Mr. Wiggles Checks Out

Mr. Wiggles, the third brother of the Corvallis 6, passed away. He was always a gregarious gentle giant and was one of the first at the cage door. He was 26 months of age. He is survived by his brothers Crinkle, Brick and Brack. He has been prepared for private cremation at OHS.

Run and be free and attack all the veggies you want!

Mocha Passes

Mocha passed away in her cage comforted by her two sisters. She was 24 months and 25 days old. She suffered from respiratory illness. She came to Vermin Village from the same person that had Tweek. She lived with other girls but as these 3 got older, they were moved to their own cage because the younger ones would pick on them. She has been prepared for private cremation at the Oregon Humane Society. Rest in peace little Mocha.

Cages and Carriers

Picked up the last 6 remaining carriers that I had on order. Also placed an order for new hospital cages. The SuperPet cages I have been reduced to using are CRAP. I won't even sell them. If someone in rescue needs them they are theirs. If no rescue wants them, they're fair game.

Bo, Beau, Boe, Bau, Bow, Boh, Bou, and Booh

OHS released 8 boys to my care on December 10, 2009.   Their age stated 1.5 years however my friend and I are convinced that there is a greater age range in the group of 18 rats.  (She took 10.)

They have varying degrees of sociability, but I'll work with them on that.  All of the ones I adopted are black and white, I call them my checkerboard crew.  I do have many rats of this coloring but not in such a big group. :D

The live, all together, in one of the custom multi-level Quality Cages.  They seem to really like it.  There is a little squabbling but I'm sure they'll adjust.  I do have female rats in the room so I'm hoping there won't be a problem.  I normally have NEVER had a problem, but you never know.  They don't appear to be too sure as to what a hammock is but eventually ratties seem to get it.  I've only had a three ratties, ironically all boys, NOT like hammocks...or at least set to redecorate with them.  The really seem to like the shredded paper.  They are making rattie paper wakes. :D

They tend to hoard their food.  I'm sure that behavior will change as they find they are fed regular.  (They were fed regular at the shelter, no worries there, it was their previous home I am concerned about.)

I'd like to thank D for picking these boys up before they were euthanized!   I'm sure they'll be good little gentleman.  Unfortunately,  someone at the shelter was bit and a few of the boys aren't too sure about being picked up.  This makes it harder to adopt them out because they can only go to rat experienced homes.  And while there are several of us dedicated rattie lovers, sometimes we just don't have room for more.  In this case, both D and I made room.   There is nothing we can do about the girls though.  They aren't at the shelter and we don't know how to contact the person.  If there was a way, I'd drive them to Boise, ID or Chico, California to get them spayed, but not in December.

And their names are:  Bo, Beau, Boe, Bau, Bow, Boh, Bou, and Booh.  They look similar but there are actual differences, it's just easier calling them all the same name.  Their pictures and names got scrambled at OHS so they weren't too sure either.  Easy mistake.

Welcome to the checkerboard boys!

Minnie Passes

Last night, with all of the contretemps last night, I lost the little mouse,Minnie, I adopted at the Fall rat show from LMR. She was a taking little thing. The past few days she looked a little off. And while I went to get the little boys from OHS that Debbie, thankfully, picked up for me, Minnie passed.

Her favorite thing seemed to be racing Epi, the mouse I adopted from OHS a few weeks ago, in a side by side cage/wheel race. When one went to get on her wheel, so did the other one. (They did not share a habitat, but they were side by side.)

She's been wrapped and prepared for private cremation at OHS.

Rest in peace little one!

Ruby Was Lost and Found

The little stinker jumped out of my arms! Then she ran into a gap under the stupid cabinets in the kitchen. Of course it was the absolute coldest week in 2009. After 2 nights of setting food out for her, I borrowed a trap from a friend. On Tuesday morning, at 4am, I woke up and she wasn't in the trap. At 4:25am I heard the trap click....and went over. There she was twitching her whiskers at me. I think she was very happy to be put back in her nice warm house!

Pixie Leaves the Village

It is with great sadness that I had to help Pixie to the bridge tonight. She just had nothing left in her. She is one of the first girls I adopted. She actually was one scared girl when I first got her and inclined to nip. As she aged and got more used to me, she no longer did this. Tonight as I carried her downstairs she was bruxing and looking at me with sad eyes. She was 40 months old. She was preceded in death by her sister Pinkie. She has been prepared for private cremation at the Oregon Humane Society. Rest in peach little one.

Ruby joins Vermin Village

She, like so many others that have lived her, had a sad start in life. Some jackass tied her in a small white plastic bag with ashes and cigarette butts. She was rescued by a nice family that found her a good home. Here. She resides with Merriweather, another little girl with a bad start. They will both be spayed and eventually move in with Junior.

Welcome Ruby!

Vermin Village Donates some Supplies

Donated some much needed cages to the Oregon Humane Society. Also donated 6 water bottles, a water bottle kit for them to try, 3 igloos, some hammocks, and a 33# bag of Harlan. I also told them that if they liked the kits I'd buy enough for the small animal room kennels.