Goosemoose Pet Portal

My two brothers are such look-a-likes  :wink5:  Squee is the lighter boy (left in the pic below) who is spottier, and Polka is darker and also tubbier  :P  Here are a couple cute pics from a couple days ago, when I had them out on the bed.

(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3102/2485916186_f0416ff22b.jpg)

Squee seems to be doing a lot better since I started nebulizing him (along with Russia and Nigel) almost a week ago.  Hopefully he'll continue to improve or at least continue to stay the same  :-*  I'm glad he doesn't mind the nebulizing as much now.  At first it completely freaked him out, and after the session he would have tons of porphyrin around his nose.  I was worried about my sweet boy  :heart:

(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2322/2485916768_01231420b6.jpg)

And here's Tubby Mctubberson himself, Polka.  Even though he's a good weight, he has all this extra skin, like he was supposed to be this 5 pound rat or something  :yelcutelaugh:

(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2006/2485914598_b5346189f1.jpg)

Oh they are so gorgeous their coloring is beautiful  :)

Such unbelievably stunning boys.  I luuuuurrve them!  :-*  :-*  :heart:  :heart:

Awe! Beautiful boys!  Do you nebulize them at home?  How do you go about doing that?

Awwww...they're so sweet!!   :heart:  They remind my of my Cash (RIP).

Amanda - I do nebulize at home, yes.  I purchased a nebulizer from eBay, which I really like.  My vet instructed me to put the rats in a carrier, put the carrier in a garbage bag (boy, that sounds weird to say!), and with the nebulizer mouth piece wedged in the carrier bars, close the end.  It's been working surprisingly well.  At first I figured it was temporary until I was able to modify a storage bin, but since this is working out so nicely, I'll just let it be for now.  Everyone seems a little better now that they've been getting nebulized once a day for almost a week  :)

My vet does that do give rats oxygen for a prolonged period, instead of the little mask.  I have to say it was very, very weird to see the carrier all wrapped up in a garbage bag.

But it works SO well!!!!!!!  Getting a storage bin modified properly is a PITA.  There are tanks some vets use for anesthesia, which would work, but are pricey....

Very cute boys!!!!!!  Tho' 2 questions - what is their offical color, and errm, how did they get their names? :)

The first time I nebulized them, I was absolutely terrified of what I'd find when I opened the bag.  :confused:  But, thankfully, they were just a little confused, and not dead like I feared  :yelcutelaugh:


They're both pearl merle boys  :)  Though, sometimes I wonder whether Polka is a mink merle, since he's so dark. 

I couldn't even try to tell you where I came up with Squeebottom's name, but with Polka... I would always poke his belly through the cage while he hung off the sides, while saying, "POLKAPOLKAPOLKA!"  :yelcutelaugh:

Wow, the nebulizing seems like something I may have to get into.  I have a couple of older man rats that I think would benefit from it. 

How much is a fair price for a nebulizer?  Do you have to buy oxygen tanks for them?  I'm a bit clueless I guess :)

Yup, I'm another one who should own a nebulizer, but I know next to nothing about how to go about it.

You don't have to buy an oxygen tank.  A cheap method is the one I use - carrier inside of a garbage bag.  I use this nebulizer (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=360047209996&ssPageName=STRK:MEWN:IT&ih=023), and I really like it.  Nebulizers are super easy to use, you just need to pick up a bag of fluids (saline/sodium chloride) from your vet, and the nebulizer meds (I'm currently using Gentacin).  You put the saline solution and the antibiotics into a cup which is connected to a hose from the machine.  Then you just wedge it in the carrier bars, close up the bag, turn on the nebulizer, and find something to do for 20-30 minutes  :P  For the longest time, I kept telling myself that I needed a nebulizer and then would forget about it.  Nebulizers are really something all rat owners should have on hand, especially if you have rats with chronic URIs; even just nebulizing with saline helps.  Once you get one, you realize how easy they are to use and you wonder why you didn't buy one sooner!

They're really gorgeous guys!  Really beautiful colors!  And lucky to have a mommy who takes such good care of them, too!

Couple more pictures from this morning  :)

Squee, my hammock lover
(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2279/2486248795_3b7c33de33.jpg)

(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2018/2486244585_c97dbd5d8f.jpg)

(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3015/2487063342_a0df019626.jpg)

Polka is my hand groomer  :D  He softly nips my skin, especially at my knuckles, trying to get off any dead skin.
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3219/2487064286_6b2c8e4927.jpg)

(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2018/2486249791_c20e7c6b2e.jpg)

Hehe!  That photo looks like he's upset that you took your hand away before he was finished!

Lovely boys :heart:

It's one of those things that you think for chronic URIs, eh, that's just normal.  The first time you nebulize, mine aren't happy afterwards from the carrier in the bag, so I thought "oh, I'm not sure it's worth it, but it's supposed to be 1 week...."  A week later, they were used to it and OMG, what a difference!

Tho' yeah, not SUPPOSED to do this, but errrm...  My rats and I share my nebulizer.

Aaaaaaaaaaw they are sooooooooooooooooooo adoreable. I loooove them. Are they dumbo eared?? I wish we got dumbos here in Australia. Sweeeet. Please give them both hugs from Is_me(thats me) and Brian, my spunkey li'l boy who is sitting on my shoulder and looking at the computer says he would like to come to your house and play with Squee and Polka pleeeeaaaase.  ;D

Beautiful!!!! :wink5: :heart:

Aww, they are adorable! :)

Aaaah!  My Robby is my hand groomer.  He sits on my hand and won't leave until he's done.  I haven't hand any dry skin problems since he arrived.

Pretty boys, or should I say handsome ?

Great new pix.  I was looking for this post so that I could peek at these guys again before I even knew you'd added more photos.  They are so gorgeous and have the sweetest faces. 

Maybe some more pix?   

They are so handsome! They have beautifu coats!