TheHermit
Senior Member
I feel like I have lost control. All of my rats are ailing, except for his highness Bruce, who is now a problem too.
I love my boys for the individuals they are, but I am struggling to keep up with everyone's needs. Alduins respiratory issue flared up bad and Bear hasnt had a seizure since I last posted about him, so it was Alduin who went to the vet this weekend. He will be on meds for the rest of his life, the vet and I agreed. Klaus is having myco symptoms but nothing severe, but I need to get him in too and maybe get him on antibiotics permanently as well. I also want Bears head x rayed to make sure whatever was happening in there has ceased or temporarily subsided. I can't afford all at once so I'm struggling to get it all done.
In the meantime, Bruce may be... I won't use the word evil. But whereas Rupert was a democratic ruler of the roost, Bruce is a dictator. He used to bully anyone I touched - any of the boys that accepted affection were pinned by him as soon as I moved away. I would pin him back to tell him to lay off the guys for being friendly. He still does this to Bear but not to Klaus or Alduin. He also has a habit of randomly kicking out the boys from a cozy spot just so he can have it, even if they're in the middle of sleeping.
Since Rupert left, Alduin's place plummeted to the bottom. The only rat that will cuddle up to him is Bruce... when he feels like it. It is so bizarre because Klaus and Bear used to sleep with him all the time, but they only sleep together now. Bruce will only sleep with Bear or Alduin (rarely), but not Klaus. I never saw Bruce break up a cuddle with my own eyes but I wouldn't put it past him.
The most disturbing thing I have seen though is Klaus taking water from my fingertips like is life depended on it, and didnt take from the bottle until I held my hand up to it with him. I took my hand away and he was fine until Bruce noticed. Bruce hurried over and shoved Klaus away from the water... but didn't drink from it himself. He waited until Klaus walked away then he returned to the hut he was in.
He literally told Klaus he couldn't drink water. I looked into his eyes and spoke to him about it and kept an eye out - Klaus is apparently allowed to drink again but now I am seriously worried he is starving Klaus and Alduin out. In the last week I havent seen either of them eat much solid food - Alduin not at all. Alduin's weight has dropped noticeably, Klaus gradually but I can tell. He's lost his plumpness.
Alduin is quite sick so I wanted to believe it was just that, but that doesn't explain Klaus. Bear and Bruce are over 1lb - Bear 1.2lb, Bruce is easily 200 grams larger. Klaus is around 800-900g, poor Alduin has dropped to 506g (his weight on Saturday).
My first instinct is to separate Bruce to make sure but I am so lost on this. Bruce is lenient with Bear so I may have to split my mischief into two pairs.
What in the hell should I do to get control back? The health issues are huge but if Bruce is making it that much worse, how will I ever get a hold of it all?
I love my boys for the individuals they are, but I am struggling to keep up with everyone's needs. Alduins respiratory issue flared up bad and Bear hasnt had a seizure since I last posted about him, so it was Alduin who went to the vet this weekend. He will be on meds for the rest of his life, the vet and I agreed. Klaus is having myco symptoms but nothing severe, but I need to get him in too and maybe get him on antibiotics permanently as well. I also want Bears head x rayed to make sure whatever was happening in there has ceased or temporarily subsided. I can't afford all at once so I'm struggling to get it all done.
In the meantime, Bruce may be... I won't use the word evil. But whereas Rupert was a democratic ruler of the roost, Bruce is a dictator. He used to bully anyone I touched - any of the boys that accepted affection were pinned by him as soon as I moved away. I would pin him back to tell him to lay off the guys for being friendly. He still does this to Bear but not to Klaus or Alduin. He also has a habit of randomly kicking out the boys from a cozy spot just so he can have it, even if they're in the middle of sleeping.
Since Rupert left, Alduin's place plummeted to the bottom. The only rat that will cuddle up to him is Bruce... when he feels like it. It is so bizarre because Klaus and Bear used to sleep with him all the time, but they only sleep together now. Bruce will only sleep with Bear or Alduin (rarely), but not Klaus. I never saw Bruce break up a cuddle with my own eyes but I wouldn't put it past him.
The most disturbing thing I have seen though is Klaus taking water from my fingertips like is life depended on it, and didnt take from the bottle until I held my hand up to it with him. I took my hand away and he was fine until Bruce noticed. Bruce hurried over and shoved Klaus away from the water... but didn't drink from it himself. He waited until Klaus walked away then he returned to the hut he was in.
He literally told Klaus he couldn't drink water. I looked into his eyes and spoke to him about it and kept an eye out - Klaus is apparently allowed to drink again but now I am seriously worried he is starving Klaus and Alduin out. In the last week I havent seen either of them eat much solid food - Alduin not at all. Alduin's weight has dropped noticeably, Klaus gradually but I can tell. He's lost his plumpness.
Alduin is quite sick so I wanted to believe it was just that, but that doesn't explain Klaus. Bear and Bruce are over 1lb - Bear 1.2lb, Bruce is easily 200 grams larger. Klaus is around 800-900g, poor Alduin has dropped to 506g (his weight on Saturday).
My first instinct is to separate Bruce to make sure but I am so lost on this. Bruce is lenient with Bear so I may have to split my mischief into two pairs.
What in the hell should I do to get control back? The health issues are huge but if Bruce is making it that much worse, how will I ever get a hold of it all?
