seriously no way I can get one right now. It's almost like self torture at times, and it really requires a lot of self monitoring and talking to yourself about the reality of the situation. I have stopped actively searching for more rats, but puppies or young rescue dogs that are a border collie, australian shepherd, or cattle dog... I can't stop myself. I look online daily at rescue websites, kijiji, petfinder, breeders... I want one that badly that it is an obsession.

What I remind myself on a daily basis is that the pets I do have need my attention and love. I love my dog, I think I'm incredibly lucky to have him in my life. So instead of obsessing I'll go grab his leash or toy and spend time with him. I do that with my rats too - if I see one online I'll take myself away from the screen and go spend time with them. Sometimes it's a matter of realizing how special the ones you have are, and that getting more (although will bring more special ones into your life), can detract attention and time from the pets you already have.

So anyway... thats just my random thoughts on my own position with amount of rats and wanting to get more pets.

 

[Dewi]

My hubby is not much help either... He knows there's trouble when I say, honey, how far is *name of city* from here?
He'll gently approach me and say, but jo, I thought you said we were going to go down in numbers. Then I do that stern look and say, Scott... they need me. And he walks away, head down. :lol:

I'm doomed too!

Ha ha ha, I've done that to Neil too.

On one occasion I even bust into tears and Neil had no choice but to agree. It was incredibly childish of me but I just couldn't control myself. I felt panicked about not helping the rats and got all emotional. Mind you, I'm super happy with my decision as I now have Ren and his nieces and nephews.

 

[Cait]

0.0 I was just thinking about this.

I think, more than anything, you just have to remember your limits. I have issues with this. While, right now, 3 is my limit because of where I live... Where I live only, not how. The boys are out literally 15/24/7. No, literally. They are spoiled to say the least. I am lucky I have so much time, and to have no other pets that require attention. Soon, when I am somewhere permanent... My limit has almost tripled, if not in actual rats in the *thoughts* of actual rats. Not only because of time, but because of my upgrade... I had originally planned just two more. Just two. Now... well things keep popping up and I am hard pressed to say no when I *know* I have time and I *know* I have space. Why be stingy if babies need homes? (In MY case, for me personally.) Then I get worried about how I will come across to you guys. "Ooo Cait, she's on the fast track to being a hoarder, that girl is. *random number* new rats so fast? H-O-A-R-D-E-R." I know in my heart thats not how I am, but I respect you all so much and I do care how I come across in my decision to add more family members to my crew. Is that weird? Sometimes I think it's weird. I'd like to think you guys are like "Oh, COOL! Cait is helping out and she is lucky she has more bubs to love! That's neat" or something like that.

*stops talking for fear of sounding completely crazy*

 

[donshini]

My hubby is not much help either... He knows there's trouble when I say, honey, how far is *name of city* from here?
He'll gently approach me and say, but jo, I thought you said we were going to go down in numbers. Then I do that stern look and say, Scott... they need me. And he walks away, head down. :lol:

I'm doomed too!

:laugh4:

but honestly, my bf took me for a three hour drive to pick up needy ones, so i know what you mean ...