My newest fosters from Mainely Rat Rescue arrived this past Monday!  Katie Sue (a stunning black hooded girl) and her 6 sweet little jelly beans who were 3 days old.  At first glance we had 5 boys, 1 girl, all top eared, standard coats, 3 hoodies, 3 PEWs.  Precious little pinkies.   

Katie Sue is an excellent mama, very attentive to her little ones.  She is a pretty girl, but quite timid.  I don't think she has ever been handled!  She shies around from my hand, unfortunately I have to take her away from her babies once a day in order to check on and handle them and clean up the cage.  She shows a lot of potential though, never even attempting to bite, although she was shuffled around before her arrival here, giving birth her first day at the shelter, then being transported to Maine, just three days later.  Poor young lady! 

Here are the first pictures of Katie Sue and her babies on the day of their arrival! 


Katie Sue



What is this thing?



Katie Sue taking time out for herself



A handful of babies!



All the boys!



Only girl (poor little thing!)



These sweet little ones were born on March 14th and will be available for adoption on April 18th.  If you are interested, please contact Kim at kim@mainelyratrescue.org or Paula at paula@mainelyratrescue.org.  Remember transportation can usually be arranged throughout New England. 

I will be posting regular updates and pictures so stay tuned!   

Katie Sue's eepers are now 1 week old.  They are turning into sweet little chubbers with a fine layer of fur coming in! 

Without further ado I would like to introduce: 

Anna Bella, our only girl ratlet (confirmed today by the presence of nipples!)



Charlie Bob (PEW?)



Dan Michael (light hooded)



Jon Henry (black hooded)



Jerry Jeff (black hooded)



and last but not least, Joe Perry!

Katie Sue's babies are thriving!  They will be two weeks old tomorrow so more picture will be posted then.

Katie Sue is an excellent mother rattie, very devoted to her babies.  I try to only disturb her once a day.  She doesn't move from the babies when I lift the igloo off the nest, but stays there with her eyes fixated on me, wondering what I am going to do.  Unless she is grabbing a baby and making a run for it!!  I wonder if she thinks I am going to take her babies away and feed them to a snake.  Has this happened to her before?  (History, it is believed these rats were being used as breeders so the pinkies could be fed to snakes.)  At any rate, she still has not made any attempt to bite me.  I find this amazing.

We are still trying to figure out what we have for colors in the light colored babies.  Lots of guesses from beige hoodie to hooded Siamese to Himalayan when I thought all three would be PEWs! 

These babies will be ready to go home three weeks from tomorrow!  Hard to believe.  I will continue posting pictures and updates especially as their personalities begin the emerge!  Stay tuned.

Katie Sue's babies are learning to eat solids, climb on heads, shoulders and arms...generally being adorable little rats. 

Mama Rattie is proving to be as sweet as first thought.  Is learning from her babies how to trust humans. Really enjoys being stroked and petted.  She is even litterbox trained!  She is going to be an awesome pet.

Here are the candids of the little ones as they get big!

First tastes!







Pictures of Dan Michael being a messy, fun little ratty boy.




Only two weeks left before Katie Sue and her babies can go to their new homes!

As promised here are the individual photos of Katie Sue's little ones at 3 weeks old. 

Everyone is doing well!  Babies are silly, loveable and playful.  They run to the side of the cage, eager to say hello.  When I reach in they all start popcorning around - the love to hand wrestle and nibble my hand with delight.  Just too cute.

I often find our only girl Anna Bella snugged up by herself with her Mama, leaving the boys behind.  (Maybe she and her Mama could go home together?)

Katie Sue is a sweetheart.  She is also a very smart, clean girl as she seems to be exclusively using the litterbox!  Has never attempted to bite, though she is now gentling nibbling on my hand to say hello.  It is very endearing.  I spend time every day picking her up and holding her, but don't hold her too long as I want her to get used to it a little bit at a time.  Now that the babies are older, I am making great gains with her.   

Anyway, here are Katie Sue's Kids!

"Princess" Anna Bella


Charlie Bob (Messy face.)


Dan Michael (My daughter Anna's personal favorite!)


Jon Henry (trying to escape!)


Jerry Jeff (He's a squeaky boy.)


and. last but not least, Joe Perry!!  (Just plain cute!)


 

Hey Robin,
two more boys tentatively adopted, possibly all three!! Will let you know when I get confirmation

    All 5 boys are going home!  Now we have the two girlies left to be adopted.  Beautiful, sweet mama Katie Sue and her beloved daughter Anna Bella are still waiting for their forever family! 

Katie Sue is doing great!  Gave her a shoulder ride tonight and she thought it was awesome!  Stuck her nose in my ear and made lots of snuffling noises.  So cute.  Anna Bella is as social and adorable as ever.  She also is practicing her shoulder riding skills.   

I had to move Katie Sue and Anna Bella to a friend's home close by until they are adopted.  Had to concentrate on the other family of fosters I have as Josephine needs more work on her socialization and her boys are very young.   Here are the updates from the new foster home:

Katie Sue and Anna  Bella are doing well... I am in the middle of studying for final exams so stress is my middle name right now!  But, they are both sweet and interested. Last night I cleaned out their cage, put in a fresh fleece, and both were all over my hands looking for something good to eat. Anna Bella climbs right up my arm but Katie Sue will only climb as far up my arm as the cage and stop there.  But, I see her as being more trusting every day... and is not scared or fearful when I interact with her. I would say "reserved" is a good word right now.

AND

Yes, all is well here...  the "girls" wreck their cage daily-- they love rearranging their cage just so I have to reach in and fix everything!  (I think they think it's a game at this point...)

Update from foster Mom:

Katie and Anna are doing very well.  I am so in love with both girls...  I
let my two "join" Katie and Anna outside the cages last night and they all
behaved beautifully together. I was thinking that maybe Katie would be
nervous but, instead, she came out of her cage willingly for the first
time!  And climbed up my arm a ways...  apparently other rats make her
feel more comfortable instead of less.  Anna was absolultely thrilled to
have two new pals!  Of course, they are all of similar size but Anna is
actually bigger than Mira. Mira exercises constantly so is actually
"skinnier" than Anna. Maybe I should let Anna on the wheel occasionally.
She is very energetic and would probably enjoy it.

I adopted Katie Sue today and she is already making herself at home with my gang!!  After a few dustups with Gus and Sophie, my two more serious "puffed up" rats all are doing quite well.  All four of them have now taken turns snuggling with Katie Sue in the hammock making her feel welcome and loved!  This sweet girl is going to fit in very nicely with our ratty family. 

Anna Bella was adopted by Sherry, her foster Mom.  She had fallen totally in love with her sweet, outgoing personality.  Anna  is crazy about her two new sisters and they spend lots of time chasing each other and wrestling and being young silly girls!!   

Katie Sue and Anna Bella have found their forever families and they were closer than we thought.     Happily, they are no longer waiting in limbo in foster care!