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:joy: :dance: :joy: :dance:
So happy to finally say Trouble is 100% healed up from his horrible accident last month. I had the boys out the other day and the scabbed up part has finally fallen off! The tips has a bit of scabbing still left over it, but his tail looks all pretty and normal again, minus missing close to an inch...

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I can't believe how big my little smeeze boys have gotten! Hoggle is definitely second in command, and much bigger than his brother Smeagol. Trouble has yet to show me any signs of slowing down either hehe He chills a lot when he's out, but still hops and jumps and plays :mrgreen:

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So....wow...3 months eh? Wow, guess I got a little too use to everything and practically everyone being on facebook. I've missed it here. See a few changes, but still the same ol' Rat Shack I found and fell in love with. So, this means a major update!

Boys are doing great. Trouble has been on/off Baytril for about a month now. I'm still trying to decide if another med should be brought in or if he will be a lifer on the Baytril (if that's possible/safe?) as it clears up his noisy breathing within a few days and keeps it clear until I testingly take him off of it, then it's right back withing a day or two. He turned 2yrs old last month though, so while he's still got his little bursts of energy he usually just finds a comfy spot to nap when he's out with me and his brothers (usually wedged in between me and the wall if he's able to :giggle: ) He's lost some weight, but nothing that has me worried. I'm planning on getting some blueberries and nummy baby food for some treats for him soon though, might help? He's my oldest rat ever, since I knew nothing of URIs and the likes before these guys.

Smeagol and Hoggle are doing wonderfully, and gotten so huge! Well, Smeagol has gotten quite massive :lol: He occasionally fights with Trouble for alpha, but you rarely find him not by his side cuddling any other time. Hoggle is still nervous, but loves his scritches and lets me pick him up just fine. You can sort of tell he's the baby of the three, even if he's fatter than Trouble. LOL

Well, some pics are in order for those of you who don't have access to my lengthy album on facebook heh
























 
Cute little butts. Your boys are lovely.

I would keep Trouble on Baytril for ever. I've had quite a few and it has helped them a lot.
 
I was more wondering if it was safe, but that answers that question :) I'd rather him be on meds the rest of his life than it end sooner and him be uncomfortable. You can see the difference in his energy levels when he's on it vs when he's off it. I am wondering other methods for base though as he gets tired of the watered down strawberry Nesquik quickly now. I plan on getting them some blueberries as a treat, would it be harmful to crush one to mix it with? With peas even too as he loves peas.
 
So, was talking some of you lovely people in chat a couple weeks ago about Trouble. He's now 26mnths old and slowing down, losing weight, etc. He's still as loving and cuddly as ever, but he's getting old and it makes me sad. I noticed a couple weeks ago, though that the right side of his hip is much more 'protruding' looking than the other. On closer inspection, it looks more like a possible growth. Getting pictures of it is hard, he's slowed down a lot but is still always moving when I try and take pics. It's also just an awkward place to take a picture of to show the difference. I got a better "feel" of it today while cuddling with him and it definitely feels very solid and almost seems to have a couple bumps to it. It is directly around his hip joint, so can't be sure if it's a growth or something going on with his hips?

Here's a few pics I took today. I don't know if they really show anything though...








It's not pointy like it looks here, that's just how his fur ends up going on that spot.




and of course someone decides to grab the camera while I was taking some :giggle:
 
Just came to mind talking on the FB group...I can't be positive, but I think that's roughly the area where one of the smeeze boys bte him good enough to draw some blood a few weeks ago (possibly 6 weeks though, it was over and done with so quickly it doesn't stick out as an injury to me), but I thought an abscess, especially one from infection possibly, would be squishy and smell....but just thought I'd throw that out there, cuz it came to mind.
 
This section doesn't get all that many responses. If you want more, post it in the health section.
An abscess doesn't always smell. Has it grown a lot or fast? Some rats do get bumps and lumps that are benign.
 
I've been having internet issues, so will have to make up a new post when I have the chance.

It doesn't seem to be growing too quickly, but it cropped up originally without a lot of notice. I don't like stressing him out poking and prodding at it. It doesn't seem to hurt him, but you can tell he doesn't like it.
 
Well, it's been forever since I've been here. Did a small 'life update' in the Chatter Box section if you're curious. Wanted to do an update here too though, as I will be starting intros tonight and may need some assistance. Really hoping it goes as smoothly as when I first got Smeagol and Hoggle, but I can see Smeagol and Remi butting heads a bit, and Gir is very hyper so am unsure how they will react to that.

On the plus side I have bought and paid for the second level of my CN so the 5 boys will have lots of room to run very soon! I am super excited and will be trying my hand at sewing up some make-shift liners probably next weekend (bought a couple sheets of fleece from Value Village so want to wash them, etc.).

I noticed I didn't have the heart to update this thread since March. My sweet Trouble was PTS March 14th. His tumour unfortunately spiked in growth and with his age and increasing RI removal wasn't an option. March 13th I took the boys out for play time on the bed and to do a quick cage clean and an abscess had formed underneath the tumour without me seeing, and had opened. I tried to clean it out, but could tell he was in pain and laid in one single spot on the bed and didn't even want pets...I knew and made an appt with the vet for the next morning. I still miss him dearly and know his brothers do too.

Since then I have been in contact with Lynds at Henry's Haven to adopt another boy or two for Smeagol and Hoggle and of course both of our lives have been insane since. This past weekend, though, hubby and I went for a weekend visit in Peterborough and managed to meet up with Lynds and I have adopted three little boys from a recent litter she had taken in. A little black boy, a hooded agoutie, and a nearly full agouti (has white on his tummy). I have name the black boy Remi, the hooded agouti is Tanookie, and the full agouti is Gir. They are living in my temporary cage for now, but will probably section off the second level when it gets here if they aren't ready to be with Smeagol and Hoggle yet. Intros begin tonight! I finally found Chloroplast sheets at Home Depot (in all honestly I hadn't had the time to look previously as I bus and it's a good 45min ride from my apartment...and carrying that stuff back is a pain lol) so am making a decent sized play area for them (will enlarge as time goes). I will certainly be posting some pics later, especially of the new boys...and for all to see how fat my Smeagol has gotten LOL I don't quite understand it as I don't feed them junk and no more than before :giggle:

For now, here's a quick picture of the new boys and an updated one of my smeeze boys :D





Gir - very curious and hyper hehe




Hoggle


Smeagol
 
Well, I kinda figured Smeagol would pose the "threat" with intros. He's been claiming alpha ever so slowly since Trouble passed away. I actually thought he'd have more issues with Remi than the other two though as Remi acts the more dominant one out of the three new boys. I am hoping things go smoother with each session though....Really don't want to have to keep them separated or have to worry about a neuter.

I am just waiting for the 7min or so video I took to upload from my phone to facebook, but for a quick breakdown the first 5min or seemed to be fine. Everyone was just all over each other sniffing. Of course, the moment I turned my back for something is when the first scuffle and squeaks started. Poor little Tanookie had run to the other side of the play area and Smeagol was all puffed and huffing around Gir. He picked on both of them and left Remi and Hoggle to sit together in the corner basically. Little Tanookie was even to the point of tail wiggling when I was trying to pet him after a few minutes...Lots of scared poops too....
I pinned Smeagol a few times and pushed him away (hardwood floors...he slid around a lot lol) and after I stopped recording it seemed to calm down a little. Smeagol was still all puffy but sat near Hoggle and Remi relatively okay, while Gir and Tanookie kept a bit of distance.

Any thoughts or advice is greatly appreciated. Snapped a couple pictures too. Will add a link to the video or whatever when it's done.




 
Not sure how this will work for those who aren't on my Facebook, but I set it to Public for privacy settings, so let me know please.

[BBvideo 450,375:2zaxhp2u]http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=213444992117887[/BBvideo:2zaxhp2u]
 
Nice enclosure! Is that neutral ground for the rats? None of the rats have ever played in that spot?
Looks like Smeagol is your alpha. But he's being ok about it, so far. Day 2 and 3 can be worse but don't worry, just keep at it.
 
lol k thanks!

Yup, it's neutral. I only just made the enclosure so no one has ever played on the floor before (always just on my bed). hmmmm I am hoping he will chill out....if it becomes more aggressive, what would you suggest?
I'm curious to his movements, specifically the way he sort of waddles up to them then spins to stand beside them...is he sizing them up or something?
It's strange he doesn't seem to go after Remi much, as Remi is definitely more the bully of the three new boys to one another and Tanookie is the most submissive. I figured he'd but heads with Remi and Gir the most, but he seems to go after Tanookie the most... I was worried of getting bit as Tanookie went right into tail wiggling when I tried to pet him when Smeagol had finally left him alone for a bit.

I am just heading into work, but am hoping to peace out early (depending how much work we actually have) so if I can I'll be trying another round tonight. If not, it may have to wait a few days. How often should I aim for if I can though, daily? Or would that be too stressful on them?
 
He goes up to them sideways because he's claiming them and the area. Keep an empty water bottle close by and when it looks like it might get physical, crinkle the water bottle to startle him. That should "interupt" his idea of bullying.
 
Ooh, thanks! Will try that tonight for sure. I hope they just submit and the fighting can stop asap lol Got off work early so am setting things up here soon for another round. Will have another video though, of course.
 
Well, looks like I'll have to shrink the playpen for tomorrow's session. Less poops though and everyone seemed alright for the first few minutes again...then of course Remi just decided to hang out on the opposing wall, Gir seemed a little more flighty this time compared to Tanookie. Oh, and I was going to use the water bottle idea, until I realized I don't have any...Plastic just got picked up yesterday morning and I use a Brita...lol Will have to grab one from Timmy's before work tonight. I tried a can of Nestea, but I had already semi-crushed it so it didn't make enough noise. The TP tube seemed to spike some interest and distract a little though...

Gah, I have to start using my actual camera...7min video takes forever from my phone LOL

[BBvideo 450,375:2xo51hbt]http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=213795058749547[/BBvideo:2xo51hbt]
 

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