One Month

Well, it's been one month since our first day without Sugar. It's been a pretty ok time; I only had one real breakdown about a week after she passed and cried my heart out.

I still couldn't clean her cage until this past Monday. I cleaned it the day she died, and she was only in it for 6 hours or so, so it wasn't dirty. But it did need to get cleaned and put into storage. Again.

Ironically, two days before she passed we bought fresh food, a huge bag of bedding and a couple bags of treats. I listed them on our local CraigsList for free on Monday and they were snapped up within an hour. I hope the 3 ratties that got all that stuff enjoy it.

Now all reminders of Sugar are put away or gone. I can't believe it took me nearly a month to do it. I do have some cute pictures/stories that I'll post about her in the future. I definitely don't want this site to go stale.

I also got a sympathy card from the first vet we took her to. I called to cancel her surgery the day after she died, so maybe that's how they knew. It was nice, though, that everyone signed it.

And time marches on...

Sugar and J cuddling the first week we had her.

Sugar At The Vet

Sugar's Profile Picture for the vet. She's cute, isn't she?

Unexpected

Sugar

Adopted Jan 15, 2008- May 19, 2008

We only had you 4 months, and barely got to
know you. The hole you left is unmistakeable, though.
RIP, Sweet Sugar.

Who Are You...

And what did you do with my rat??

After last night, I can't help but wonder if the antibiotics cleared up something in Sugar we never knew she had. I wonder if she didn't feel well or was in pain and that's why she was such a lazy, uninterested rat.

Because after 4 days on the antibiotics, she is completely different. She is still bleeding, although not as heavily. It got worse on Friday, and then has been slowing down since then. I'll still take her in if it doesn't stop completely by Thursday, which is her last day of medication.

But her attitude and personality have just blossomed in the last 24-48 hours. It has been an amazing transformation to watch. It was literally like she came out of her cage last night a completely different rat.

She was hopping and running around. She's still got a limp, but she doesn't seem to notice it at all. She came to her name, which I didn't know she could do. It was awesome! I got her to follow me about 20 feet before she got nervous and hurried back to the cage. She played "chase the hand" for the first time. I drug my finger on the carpet in a circle around her, and she turned and turned to follow it. She was going pretty fast, and really seemed to enjoy it. I wish I got a video of it.

She's more comfortable coming to me, too. I just call her name, or tap (hard!) on the floor and she comes right to me. She's always been kind of licky, but last night she cleaned my toes and was very serious about the whole matter.

And the funniest thing of all: She is a fraidy rat for the most part. Loud noises startle her, and she runs for cover and watches from the safety of her igloo. However, night before last she was out and I had to vacuum up the bits of food and bedding she tossed out of the cage. As I'm pulling out the vacuum she's curious, but not really sure what's going on. When I turned it on, though, she started chasing after it, coming right up to it and confronting it and wasn't the least bit afraid of it. It was incredible. She was absolutely comfortable with it, and was even playing with it. The vacuum! The noisy vacuum!

It has been the most rewarding 2 days to watch her come out of her shell and metamorph into a normal rat. The only thing I can think is the antibiotics cleared something up, because why would she suddenly be acting more natural when we're forcing a foul tasting liquid down her throat twice a day? If it were me, I might be a bit more reclusive thanks to that.

And, on the topic of her medication, she's too funny with it. I hold her head still, slip the syringe in the side of her mouth to the back of her tongue and give her the dose. After I let her go, she puts her mouth on the bottom of her cuddle cup and rubs it around as if she's trying to get the drips off her chin, which is cute enough in itself. After a couple minutes of that, though, she then sits there for another couple minutes licking her lips and smacking her lips like she's trying to get the taste out of her mouth. When she's satisfied, she'll eat the cheese or yogie I gave her. I'll try to get a video of it, because she looks like she's trying to get the nastiest taste out of her mouth. LOL

I have to say, she is adorable.

Oh Wait. I Remember How This Works.

Having cute rat= Vet bills

Sugar made her first trip to the vet yesterday. She is suffering from the same symptoms Half Rat had here. The vet gave us the same treatment as Halfs had here.

I personally think she needs to be spayed, but the vet wants to do this route first, which is fine. I don't like watching her bleed, even though it doesn't seem to bothering her at all. She just cleans herself a lot more.

She's still eating normally, pooing normally, drinking normally and giving it all up for a treat. Her attitude is fine. It's just the blooding bedding and fabric pieces I have to clean out each day bother me.

The doc put her on Clavamox for 7 days. He flavored the liquid like banana, and I guess Sugar actually likes it. She is an absolute dream to give meds to. She doesn't struggle or fuss. She doesn't like being held, so she struggles against that, but when I put the syringe in the side of her mouth she lets me give it to her and she swallows it instead of spitting it out like... I don't know... every other rat I had did. So, really, she's very good and I can't complain. Of course, she gets a yogie after every dose.

As most of you know, I had to leave my amazing- wonderful- incredible vet behind in Albuquerque when we moved up here. I took her a to a new vet here, and while he said he specialized in exotics, gave me some concern. I explained things about the situation to him, and he nearly ignored me. I guess I assumed he'd be like my old vet and want to know every detail. Anyway, as we're leaving he asks me, "So, you have other rats at home?" "Nope", I said. "This is our only one. But we've had rats before her, and she's the sixth one we've owned." He replied with, "Oh. Well, then you probably know more about them than I do."

I was a little stunned, and didn't know what to say, so I just said, "No. We've just been through it all before. All our rats had health problems." And left the office.

Weird? I don't know if I should look for another vet. There is one other one that specializes in exotics, so I've been playing with the idea of taking her to him. I certainly hope he was joking, because I don't want to know more than him. That's why I pay to go see him! LOL

Squirrels!

So, no rat post today. Instead, cute squirrels!

J and I went to Portland to visit a friend and on the way back we stopped at a rest area we had never stopped at before. Pulling into parking place, we noticed there were tons of squirrels running around on the ground, laying in the grass and in general very comfortable with people.

We sat watching them for a minute, until another car pulled up alongside us. As we watched those people get out of the car they were bombarded with squirrels looking for a free handout. It was too cute!

I went to the concession stand and got some shelled peanuts to feed them. They proceeded to mob J and I, and it was great. They were so much fun. They acted so much like ratties. They were very playful, very competitive for the peanuts and did all sorts of cute acrobatics to get their treats. I got some good pictures, and thought I'd share them with you.

Gimmie!

I will sit on your foot until you feed me! (Which he later did.)

Anniversary

*drumroll*

Today is Sugar's 1 Month anniversary with us. It seems like she's been a part of our family much longer than that. She is adjusting well, and is becoming a much more sociable girl. Sometimes I have to remind myself it's only been a month. So, here she is a month from the day we picked her up. (Curses to the flash!)

Eegads! Crumbs In The Bed!

Rats Go In The "Out" Box!!

Sugar does clerical work for me and gets paid in yogies.

With Her Main Man

Hanging out with her #1 fella...

Introducing...

SUGAR!!

Our new rattie has been renamed, and it suits her well. She's a sweet little thing, even if she is timid. Thank you to all the boy rats who have made her feel so special and important. Pancho and Pocket... this means you!

Pictures!

I finally, after many bumps in the road, got these pictures and was able to add them. So, now you can see our little girl!

Sorry it's so blurry. She's a fast one!

This one is much better.

Wild, Wild Pacific Northwest

One of the things I really like about living up here in the PN is the wildlife in my particular town. We have lots of birds, squirrels, skunks, etc. I enjoy watching the baby quails grow up (they've just come out of their nests and are learning to fly short distances. Cute!). I like watching the neighborhood cat stalk the squirrels (he's too timid to really do much else).

Yesterday as I was watering our back 40, I realized I was nose to nose with this little guy and he wasn't even intimidated by me. He just looked at me. So I went in the house, got the camera, and lo and behold, when I came back he was still there. So I got some pictures of him. This one is my favorite.


 

 

 

 

J says he's giving me "the stink eye".

Expected

Rat Rat

August 3, 2003- November 27, 2006

Rat Rat passed in her sleep early this morning.

She finally left her failing body.

This is my favorite, sweetest rat only a few hours

before she went. I will miss her terribly.

She was the best rat- ambassador and pet.

We love and miss you very, very much, Rat Rat.

Goodbye, my sweetest.

Rat Rat In Pictures

Little Rat Head Peeking Out

Her Sutures From Her May Surgery

Sharing A Treat With My Sister

Who Do You Love?

She Loved Hanging Out With Her Dad

She Made Sure Out Mouths Were Clean

Our Bed Was Her Bed

Laying On My Feet Was A Favorite

Night-Night

Coda's Last Night

Here she is about 14 hours before she passed. She and J bonded, which was a great comfort to both of us. She enjoyed her baby food, though.

Expected

Coda

June 7, 2004- March 14, 2006

I was with Coda when she passed at 1:30pm here at home.

She went quietly and softly.

She never woke up.

She's back with Cleo, now.

Goodbye sweet girl. We love you and miss you.

Monday Rattie Pics

This pic just makes me smile...
















Coda stomping on Rat Rat (ie Nothing is sacred when a yogie's involved)

Wednesday Rattie Pic

A picture is worth a thousand words, right?















Coda roadkill

Friday Blogging

Ok, I know it's late Thursday, but close enough, right? :)

I don't have much news on the ratties- only that they're cute and adorable and fat and squishy.

How about a pic?

I agree.















Cute freakin' Coda!

Happy weekend all!

Away For The Weekend

We just got back from visiting my sister at school. She had her senior recital (she's a performance major), and she was Hermia in "A Midsummmer Night's Dream." A great play, and she did beautifully. Lots of physically comedy, especially between her and Demetrius. She flung herself about him and clung like glue. It was hilarious. It was great to see her and watch her perform. Plus, I got some shopping done and got out of Albuquerque for awhile. Yay!