My Rattie Adventure

[SterlingRats0408]

Yuup pretty much. And he naturally has squintier eyes so its quite a look. I'd take a pic but I avoid mixing the rats, water and my phone/camera lol

 

[Vladina]

Ha ha, that is so cute! I always make sure to have water out in a dish too, so no one gets thirsty without access to water!

My remaining boy Achilles will sometimes sip at his water dish like a gazelle at a watering hole (okay, the world's fattest gazelle, but you get my point!) and other times he reminds me of a raccoon at a river, pawing water up and cleaning his face with it. I love watching ratties and how they scoop, sip or paw their water. Just adorable.

 

[MomRat]

Just read through this whole thread and wanted to drop in a two cents worth- Easy thing to keep in your first aid kit is a little bit of dark chocolate, like bakers chocolate chips. If a rat goes into Serious respiratory distress, it's easier to get them to eat chocolate than to force meds into them, and it will help their airways stay open until you can get them to the vet(the caffiene in the chocolate is a broncodilator). Second, keep your house plants away from your rats! Most plants sold for indoor use are from the tropics and often somewhat to very poisonous for pets. It's good to know what species you have and how poisonous they might be for your ratties, but it's even better to just remove the chance of it. =)

Your fuzzies are adorable and I am glad you have found our community!

 

[Steph]

Thank you MomRat!! Really appreciate the advice. And I love this community!

Today I took sweet pea out cuz Buck was sleeping and she curled up inside my shirt on my boob and fell asleep. [emoji4]
Could not be happier!! Now to get Buck to do that.

 

[Steph]

Ugh Buck bit me yesterday pretty hard when we were playing... I don't think he meant to those cuz immediately he started grooming my fingers...
But it hurts.... [emoji30]
First time they've bit me hard enough to break skin...

 

[Joanne]

He was saying 'sorry mom! I forgot it was you!'

 

[Vladina]

I totally agree. He was definitely apologizing to you! "Oops, sorry about that Mom! I will kiss it and make you feel better!" Aww!

 

[Steph]

I love my big fat boy. Actually slightly concerned he is getting too fat... I need to go out and get them a wheel. But he is such a lazy boy. Sweet Pea immediately jumps off my bed during play time and runs all over my room. Buck just waddles around pees a nice big spot next to my pillow (much to my dismay) and then goes and lays down under the comforter I put down to keep them from using my bed as a potty and sleeps. Today he decided to wade through the bowl of water I put down for them to drink. Drag his big tail through it and then knock stuff off the top of my mini fridge that's right next to my bed cuz he doesn't keep track of his tail.... Almost squished Sweet Pea when he knocked off a water bottle and then almost knocked a glass off onto the floor.... He is such a big oaf. But they are both so dang lovable!!
Any idea on helping Buck get back to his manly figure?

 

[Vladina]

Oh dear, I am the worst one to give advice on this because my remaining boy Achilles is HUGE. He weighs over 3 pounds and he is just a gigantic fat boy. I went through a period when I was trying (in vain) to slim him down.

Our vet told us that Achilles is built "big" and he may just have a genetic make up that contributes to it, but of course she also said, "I know you want to give Achilles whatever he wants, and he loves treats, but you HAVE to cut down on the portion sizes and how often you dole out the treats."

I have always given my rats healthy treats (no junk, no sugar, etc) but I tend to give too many treats to him, no matter how healthy.

Sigh. It is VERY hard to deny your baby when you know his world revolves around food!
AND, he is a lazy boy of course, and elderly now, so...

Anyway, I know the same goes for rats as for humans...more exercise, less treats. Easier said than done for some rats! :?

 

[SterlingRats0408]

I'm starting down that road with Boots. He's always been a big boy and hes teetering up 2lbs and the vet said he's gotta stop there or even lose a bit. He doesn't really seem to eat anymore then his brothers so it'll be hard cuz it means giving him even less and also his brothers who stash everything so I can't exactly determine who's eating it all but Odin is dominant so I feel he gets most of it!

 

[Steph]

My two don't stash. And sweet pea is so little already I don't want to try and cut food back cuz it will mean less for her too...
I put a new wheel in there yesterday so hopefully it gets some use by someone...
They don't even get treats that often.... And treats are just Cheerios... He gets maybe 10 Cheerios 3 times a week... Unless someone else has been giving them treats...

 

[Steph]

Look at what my sassy rats did with their new wheel!!!

It's like they're saying "F U mom! This is what we think of your attempt at getting us to exercise!!"
........ [emoji58]

 

[Joanne]

It is a new bed for them.

 

[SterlingRats0408]

Haha thats what happens here too!
It becomes a nice shelf to store toys and extra paper

 

[Steph]

I was trying to make Sweet Pea less hyper and Buck less fat...
I cleaned it off and went to work.., came back and it looked like this again... I mean we aren't just talking toys from that level... There is a tennis ball buried under all that fabric that they carried up from the bottom level... A full sized tennis ball!!! This is all Buck's doing too... He's such a
homemaker.

 

[SterlingRats0408]

I tried the wheel for Arya. She would avidly chew the bars of her cage so I thought well a wheel will be a bordom buster. Well it sort of was! It left her something to fill with paper and fabric

 

[Steph]

Look at this fat boy!!!
I just put a Cheerio on his tail to see what he would do.... He flicked his tail so hard the Cheerio flew across the room!! [emoji23]

 

[Vladina]

Look at what my sassy rats did with their new wheel!!!
View attachment 1525
It's like they're saying "F U mom! This is what we think of your attempt at getting us to exercise!!"
........ [emoji58]

Ha ha, that is so funny! It is the ratty equivalent of a human using their treadmill or home gym to hang their laundry on...and not using the equipment!

 

[Vladina]

I tried the wheel for Arya. She would avidly chew the bars of her cage so I thought well a wheel will be a bordom buster. Well it sort of was! It left her something to fill with paper and fabric

Hee hee! If I had a nickel for every time people on the forum had a story about their rats using the wheel for pooping, stashing, napping...too funny!

 

[Vladina]

View attachment 1527
Look at this fat boy!!!
I just put a Cheerio on his tail to see what he would do.... He flicked his tail so hard the Cheerio flew across the room!! [emoji23]

Wow, your baby looks so teeny and "normal" compared to my boy Achilles...eep, I think Achilles might be about two of your boy put together. :redface: Here are a couple of photos from August. :?





Sigh....he is so fat, my sweet baby...I love him so. And no, I did not forget the irony that in both photos he of course happens to be eating! (Hanging my head in shame...the Achilles Food Enabler...that is me.)