Sad News.. (keeping them!)

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I really do NOT want to give these girls up, but I feel guilty enough that my boyfriend will be paying for me to live, let alone my rats. :|
Penelope at least should see the vet soon since she's started sneezing, although it's been a few weeks and there has been no change and she has no porf discharge and no lung noises or anything, so I'm just keeping an eye on her right now.
My boyfriend knows how much I love my rats, and he would be willing to pay for their treatment, but once they are older if they start getting tumors he was already asking me (after Bijoux's head lump removal) how many would it be until I considered putting them to sleep or finding someone that could afford their treatment? He doesn't want me to give them up right now, but I just feel bad.
He's going to be supporting me, two cats, and a baby soon and the rats veterinary care would put even more of a strain on that. (Pashmina will be 1 around when the baby is born).
I have contacted LMR and they pretty much said they couldn't help but they gave me some tips on re-homing, I also haven't contacted the SPCA because the girls would most likely be split up there anyways.
One thing also that is making me think of re-homing them is the fact that their cage is ridiculous to clean for me!! It takes me probably two hours now since I became pregnant to clean and I have to power wash it every week. It's a Martin's R680 and it is not powder coated (yes, stupid of me.) I hate this cage. T_T
I think I might splurge on a new cage for them with my tax return so that it's easier on me for cage cleaning. It exhausts me right now. :'(
Oh, and my boyfriend likes my rats, he doesn't DISlike them, but he sure as heck doesn't like their smell or mess and he has voiced to me many times that if I bring my rats when I move in to his place soon it'll stink the whole place up. :|
 
My honest opinion is I don't know why you are homing them.

Everyone goes through hard times. Money is tight for everyone right now. My family are struggling to afford the vet bills every month too - but your boyfriend is willing to pay for it, you just feel bad? Surely the rats are as much part of the family?

I would say if he is willing to, then just keep them. They are your girls and they would miss you as well.
 
I agree too ..a lot of people have money issues right now..but they just don't give up there animals! I know you can work this out and keep them!

Pets are a lifetime ..not just when it suites us!
 
Seriously, if the cage is an issue, get a large, cheap bunny cage used. Sure it won't be a CN but you'll be happier and so will they because their entire world won't be turned upside down. Many rats get tumours but not all do and many people do not opt to have tumour after tumour removed because of it's effect on on quality of life.
 
I agree with you guys.. I shouldn't be trying to find them a new home just yet, if not at all. I want to see my ladies grow up and grow old and I want to be there for them for whatever health issues they may or may not have.
I am going to take my ad off of kijiji and I'm going to do whatever I can to keep these girls and provide them the care they need!
I think one of the things I'm going to do is "borrow" Mike's recyclables and save any money from that for future vet bills, and my parents would be perfectly happy if I were to do their recycling for them and keep the cash. They are always telling me to go do it and then I can just have the money, lol. I'm sure I could find other things like this to find the money.
 
you can manage, life with kids, animals and bills does happen :) Take the change you collect in your purse toss it in a jar. Instead of buy a cage set that aside for their future vet care. The recycle thing is a good idea as well. If you are going to be staying home after the baby, get paid to watch someone toddler...you could build your own vet fund. It is hard when you are starting out, but I was a single mom for year with 2 kids, and I pulled it off with animals. You have to take the mentality that you can do it, not the one that you wont be able too.

Geez haven't you read the little engine that could ? :laugh4:

I think i can, I think I can, I think I can! :lol:
 
Lol, oh jeez, yeah I guess I've been looking more on the negative side of things.
It's my birthday next week and I always get money from my parents for that, and then I'll also have my tax return, so I think I'll have enough money to get a new cage plus be able to save up atleast a couple hundred dollars for future vet bills. I think that will be a good start to things. :')

Also, I'm sorry if I irked some of you guys with the way I was going about this. These girls are my first rats and I have no clue what to expect as they get older! I guess I won't learn though if I give up now!
 
Right now is a very scary time for you, not only are humans prone to worry naturally but you have Mommy insticts now that are working double time! Its a natural thing to freak out over eveeything that could potentially go wrong. Part of being a Momma! When I had my first, I was two shakes away from being medicated I was that bad. We had 3 dogs, 5 cats, 2 degus, dragon at my mothers and I payed half the costs on what little I took in. THEN when Kaleb was born, I couldn't work so I payed for him and the pets on $450 I got a month for Family Allowence. I did it! Joe was the main caregiver when we had Leah, and then he lost his job. We survived on $1500 for all us and pets. We did it! Now he's working full time and we're moving up to a nicer place cause we can afford to. You'll be fine, I promise.
Would you be willing to use cloth diapers to cut down on costs?? $2400 a year for disposables vs $400 for cloth diapers :D That saves lots!
 
KTyne said:
Lol, oh jeez, yeah I guess I've been looking more on the negative side of things.
It's my birthday next week and I always get money from my parents for that, and then I'll also have my tax return, so I think I'll have enough money to get a new cage plus be able to save up atleast a couple hundred dollars for future vet bills. I think that will be a good start to things. :')
Click to expand...

:thumbup:

I almost got foreclosed on because I could no longer afford my condo.... They didn't ask about my finances so I didn't have the opportunity to tell them that my rat care was more important to me than their condo. :bunnydance:

You will find that things do have a way of fixing themselves. What is your background? Is there any home based business you can do to help stabilize your finances? Any hobbies you have that you could go out and sell to people? Think about it. If Don can make a fortune selling portable toilets (Don's Johns) then so can you. :wink:
 
Thanks Pitluvs, that makes me feel a lot better! I've been stressing a LOT lately about finances and just everything in general. I've been literally taken over by hormones, LOL. I'm surprised I haven't driven Mike crazy yet!
I know we'll be able to do this but I can't help but stress out, I hate not being able to contribute to the financial aspect!

I'm also hoping to start selling prints of my artwork soon, and hopefully that'll add a bit of funds to my account!
 
KTyne said:
Lol, oh jeez, yeah I guess I've been looking more on the negative side of things.
It's my birthday next week and I always get money from my parents for that, and then I'll also have my tax return, so I think I'll have enough money to get a new cage plus be able to save up atleast a couple hundred dollars for future vet bills. I think that will be a good start to things. :')

Also, I'm sorry if I irked some of you guys with the way I was going about this. These girls are my first rats and I have no clue what to expect as they get older! I guess I won't learn though if I give up now!
Click to expand...

I didn't find you irksome at all. It just worried me. No one expects you to be Einstein and learning is something we all do... all the time. It's human nature and its ok. You came here for info and advise and you got it. You worked with it and learned from it. You're a good egg and you will be ok. Give your girls belly kisses from me. :heart:
 
KTyne, if you do plan to keep them, thats amazing. Your girls will love you for it. Although I may not have the means to help financially in the future, I will sure be here for you if anything comes up and you doubt your ability to care for them. I'll walk through it with you. Thank you for for even considering keeping your girls!! I promise you, at some point you'll look back and think "I'm so happy I didn't get rid of them!" I feel the same way when I look at my bearded dragon, Monster. Today she was snuggled in my sweater for an hour, just napping and I thought about the time in 2006 when I thought of rehoming her. I am so happy I didnt, she's my non furry baby :heart:
 
Thanks Pitluvs! I'm definitely going to be keeping them because when I think of giving them up it hurts way too much. I'll be doing everything I can to save up all the money possible for vet bills that may be needed. I honestly can't stand the thought of not seeing them through to their old lady years. I see my friend's old lady rats who are almost 3 and think that I want my girls to be with me during those times. <3
I'm happy I have the support on here and if I'm having troubles in the future I'll for sure turn to you guys! :)
 
hopefloats said:
you can manage, life with kids, animals and bills does happen :) Take the change you collect in your purse toss it in a jar. Instead of buy a cage set that aside for their future vet care. The recycle thing is a good idea as well. If you are going to be staying home after the baby, get paid to watch someone toddler...you could build your own vet fund. It is hard when you are starting out, but I was a single mom for year with 2 kids, and I pulled it off with animals. You have to take the mentality that you can do it, not the one that you wont be able too.

Geez haven't you read the little engine that could ? :laugh4:

I think i can, I think I can, I think I can! :lol:
Click to expand...

Trust me, we have our down times too. We have kids, pets and a house full but we always manage. So what we don't get the latest clothes, or the newest fashions...
We don't go out to eat a lot, we don't go to movies, we enjoy spending time with our family. Furkids, kids and each other. Some things in life are just better then going out and having a grand time, or the latest new thing. It's about love :heart:
 
It's great that you decided to keep your girls! I'm sure you'll manage everything just fine, things seem to always turn out alright in the end. The last couple of years before I left for university my mom was the only one working as my dad had went back to school to change jobs, my sister was just starting highschool and I was also in highschool and about to graduate which meant pictures, ring, dress, etc. We managed just fine and I'm sure you will too!

KTyne said:
I'm also hoping to start selling prints of my artwork soon, and hopefully that'll add a bit of funds to my account!
Click to expand...

Let me know how that goes, I've been an artist for years and sold some artwork over the years but it was through some expositions for students. I always wanted to start a website to sell my artwork but then for different reasons I never tried it out and I'm curious to see how it turns out for you :)
 
I am so glad that you will be able to keep them. It is so hard to find someone you can trust, and it is very hard to say goodbye to pets you are so close to. Good luck working it all out.
 

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