I can't believe this. I thought they were responding to the treatment. I was wrong. Baxter passed this morning, about 2am. I had just finished giving him his medicine. I just am so upset. He was Rico's brother. He is survived by his brothers and cagemates Worth and Mosco. They too are ill.
I just don't have the words.
The lives of the lovable vermin of F.A.T.E.
Sunday, April 27, 2008
A Positive Day for St. Helen's Ratties
Answering an ad on Craigslist, I offered to bring the baby rats to the Oregon Humane Society. In the end, I went to St. Helens to see what I could do. I left a cage to house the ratties. The boys were placed in the top portion (the ramp locks up) and the girls were placed in the bottom portion. I took one of the little girls to another family in Beaverton as they were adopting her. I will take the baby boys in a month or so. When this illness has passed. I am bringing her food next week along with the second bag of bedding. This is to go towards the care of the little ones until I can take them. The little popcorn boys are so cute! :-) Hopefully I'll get pictures next time!
Owen, Rico and Knack
Owen came with his cage mate Luke from a family in SE Portland. He was an older gentleman, but still young at heart. He passed away due to complications of respiratory illness. It came on suddenly. I did their morning feed and check and that night when I went in to play with them...I could hear him gasping. I grabbed him and ran him into the bathroom and turned on the steam. I gave him some medicine to start him off. He passed in the wee hours of the morning of April 21st, 2008, just under the age of 2. I don't have pictures of him. He was a black and white rattie with a super personality. He loved his hammock and stashing his blocks for the day he might not get any. He is survived by his cage mate Luke. Luke is battling his illness. Until tonight, I thought I would not lose any more to this...cautiously optimistic.
Rico was one of 4 brothers, Rico, Baxter, Worth and Mosco. He was a gregarious rat and loved his hammock, good food and his brothers. They would all sleep in a pile on a paper plate when they had one. The little bums would drag pieces of newspapers around to lay on the cage and plop themselves anywhere. Now his brothers are left to plop on their own. He too passed from complications of respiratory illness. He passed, Wednesday, April 23, 2008. He was 8 months old. He was originally adopted from a woman in Clackamas that adopted 2 female rats from OHS and both delivered litters. She brought the female babies back to OHS for them to find homes. The boys, she worked on finding homes, and I adopted the 4.
Knack. I love all my ratties, but sometimes one just really tugs you. Knick and Knack were the second pair of brothers I adopted from the Oregon Humane Society. These were my husband's babies. They were the youngest rats adopted, maybe 6 weeks old. (I've since adopted younger ones.) But they were like little peas in a pod and they continued that way this entire time. A few weeks ago I introduced Knick and Knack to Tank and Remi because they seemed to get along ok. I'm glad I did so Knick will NOT be alone. I found Knack this morning at about 3am. He had passed. He was about 11 months old. Like all the others I wrapped him in his hammock and placed him in a container awaiting my next trip to take them for cremation. Like all the others I cried.
I am really kind of numb as I write this. I lost three loving babies and I know this isn't over. My last trip to the grocery store, I purchased the containers I store them in until they are taken to be cremated. Precious is still really battling and the fact that Knack actually did not appear ill makes me concerned that others may be sicker than they appear.
As for the rest of the babies, I'm giving them lysine and their antibiotics. Tomorrow I intend to make as many medicine boxes as I can this week. These will be used to plop them in to take their medicine. I'd much rather give them their medicine in their food rather than in a syringe. I'll have to see how it goes. Right now I give the lysine in a 3 oz paper cup. They seem to enjoy that.
Anyway, I have more to tell about yesterday, but I'm so upset and too tired now and this is not the time for me to explain how everything is going to work.
Three of the angels have returned to heaven, I know more will be coming soon. My heart is still open, but this has been very hard.
A saddened Rat Slave
Rico was one of 4 brothers, Rico, Baxter, Worth and Mosco. He was a gregarious rat and loved his hammock, good food and his brothers. They would all sleep in a pile on a paper plate when they had one. The little bums would drag pieces of newspapers around to lay on the cage and plop themselves anywhere. Now his brothers are left to plop on their own. He too passed from complications of respiratory illness. He passed, Wednesday, April 23, 2008. He was 8 months old. He was originally adopted from a woman in Clackamas that adopted 2 female rats from OHS and both delivered litters. She brought the female babies back to OHS for them to find homes. The boys, she worked on finding homes, and I adopted the 4.
Knack. I love all my ratties, but sometimes one just really tugs you. Knick and Knack were the second pair of brothers I adopted from the Oregon Humane Society. These were my husband's babies. They were the youngest rats adopted, maybe 6 weeks old. (I've since adopted younger ones.) But they were like little peas in a pod and they continued that way this entire time. A few weeks ago I introduced Knick and Knack to Tank and Remi because they seemed to get along ok. I'm glad I did so Knick will NOT be alone. I found Knack this morning at about 3am. He had passed. He was about 11 months old. Like all the others I wrapped him in his hammock and placed him in a container awaiting my next trip to take them for cremation. Like all the others I cried.
I am really kind of numb as I write this. I lost three loving babies and I know this isn't over. My last trip to the grocery store, I purchased the containers I store them in until they are taken to be cremated. Precious is still really battling and the fact that Knack actually did not appear ill makes me concerned that others may be sicker than they appear.
As for the rest of the babies, I'm giving them lysine and their antibiotics. Tomorrow I intend to make as many medicine boxes as I can this week. These will be used to plop them in to take their medicine. I'd much rather give them their medicine in their food rather than in a syringe. I'll have to see how it goes. Right now I give the lysine in a 3 oz paper cup. They seem to enjoy that.
Anyway, I have more to tell about yesterday, but I'm so upset and too tired now and this is not the time for me to explain how everything is going to work.
Three of the angels have returned to heaven, I know more will be coming soon. My heart is still open, but this has been very hard.
A saddened Rat Slave
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Sadness and Sickness Sweeps Vermin Village
I'm so upset. Respiratory illness is sweeping through Vermin Village. I stopped using CareFresh, too dusty. I switched to Aspen. Also too dusty. So now I'm switching to kiln dried pine (yes I know) litter made by ABM. The Rat Guide lists it as an acceptable bedding and I have to do something. So we are trying that.
All of the fur kids are on lysine and antibiotics. It is a very long time. I noticed early on that Rico had BUGS ON HIM. What the hell? So despite the warnings, I had to treat everyone with Revolution. You aren't supposed to treat sick kids but they are NOT candidates for a bath AND the bugs work against them too.
Owen, one of the older boys adopted from a family in SE Portland, passed away around 2am Monday, April 21st. I was up all night with him, my rat Rico, and Precious. Rico and Precious continued to remain in the bathroom with humidifier and steam treatments as well as their other medication. Rico was also really bad. He passed away around 3am today, April 24th. He was not even a year old. I will write about both of them on another post as all of the babies deserve their own memorial on the blog. I just have to think of what to say since I've lost 2 and have the potential to lose a lot more, so close together.
Precious is still fighting. She is just a year old, hairless little girl. I hope she was caught early enough.
Others that have been sneezing and the ones they are caged with (so every rat in the room) is on lysine and antibiotics. I'll give them all lysine the rest of their lives and antibiotics twice a day for 6 weeks, which means I'm very busy.
I did get two boys, Mr. Beans and Boo from CL. They were offered as pets or snake food and after hemming and hawing due to the illness, I went and got them. I'll make a separate entry for that experience later. Right now I've got to go and medicate and clean a cage or two before I go to work.
All of the fur kids are on lysine and antibiotics. It is a very long time. I noticed early on that Rico had BUGS ON HIM. What the hell? So despite the warnings, I had to treat everyone with Revolution. You aren't supposed to treat sick kids but they are NOT candidates for a bath AND the bugs work against them too.
Owen, one of the older boys adopted from a family in SE Portland, passed away around 2am Monday, April 21st. I was up all night with him, my rat Rico, and Precious. Rico and Precious continued to remain in the bathroom with humidifier and steam treatments as well as their other medication. Rico was also really bad. He passed away around 3am today, April 24th. He was not even a year old. I will write about both of them on another post as all of the babies deserve their own memorial on the blog. I just have to think of what to say since I've lost 2 and have the potential to lose a lot more, so close together.
Precious is still fighting. She is just a year old, hairless little girl. I hope she was caught early enough.
Others that have been sneezing and the ones they are caged with (so every rat in the room) is on lysine and antibiotics. I'll give them all lysine the rest of their lives and antibiotics twice a day for 6 weeks, which means I'm very busy.
I did get two boys, Mr. Beans and Boo from CL. They were offered as pets or snake food and after hemming and hawing due to the illness, I went and got them. I'll make a separate entry for that experience later. Right now I've got to go and medicate and clean a cage or two before I go to work.
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Vermin Village Update
Well, the room is FINALLY coming together. I have to clean some more cages and do some more shifting and it will be DONE. I will be so happy when I can say it is DONE. But it won't really be done.
The set up will be done, but then I want to add some plastic coverings to the walls because the cages rest up the walls and well, the little guys pee. I know some ratteries use shower curtains. I am going to see if something at JoAnn fabrics has something I might like.
Water bottles. Well, I ordered 2 cases of the water bottle kits to use with Snapple glass bottles. They were $8 per kit. I could have gotten a glass water bottle set for $2 less, but to order replacement bottles, it would have been too much to get the bottles so I'd end up buying a whole new set up. This way if I break the bottle, I go to the store (or the recycle bin at work in our lunchroom) and grab a new Snapple bottle. Today I hit pay dirt at work and got 26 bottles. So I will sterilize them and they will be ready to go.
Cages...I ordered 6 more custom parts and 3 modified Large Deluxe Rat cages. The modification for the Large Deluxe Rat cages will have no balcony and no ramp. This is for my senior ratties that can't have multiple stories. BUT it will still mesh with the rest of the cages when I don't have senior ratties. It will probably be ready sometime in May. (Great timing since our tax refund should be back by then.)
I'm looking to sell 3 of my custom cages of a different style, all of my Critter Trail stuff, a long 20 gallon aquarium (not manufactured for water worthiness), and a 10 gallon cage with topper, and a small cage that works as a carrier ( I would never house any animal in it for long term). I hope to put this towards my new purchases.
The 2 boys that live downstairs will be placed in the "senior" cages. Sherman will also move to a senior cage.
Temporarily, I will connect two of the large carriers together, one set for Popeetka and one set for Mr. Snuggles. They will move to the senior deluxe cages when they get here. Popeetka's current cage will go to Sherman to use.
The 6 custom extensions will be divided. The Rico Act will get an extension, Dumbo and Eddie will get an extension, Diego and Hades will get a section, Pip, Patches and Spot will also get an extension, as will Ruthie, Tweek, Zelda and Sprite. The last section will probably go for the girls Shäst, Precious, Lucy, Nona and the three new girls Isabella, Starlight, and Mocha. Eventually, they will be joined by Smudge. But as Smudge needs more socialization, she will remain in the bathroom cage until she is very socialized.
That is all the news for now. :-)
The set up will be done, but then I want to add some plastic coverings to the walls because the cages rest up the walls and well, the little guys pee. I know some ratteries use shower curtains. I am going to see if something at JoAnn fabrics has something I might like.
Water bottles. Well, I ordered 2 cases of the water bottle kits to use with Snapple glass bottles. They were $8 per kit. I could have gotten a glass water bottle set for $2 less, but to order replacement bottles, it would have been too much to get the bottles so I'd end up buying a whole new set up. This way if I break the bottle, I go to the store (or the recycle bin at work in our lunchroom) and grab a new Snapple bottle. Today I hit pay dirt at work and got 26 bottles. So I will sterilize them and they will be ready to go.
Cages...I ordered 6 more custom parts and 3 modified Large Deluxe Rat cages. The modification for the Large Deluxe Rat cages will have no balcony and no ramp. This is for my senior ratties that can't have multiple stories. BUT it will still mesh with the rest of the cages when I don't have senior ratties. It will probably be ready sometime in May. (Great timing since our tax refund should be back by then.)
I'm looking to sell 3 of my custom cages of a different style, all of my Critter Trail stuff, a long 20 gallon aquarium (not manufactured for water worthiness), and a 10 gallon cage with topper, and a small cage that works as a carrier ( I would never house any animal in it for long term). I hope to put this towards my new purchases.
The 2 boys that live downstairs will be placed in the "senior" cages. Sherman will also move to a senior cage.
Temporarily, I will connect two of the large carriers together, one set for Popeetka and one set for Mr. Snuggles. They will move to the senior deluxe cages when they get here. Popeetka's current cage will go to Sherman to use.
The 6 custom extensions will be divided. The Rico Act will get an extension, Dumbo and Eddie will get an extension, Diego and Hades will get a section, Pip, Patches and Spot will also get an extension, as will Ruthie, Tweek, Zelda and Sprite. The last section will probably go for the girls Shäst, Precious, Lucy, Nona and the three new girls Isabella, Starlight, and Mocha. Eventually, they will be joined by Smudge. But as Smudge needs more socialization, she will remain in the bathroom cage until she is very socialized.
That is all the news for now. :-)
Sunday, April 13, 2008
Tank, Remi, Knick and Knack
I put these 2 sets of brothers in the same cage a few weeks ago when I noticed they seemed to hit it off well and when they took naps in their cages, they slept on the sides next to each other. (The two cages were side by side.) So one day after playtime I put them back in one clean cage. They didn't fight but they didn't immediately like the idea. Tank and Remi are a bit younger than Knick and Knack, but Tank and Remi are bigger than Knick and Knack. Tank and Remi got the hammock, Knick and Knack took the igloo.
Today, for the first time that I know of, I was looking for them in their cage. I saw Tank and Remi in between the layers of their hammock. Then I looked in the igloo...no one was there. All of a sudden Tank and Remi stretched out of the hammock...and Knick and Knack followed them. They had all slept in a pile. awwww. And damned if my camera was downstairs!!! At least I know they all like being together.
Today, for the first time that I know of, I was looking for them in their cage. I saw Tank and Remi in between the layers of their hammock. Then I looked in the igloo...no one was there. All of a sudden Tank and Remi stretched out of the hammock...and Knick and Knack followed them. They had all slept in a pile. awwww. And damned if my camera was downstairs!!! At least I know they all like being together.
Saturday, April 12, 2008
Isabella, Starlight, and Mocha
I adopted three new little rattie girls. They were born December 1st 2007. They are all very pretty and very sweet. I just picked them up today so right now they are relaxing in the bathroom until tomorrow when I put them in with their new cage mates. I felt they needed a break until being introduced since they had to get used to traveling all over the Portland metro area today. :-)
Sunday, April 6, 2008
Zeb and Nemo Life In Reverse
Zeb (left) and Nemo (right) on 04/06/2008. We went visiting their first rattie parent. She took this picture of them viewing life in reverse. After peeing on me and the couch and dropping rattie raisins everywhere, they conked out on the way home.
Saturday, April 5, 2008
Samantha
A few weeks ago, I'd rearranged the cages in Vermin Village because Samantha was going to have to be put to sleep (PTS), I wanted to help Zelda, her very nervous sister, become used to the other girls so she could move in with them, but I didn't want Sam stressed having to deal with introductions, so cages were placed side-by-side.This past Thursday Sam seemed a little worse, so I made an appointment for today for her to be PTS. I removed her from the cage with her sister because dealing with Zelda become too much of a trial for Sam. Friday Sam appeared to rally, but Saturday morning she was looking very ill. I had class today so when I got home, we went to her appointment. On the way there we went to Burger King to get her a small order of french fries. Her last meal. She munched on the fries while resting in the carrier in the car.
For the past 2 nights, Sam had been sleeping in the chair with me after she had her nightly dish of ice cream. Today, I took her to Burger King to get her a small order of french fries as a treat.
It is with great sadness that I had to put Sam down today. She was just over a year old. She is survived by her sister, Zelda. And despite my feeding her ice cream and french fries, which she agreed with me that they are yummy, her diet was very healthy until the end when we both felt that she didn't have to worry about maintaining her girlish figure.
Samantha and Zelda were adopted from the Oregon Humane Society in August 2007 at 6 months of age. Zelda is going to be introduced to new cage mates today so she can work on making new friends.
An active little girl, Sam developed cancer that I noticed just before the March 2008 Rat Show. Her leg just looked slightly misaligned. I made an appointment for her and by the time her appointment came, the slight misalignment was an understatement and a mass started to show and was finally palpable. Eventually, her entire leg was enlarged and she lost use of it. While she could have gone through a leg amputation, the doctor felt she had an aggressive form of cancer and since the tumor had tentacles wrapping around the leg, the chances were great that it was in the body as well. And that proved to be the case.
Unfortunately I was never able to get a real good picture of Samantha, she was just too busy. So much to do in so little time. The one above is her mug shot from OHS.
And the angel could hold her breath no more.
A saddened Rat Slave.
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