Rodentist
Well-Known Member
Three days before my big squish Trajan passed, I was picking up some treats for my boys at a pet store that only get rats via special order. I always look anyway. I saw a tiny rattie face sticking out of a wooden rat shack. When I asked one of the kids there, they said that someone ordered a female, didn't come get her, and five days later....five more ratties. They were too young to sell.
The day that Trajan left....I drove to that pet store and snatched two of those boys, before I started thinking clearly. I figured it would take two boys to replace big Trajan (1080 grams!). The things we can rationalize, right? That was about two weeks ago. I figure they might have been four weeks, since their testicles hadn't even dropped yet.
That was a week and a half ago. Today I went in to get treats and I noticed that they had been marked down to 1.99. All that was left was mama and one boy.
So, I sat there and rationalized. I have 7....do I need two more? But they have now been reduced to low, low snake food prices. Or a truly disposable pet.
I grabbed mama and baby and took them home. The resident babies were THRILLED to have mama back, and their brother. They still tried to nurse!
When I weighed her, she was 215 grams. She is very small. They were feeding her what appeared to be a hamster seed mix.
So my question is...should I be worried about her? Do you think she will beef up on 2018 Harlan Tekland blocks and fresh fruits and veggies? Is she permanently stunted? The boys I have had for 10 days are 20 g heavier than their brother.
How long can I keep her in with her boys? She is just too skinny for the ferret nation. I have noticed that the 300 gram mark is the Can't Squeeze Out size.
I called the pet store to ask how old they were and got "maybe 6 weeks". I think more like five. Their testicles dropped a few days ago. They show absolutely no interesting in humping her, just a lot of joy about seeing her, again. Lots of wrestling and grooming going on.
When I asked how old the mama was they said 8 or 9 months. This confirmed my suspicion that they know nothing about rats.
I feel guilty about get rats from a pet store. But...but....I couldn't help myself.
Thanks!
BTW....their names are: Cassandra, Ajax, Hector, and Nestor
The day that Trajan left....I drove to that pet store and snatched two of those boys, before I started thinking clearly. I figured it would take two boys to replace big Trajan (1080 grams!). The things we can rationalize, right? That was about two weeks ago. I figure they might have been four weeks, since their testicles hadn't even dropped yet.
That was a week and a half ago. Today I went in to get treats and I noticed that they had been marked down to 1.99. All that was left was mama and one boy.
So, I sat there and rationalized. I have 7....do I need two more? But they have now been reduced to low, low snake food prices. Or a truly disposable pet.
I grabbed mama and baby and took them home. The resident babies were THRILLED to have mama back, and their brother. They still tried to nurse!
When I weighed her, she was 215 grams. She is very small. They were feeding her what appeared to be a hamster seed mix.
So my question is...should I be worried about her? Do you think she will beef up on 2018 Harlan Tekland blocks and fresh fruits and veggies? Is she permanently stunted? The boys I have had for 10 days are 20 g heavier than their brother.
How long can I keep her in with her boys? She is just too skinny for the ferret nation. I have noticed that the 300 gram mark is the Can't Squeeze Out size.
I called the pet store to ask how old they were and got "maybe 6 weeks". I think more like five. Their testicles dropped a few days ago. They show absolutely no interesting in humping her, just a lot of joy about seeing her, again. Lots of wrestling and grooming going on.
When I asked how old the mama was they said 8 or 9 months. This confirmed my suspicion that they know nothing about rats.
I feel guilty about get rats from a pet store. But...but....I couldn't help myself.
Thanks!
BTW....their names are: Cassandra, Ajax, Hector, and Nestor
