We were at our weekly trip to the petshop, and an employee that sees us often (and like, theonly one who doesn't refer to rats as 'those nasty filthy things') asks if we still keep rats (Duh) and asks if we were wanting another.  I ask why (I figure, maybe someone dumped a pet there?  Happens from time to time) and she says there's a girl in the feed pen who's super nice.  So I go to look at the girl, and I reach in to try picking her up (Expecting her to bolt or bite, whichever) and the girl walks up to me and licks me. 

Yeah.


If that's not bad enough, there was this tiny could barley be 3 weeks old girl on the top with an injured ear, and well, I couldn't leave the one alone for a month in QT.

The older girl is probably pregnant, given her age and that she was in with boys.  She doesn't -LOOK- pregnant, but all that means is it's probably early on.  I've thought about if we should get her e-spayed, but I'll have to ring the vet and see what he thinks, as she's not a huge girl, and I worry about surgeries.

And on one hand, the idea of babies again is exciting, but at the same time, I worry as Quinn's didn't have a very good ending apart from Nina.     Today hasn't been the best day for me overall, so I know I was just horribly weak and stupid, but oh well.  I was going to get a topper for the girls' FN anyway.  (Though, I think the husband will be making future trips to the pet store on his own. :S )


The bigger girl has the speckles on her back like my Alice does, and the head markings like one of my boys.  (Gerbil).  Of course, both Alice and Gerbs came from this shop, so they're probably cousins.

Such cute faces!

My daughter got similarly "suckered" with our Ladybug - a dumbo blue berk in the feeder bin.  Fortunately too young to be preggers (and we've passed the safety mark as well).

I've been so good about not getting rats from the feed store, but I don't know, she just looked so much like my other 2, and it was the licking that really got me.    She pretty much cuddled in my lap the whole way home.  I don't know if they've been playing with her at the pet store, or what, but she's a sweet thing.  Her ears look big for a standard, but maybe she'll grow into them?  

RatAttack59-

Initially I thought about taking this other girl who was in with her (and the boys..)  But the girl was SUPER fearful, and 2 litters right now would be difficult, especially with one mom being so scared of people.  Luckily the tiny girl is way too young to get pregnant, the poor thing.  (How she's weaned, I don't even know, but she's been nibbling lab blocks and ate a bit of carrot, so hopefully she does fine.  I'll probably have to separate them once the older girl starts nesting, but for now they'll be good for each other, I think.)


Keltikka -  The topper was something I was already thinking would probably be a nice thing to get, though I wasn't planning on getting more girls.     Just looks like we'll be ordering it by Christmas instead of with tax money.  We go to that pet store every week, and every week I can withstand the tiny guinea pigs, and the baby bunnies, and I can usually not even be tempted to peek my head in the back where they keep the feeders, but that girl just HAD to say something when we were checking out. 

Haven't decided on names yet.  The ear isn't that bad- some redness, but it looks fairly fresh.  Once they eat/settle in a bit I was going to wash it with some salt water and see how it looks.  Hopefully she's not, but in some angles she has a belly and I highly doubt it's from eating there.  (They feed their rats Sunseed lab blocks.)  So it's something I'm prepared for, in any case.  She's a good sized girl, so being in with boys for who knows how long means it'd have to be a miracle for her to not be pregnant. 

The little girl has REALLY been going nuts just since going home.  She's decided I guess that there's no threat here, so is proceeding to be a little monkey.    She looks a lot like our Alice, too, but since the girls all came from the same 'breeder', that's not unexpected. The big girl doesn't seem bugged by her, but I'll have to keep an eye on her to see if she does so I can separate them.  I'm guessing the girl is pretty early in pregnancy if she is pregnant, but even on the chance she isn't, I didn't want to leave her alone during QT.

Luckily enough, the pet store keeps the feeders in a back room behind the reptiles.  (Gee, because walking by the snakes and lizards doesn't help me keep from taking some home, huh? )  So I can usually avoid it, but once you make eye contact...   

Picture of Alice:
http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/ee299/ohmaibobby/Ratties/102.jpg
(She's the one in the wheel.)

I'd try to find others, but my photo folder is so unorganized, and she's one of the girls that's hard to get pictures of as she's always moving.   

My kids and I are suckers too.  I've told them that we arent going to that pet store anymore.  Last time we picked out a very sweet girl out of the feeder bin and she presented us with 7 babies about a week ago.  My kids have a rough time with the idea of feeder rats, and they tend to get upset at the thought.  We were in a pet store and a man bought one as an obvious feeder and I thought my daughter was going to have a meltdown.  She sat there with one of our rats on her shoulder and glared at the man.  I guess because they are so wonderful we really cant understand how anyone can do that to these guys.  We lucked out that the girl we got out of the feeder bin, is very sweet and loves people despite everything.  She loves her spacious cage and  hammocks.    Nevada, those girls are beautiful!

Pretty little girls!!!!

I'm lucky the little pet shop I go to down the street doesn't have feeder rats (or at least doesn't have them in the open anywhere). They have rats on occasion only because one of the girls that work there breeds them, so they are pretty healthy. I try to stay away from that wall when I can...although that is how I ended up with Tobi.

The girls are doing well!  Now being called Eliza and Jenny (The small one being Jenny).  Jenny's ear isn't as red today, and the scab isn't as noticeable.  She let me wash it off without a fuss, and she looks pretty happy to have a big sister to cuddle up with her.  Earlier today they were sleeping in the tube with Jenny perched on top of Eliza's head- too cute!




(Looks awkward, but she actually seemed to like being held like that, the silly girl.)








(Cute if you ignore the fact she's pooing.)

Leave it to a rat to find a way to mess up a perfectly good picture.     Oh well, when you have to go...

(Looks awkward, but she actually seemed to like being held like that, the silly girl.)

*THUD* Holy crap! Where's the warning???

I have more photos of rats pooping, piddling, running away, or standing halfway out of the photo than I care to count....brats.