Susie Joins the Group

Susie was adopted today from the Oregon Humane Society (OHS). She is about 18 months old. She is part of their second chance program and came from the Mt. Shasta area. She had just gotten placed on the "floor" when I happened in there. She was huddled in a corner. I asked where her paperwork was. Took her home today. Right now she is chilling in a carrier in the bathroom with some food and water and blankets. I'm cleaning cages tonight so she'll move in right away with her new friends. To make it really interesting, I'll be merging 2 cages together anyway. Luciano (neutered boy), Spot (neutered boy), Pip (spayed girl), Smudge, (spayed girl), and Gretta, Hannah, and Betsy, Sammie and Brixton and now Susie will be sharing a 4 level tower.

All is well!

Sammie's Surgery

Sammie's surgery went well. She is resting now in a carrier and will move back in with her cage mates tomorrow morning. She is on pain medication for the next week or so. The doctor was able to do internal stitches so no need for a collar! Yeah!

To The Vet We Go

Well, turns out I was right, Bella does have a small tumor. Sammie and Bella are going to the doctor. Sammie too has a tumor. Right now, Sammie's tumor is growing a lot faster. Her surgery is scheduled for Monday, February 16th. Bella's surgery has been scheduled for Friday, February 20th.

Tank is also going in on Friday. He appears to be having some heart trouble. :*(

Hopefully all will go well.

Bella and Her New Friends

Well, Betsy, Hannah, Gretta, Sammie, Brixton and Bella are getting along wonderfully. It appears I was incorrect with the lump on Bella. It disappeared by Thursday. This is very good news. The girls love their new cage set up and they are all very playful when I go in to visit with them. I don't know of a better group of rats where the introduction went so smoothly. I think it had to do with the age spread and how I worked up to the introduction.

Anyway just a quick note to let original parents know their kids are ok.

Yeah!

Brixton and Sammie

Brixton and Sammie have fully bonded. They actually did a couple of days ago but they were inside the hammock so I couldn't get a picture of them. Today I did get a few pictures.

Brixton is a 1 1/2 year old PEW. She was taken in from someone that was going hitchhiking cross-country. She is a pretty quiet little girl.

Sammie is a gregarious little girl that also was adopted from someone that lost their housing situation along with her cage. She is a pretty kissy little girl. When they were first put in the cage together, Brixton slept in the blankets below and Sammie in the hammock. It was just this past week that they have started snuggling together.

Brixton was originally housed in Tickle Tower with the other girls. However she did not bond with any of the girls and she just didn't do well. She is now doing wonderfully with her friend.

Here is their cage. They live in a Quality Cage PC-1822. I added 2 small balconies to it--Corner Lookouts. I have 2 such cages. These are great for housing active female ratties. The door is big enough to fit the Wobust Wheel through it. It also features a slide out tray. (There is no wire floor.) The girls really seem to like it. The water bottle is a Lixit GB-KIT-S. I am using a Snapple bottle. I zip-tied the spring loaded "seed" cups as this cage is actually a bird cage. It is 18" wide x 18" deep x 22" high.

Sammie and Brixton

No pics yet but after thinking Mimi, aka Marshmellow, would bond with Samie, I decided that might not be a good mix. When I was feeding the babies this morning, I noticed Brixton still had not really bonded well with the other girls in the Tower. So, I decided this morning that she should see if her and Samie hit it off. I put her and Samie together and so far, so good! So hopefully it goes well. I'll see about pics this weekend after I get my homework done. They are living in a quality cage PC-1822, white powder coated, with added balconies. I also have a Wobust Wodent Wheel in there and a hammock along with some other toys.