Goosemoose Pet Portal - Happy Anniversary, Parsley and Peppercorn!

I realized today that it must be almost exactly a year since Parsley and Peppercorn came home with me. Last night, I was sitting on the couch reading. Peppercorn and Pee Rag were chasing each other around the room and stopping by every fifteen minutes to check on me, and Parsley was sitting on my feet and happily biting my fingers when I tried to touch her. It was lovely, and made me realize just how far these girls have come. Not to mention how much I owe them. I guess I ought to throw them a party, but Parsley isn't really allowed things like cake and ice cream...and wouldn't appreciate a party without them! So instead, a few thoughts and memories.

The first time I met Parsley, she was hiding in a length of pvc pipe (the only decoration in her shelter cage). I had to reach in to make sure she was a girl, and she promptly bit me. That is pretty much what I'd do if some stranger decided to check whether I was a girl too. She clearly thought we were rude, dangerous, and awfully pushy. We thought she was just right.

From the terrified, narcoleptic girl we first brought home, Parsley has grown into a shy friend. If she is hanging out under the couch and I walk into the room, she runs to greet me. Granted, she is mostly looking for a treat, but I am flattered anyway. She comes if I call and even likes to hang out on my lap...provided that I am polite and don't touch her. For all her mouthy behavior, Parsley has never broken the skin. She just needs to let us know when we're pushing her too hard, and only nips when we ignore her warning shoves.

As far as I can tell, Peppercorn was just a month or two old when she was dumped at the shelter. She lived there for three months, and without Parsley (her probable mother) I imagine she'd be a lot weirder than she is. As things stand, she's a delightfully affectionate rat, with a penchant for remarkable dorkiness, which makes me happy all over again for the resilience of ratties. From the beginning, her basic distrust of people was balanced by her curiosity about anything and everything, and as she's grown up she's grown more confident in our harmlessness. These days, Pepper follows me everywhere. If I am in bed, she likes to tunnel under the covers and cover my feet with kisses. Kissing is kind of a new hobby for her, so I try not to shriek too loudly at the tickliness of this. She isn't particularly impressed with my attempts to cuddle, largely because they interfere with her need to be in constant motion, but for the right treat she'll let me get in a few snuggles.

But of course, what has always impressed me most about these girls is not their relationships with humans (which for Parsley will always be tricky), but their tremendous acceptance of other rats. We got them for Bug, who was never the easiest rat to get along with. With enormous patience, they squished her, groomed her, tolerated her, and taught her a little bit about being a rat. I would have loved them for that alone.

These days, they live happily with my beloved Pee Rag. Again, if they had no other redeeming features, I would love them just for being her friends. Pee Rag is as happy as I've ever seen her, and always has a big rat to cuddle. In the case of Parsley, a very big rat indeed!

First day home:

Getting to know Bugzilla:

My girls:

Peppercorn and Parsley: