Moe the Mouse Passes

This week has not been good for Vermin Village. Moe, the last mouse has passed. He has joined his brothers and awaits transport for private cremation. :*(

Curly Passes

Curly, the 2nd of three male mice brothers, passed on 1/21/2009. They were adopted in July 2007 just over the age of 3 months. Curly was approximately 20 months old.

The three brothers started their life together at Vermin Village at 3 months of age. They were 3 of the 5 original founders. (Mr. Chuckles and Tickle being the rattie founders.) They originally lived in that plastic housing they sell with all of the tubes. CRAP. I say it again, CRAP. It was hard to clean, smelled within 5 minutes of them being placed in it and it was CRAP. I had the easiest one to clean. Then to top it off, they could escape, so I had to put wire over the door wire. I was so frustrated, I ended up making 2 cages. One for the 3 brothers and one for Pepe. I highly recommend never buying that plastic stuff for ANY animal. Either make your own or go and buy a real cage! They have awesome cages for gerbils and hamsters at Quality Cages, you can visit them at www.qualitycage.com. Mouse cages are another matter, but you can have them make one for you or you can make your own, having them cut the wire for you (because they have the tools to make each piece FLAT). If you do have them make you one, spend the extra money and get it powder coated! For the levels, I used the corner ledges you can get at petstores or online.

Anyway, Curly's remains have been placed with his other brother that has passed, in the freezer. When Moe passes, I'll take them to the Oregon Humane Society for private cremation. They can all be in the same urn together. It was only in the last 2 months upon doing their weekly health check, that I separated them. I noticed Moe had a small lump on him (he is not a candidate for surgery, he's too old). Larry was eaten after he passed so I didn't want the same fate to befall Moe so I put the two brothers side by side in separate cages.

Rest in peace Curly.

Trixie Joins Us

A co-worker had adopted 2 little girls. 1 of the girls was cage aggressive and with children, she could not keep Trixie. So Trixie has come home with me. Right now her carrier is next to Pixie's carrier (their cage is drying). Pixie and Trixie will be joined by a neutered boy Boo in a PC-1822. This cage is a little smaller than I like to keep 3 rats in but they are smallish rats and it is temporary while I can monitor them downstairs. When the 3 cages are done at Quality Cages, they'll move upstairs in the rat room and live in a BC-6 or BC-7, depends on which is available.

Mr. Beans Passes

Mr. Beans passed sometime during Monday night. I went in the next morning to find him laying on the bottom of the cage, his brother, Boo, running frantically around to get my attention. ::sigh:: I hate losing the little guys. He was about 1 year old. I adopted both from someone that was giving them away for pets or food. :-(

I wrapped him in a clean blanket and placed his remains in a container to be taken to the Humane Society on Sunday.

He is survived by his brother Boo.

Multi-Level Cage Status

Well, the cage pans on the multi-level cages have been fixed and they will be on their way to powder coating when they have enough to send an order of white cages. So hopefully soon the girls will be moved to the new cages and the rest of my "older" cages will then be fully retired. Yeah!

We can't wait!

Tweek and Zelda Take a Bow and Helping New Ratties Get Closer to Their Forever Home

This morning started off with a sad note. Tweek and Zelda, two independent rattie girls were PTS this morning. Dr. S. at SWAH helped them to the bridge for me with the wonderful tech, J. This was my first experience with the anesthesia chamber. I think I do like the sedative better but this was ok for these girls, particularly Tweek as due to her heart condition, was congested so it was a better way to do this. Zelda joins her sister Samantha at the bridge. Tweek joins her cage mate Ruthie, and of course Zelda, at the bridge.

Their remains were immediately taken to the Oregon Humane Society for private cremation.

This cage of girls is survived by a single member, Sprite. She herself suffers from chronic respiratory issues and takes medicine twice a day and will for the remainder of her life. Luckily she is really good about it and holds the syringe to her mouth herself.

Today I did my first home visit for Little Mischief Rescue. I was honored that they asked me. I hope this brings a pair of girls in rescue one step closer to their forever home. So the day for ratties wrapped up on a positive note.

Rest in peace Tweek and Zelda.

Sprite Medicine Dream Girl

Well, poor Sprite is battling chronic respiratory illness and will be on meds for life. But I have to say she is a dream to give medicine too. She grabs the syringe and holds it while taking the medicine. She is the ONLY one that does this. I don't even have to pick her up. I just need to open the door and call her and she runs to it and drinks it all up like a good girl. So I have Sherman the potty training rattie boy and Sprite, the medicine girl. And of course Joey, abscess boy. Which by the way the last abscess treatment appears to look good so far. Pixie's growth was a sebaceous cyst. It is unknown if it will abscess now. Dr. B said it was not a sterile environment and he did the best he could to get clean tissue but as it had ulcerated and it was on the leg, there wasn't much skin to pull. So far that appears to be doing ok. She is on antibiotics too.