Rescue Effort Feb 2013

[mamarat]

Kudos to everyone. Such a gorgeous group of ratties.

 

[Joanne]

The girls are so pretty! They do look a little thin though. Hopefully they will get lots of nutritious treats and put a little weight on.

 

[Godmother]

SQ, how did it go at the vet's this afternoon? Did he think any of the girls were pregnant?

 

[SQ]

All 9 rats are very healthy and are looking a better then on Monday, although still very thin
... all the good food and soy formula is helping. :thumbup:

Three girls seem to be pregnant
I think all are likely pregnant but that the others just are not showing yet.
Three of the girls are still babies ... I hate it when babies have babies :sad3:

 

[dspch911]

:dance: :heart: :joy: :thumbup: :dance: :heart: :joy: :thumbup:

 

[SQ]

Update from Alyssa (aka Genny&Fran), the woman who is fostering them

So the 3 boys are more playful now. They use the wheel everyday, and most likely more at night. Two of the boys are more social. One boy is still extremely skiddish so I am slowly showing him people aren't evil haha.
The 6 girls are a handful. They love the treats I will give them when they will climb onto my hand. The girls are more comfortable with people than when they first arrived.

Today they had their vet check up and are all cleared to go to Maine. It is confirmed for sure that 3 of the girls are pregnant. I think they all are. On another note, all the rats smell better. When they got here they smelled strongly of urine, and I was not going to attempt to put them in a bathtub... but now they all smell much better because, I think, they have space from one another in their cage.

I currently have the momma crawling on me. She is still the most thin of them all.

So far, they are all doing very well. I have grown fond of each one, and they all have their own personalities. They have amazing potential to be the best forever pets anyone could ask for!

 

[Godmother]

So glad to hear that they are healthy. Guess I'd better bring a few nice boxes in case the three pregnant ones give birth en route.

Just our luck if the border people quibble that any newborns weren't vet checked.

 

[SQ]

Just our luck if the border people quibble that any newborns weren't vet checked.

Hopefully that will not be an issue ...they are nowhere close to being large enough to have healthy babies that soon ...
I'm counting on the soy formula to give the pregnant girls and the unborn babies the nutrition they need to grow properly and be healthy enough to produce milk before any births occur.
Being healthy enough to survive after birth, and being able to produce milk for babies, seem to be isssues affecting previous litters
.... the poor mama rattie girl was trying to care for and nurse 3 litters last week (likely hers and 2 of her daughter's litters).
No wonder the poor girl is just skin and bones

 

[ratkin412]

I am so grateful to the Rat Shack for giving these rats a real chance at having wonderful lives. Thank you.

 

[Godmother]

SQ, we have every faith in your talent for fattening up undernourished ratties. If anyone has a whiff of doubt, tell them about 10g Moses!

 

[SQ]

SQ, we have every faith in your talent for fattening up undernourished ratties. If anyone has a whiff of doubt, tell them about 10g Moses!

LOL !
Thanks for the confidence, but they are not with me and there isn't a lot of time.

 

[mia9_28]

The ratties are going to Maine today right?
I hope all goes well at the border!

 

[Godmother]

Ratties now in transit. Should be at the border in less than two hours. Weather good so far. Fingers crossed for the border!

Uh-oh. Weather just suddenly got worse.

Genny&Fran did an amazing job of fostering. The little sweeties are mostly very ccomfortable with being picked up and handled. She was sad to see them go, and probably would have adopted a couple if circumstances had been different.

 

[Godmother]

Just transferred te ratties. Now sitting in a parki g lot watching them in the border lineup.

 

[Godmother]

THEU GOT ACROSS!!! :joy: :dance: :wow:

 

[Joanne]

Yay! Woohoo! You guys did it! Fabulous job!!!!

 

[mia9_28]

Awesome!!

 

[Godmother]

They were the dearest little rats. They were looking healthy and were pretty relaxed after having a few days of TLC at Alyssa's place. SQ should have photos posted some time soon.

Wish I could have adopted the lovely Mama!

 

[SQ]

Finally .... more pictures of the boys from the day they were picked up ... Feb. 25

boy 1 being petted ...

boy 2 thin little boy is ready to explore ....

boy 3 is very unsure about people and hands ... he runs and squeals when hands appear

and the 3 little boys in the martins cage

 

[SQ]

More pictures of the girls from Feb. 25

The young sweet mama of all of these ratties .... poor girl, she is nothing but skin and bones ... and she was noticeably pregnant before leaving for Maine.

girl 1 ... such a sweet little girl ...

girl 2 is an active little pointer ..