****UPDATE ON BANDIT***
We have him in our care. He was immediately adopted by one of the team members that worked so tirelessly to get him! He has 2 baby brothers that were going home today from here. He is in his new DCN exploring and testing out the water bottle which we figured out he hadn't ever seen one or at least not had one for a while. He was using a bowl I assume as when offered he had no issue. The bottle he climbed to the top (glass bottle hanging inside cage) and was digging at the top trying to figure out how to get the water out.
He's a super sweet boy with kisses for whoever will have them including his two new brothers. He's the big white dumbo boy here...
So...here's the downfall. Upon his pick up a discovery was made that answered a lot and made us ask a whole bunch of new ones.
HE HAD A COMPANION!!! His own brother from the same litter...she separated them at 8 months old. There answers the question of why she wouldn't give up the cage and why she cut me out because I would have advised against it....or whatever. I would have told her something she didn't want to hear.
It was also confirmed he was on pine shavings, eating Tropical Carnival rat and mouse diet....for those that don't know what it is it's a very brightly dyed seed mix and some fruit smelling pellets that are also nice neon dyed colours.
So phase 2 is about to begin. In approx a 3-5 days time "Jess" is going to contact this woman and ask how the other rat is. She is going to tell her Bandit is a little depressed (which I doubt he will be but his brother may certainly be) and she took him to the vet and he concluded it was the loss of his life companion and in Bandit's mind his brother is just gone/dead. Then we tell her the vet suggests if they can be reunited that it would be in both rats best interest as it's likely the other rat is going through the same. Now we know this woman may try to get Bandit back as her solution to the whole thing. That it was a mistake and whatever try to get him back. Clearly that won't happen. If she decides to make this difficult I will make things extremely difficult for her. I will have my SPCA team out there asap. Our biggest concern is protecting Jess after the SPCA becomes involved because this woman seems a little unstable and we feel she could retaliate knowing Jess was the last new person to her house...now the humane society is there...it's going to have to be stealthy.
I'm most erked that she put so much emphasis on him having a big cage but anytime getting him a companion or having companions for him "for a change" never prompted her to say anything. I don't think she intended for Jess to know but the daughter was the one who piped up and said "wanna see his brother" we also did make sure we ruled out other reasons to separate them. They weren't fighting or anything...wasn't a lack of room obviously. It was because the daughter wanted more time to spend with the other....not sure again why the rats have to suffer for the human to feel better. Ummm so you are busy and don't have much time for them. So you think separating them and having one lone rat is a better option though your schedule isn't going to change so now the little time you do have for him he's now alone the rest of the time. Logical!! NOT!!!
Ok before I start ranting again and getting worked up over this woman's idiocy I am going to go to bed.
