Meet My Newest Rescue Blanco

[OldsGal]

I had a new rescue surrendered last night and I thought I would share is story. He was purchased along with a buddy from a local pet store when they were just tiny bubs. They were kept as pets for a little girl for a good year or so. Then the mom met a new boyfriend and moved in with him. The new boyfriend is terrified of the rats and is also a farmer. He told the mom that Farmers kill rats they don't keep rats as pets and banished the rats to the garage. These two boys lived in the garage up until about a month ago. One of the boys passed away from what sounds like a URI to me. The little girl got bored with the remaining boy and was not paying any attention to him. So the mom decided to surrender him over to me. His name is Whitey but I have real issues with calling him that so I have been calling him Blanco until I can figure out a name that is much more fitting for him. When I got him I had to really do a double take to make sure he was even a boy as his boy bits were sucked up so far into his body. They said the garage was heated but I am not so sure how warm it really was. Needless to say after being in my home he is starting to look a bit more like the boy rats I am used to seeing. His coat is covered in dirt and grime. Not just normal rat grime but dusty dirt like you would find in a garage. He stinks very badly. He has not been handled in about a month and is a bit skitty. But if you let him come out of the cage to you he lets you handle him just fine. He is very skinny and they were feeding him a lab block by 8 in 1 which right on the front of the box it says "CORN AND MOLASSES BLOCK" Amazingly he does not seem to have any parasites but he is getting a bath here today and treated for them just in case. He was kept on pine bedding and given string to use as bedding. No hidey home no food dish no toys no enrichment whatsoever. Just his string and a water bottle. They just put the blocks in the cage on the bedding. He has snarfed down a big bowl of ensure, baby food, suebees, and several HT blocks. He is so dirty that I am unsure what his true color is. I am guessing possibly some sort of beige but who knows. Oh and he has not let out one single sneeze since being here. OK so pictures.....

His cage that he came with:

Surprisingly it is a good size cage for 2 rats

 

[wonderrodent]

Another sad story *sigh*. Thank you Staci for taking him in! You are an angel!! I can see he is an adorable and handsome boy - even through his dirty coat. I am so glad that from now on he will have a much better life!!

 

[lilspaz68]

A rexy sweetheart. I cannot wait to see what colour he is....he almost looks minky but that could also be the lousy monitor at work.

I am sure I don't need to tell you to spoil this one!

 

[meep]

aww poor rattie. Hold in a garage.. Not my idea of keeping pet rats... You can see the dirt yes. Poor little fellow. You are going to keep him i assume?

 

[Melissa's ZOO]

Poor guy he is so cute. So glad he has found you.

 

[LA]

What a sad story. I am so happy he's found you. Maybe he's platinum?

 

[mamarat]

I'm so glad he found his way to you. He is a beautiful boy and you will make him gorgeous.

 

[jorats]

Oh what an adorable little guy! How can anyone banish a rat to the garage.

Thank god he'll know some love with you.

 

[RunzwithRatz]

WOW! looks like someone droped the cage also. He is a georgeous boy dirty, I bet he is spectacular when he is all cleaned up. He looks like a powder Blue from my screen. Please post pictures when you can after the clean up. Let me know if you would like a hammock made special for him, I will send one for you.
Kisses and warm snuggles for Blanco!
From me and my fuzz butts.

 

[AlexandraBoo]

It looks like his finger is broken in the last pic, poor little guy.

 

[la_marée_haute]

AW! Poor baby! That cage is discusting... it's big enough, but that doesn't make up for the filth (or lack of enrichment, as you said) one bit. :evil:

He looks either very old or just very very sick/neglected. I don't know how ANYONE could EVER neglect such a beautiful boy like that, (even after his cage mate has passed.... WTF?) :cry:, or any animal for that matter, but it just creeps me out even more in this case, because he is just darling.

I'm so glad that he is in good hands now, though. Thank you, OldsGal!