Okay, so we've rescued a few more babies from pet shops. One being my little Aurora, who loves me more than I can describe. She becomes a popcorn rat when I'm near the aquarium! She looks at me with those big, red eyes and I just can't help but smile. They're beautiful, the pearly sheen on them is so intense and mesmerizing (which is a word I hate using, but it fits). We also have Belle, who is so small you'd think she was a mouse! Ginny rounds out the new girls (yes, like the Weasely's Ginny, it would have been Neville had I not rechecked to see that she was not a he). Well we have new boys too, Sugar, Gambit, Hidalgo and Beast.
Okay, so, we're up to date on babies. Now, Lace, yesterday she escaped and was found.. all before 11 am (I was tired and fell asleep on the couch... why do I still go to sleep at 2 am.. I know what'll happen!) and when Ben found her she was cuddling a giant plush flu virus behind our computer desk. So, we go to bed last night thinking we'd secured the grotto well enough... apparently not. Ben is woken up at six am (man, she is such a morning person!) by Lace crawling on his head, licking his nose. Now, this rat could have gone anywhere and knowing that she'd escaped, anyone else could have, obviously. So, Ben picks her up, takes her back to the grotto and makes sure none of the other girlies have escaped. No, four of the remaining six are playing in the end Lace escaped from! They look at Ben, then continue playing. It was kind of like, "oh, you brought her back... okay!" So before we left today for me to hang out with him at school, he made sure his provisions from six am were still escape proof. They were, and Lace was giving him the death glare (pictured is Fée in the nest the day she gave birth). So we went ahead and left, she's probably still angry and Aurora is probably still hopping like mad wondering when I'll be back.
What can I say? I'm blessed. :)
G'mornin. g'night or g'day
Afterthought: Athena and Bear will be my next pairing, looking forward to seeing what we get (especially from such healthy parents!)
Monday, September 26, 2011
Saturday, September 24, 2011
Babies!
This is a belated post, and I need to take photos of the babies now that they are 3 days old and have peach fuzz. I also need to take photos of our new rescues. Until then, have these :)
 |
| Fée nesting with the babies the day they were born |
 |
| Two days old and we have seven, one boy and six girls. |
Yep, only one boy! We're keeping him and one other girl (at the very least) and we're really excited. We were holding Fée late into the morning just before she gave birth and we're seeing and feeling the pinkies move (gently of course) and one kicks Ben. It was so crazy. We're only adopting to friends and family for this first litter. We'll have all agouti based and some blues if I'm not mistaken.
Speaking of crazy, Ben and I both have jobs.. for the same company. Different districts, but it's still really awesome. We also cleaned up the living room today. Man, I didn't think we had so much stuff to just throw away! But, anyway, the babies are organized in a much better way now and we have a clean floor and more open space in our living room! Happy day!
Haha, anyway, pictures will be taken and updates will be given.
G'mornin, g'night or g'day
Afterthought: RAT PINKIES WITH PEACH FUZZ AND CUTE HEAD SPOTS!
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
"Orchid"
We saw a little one
Not so long ago from today
She said she lost a family
When they were taken far away
She was fearful of the giants
Who grabbed her from her home
But they also took her sister
So she wouldn't be alone
Her sister ran away
Causing the giants to worry
But with a laugh and some tears
The giants reunited them in a hurry
They found out from the blind girl
And the leader with odd eyes
The giants were their best friends
And they gave the others brand new lives
The days went by quickly
And the soon-to-be mother moved away
But the giants were always with the sisters
More than willing to play
Today, she met some new ones
And her friend became a mother
But she soon found out that some of her new friends
Were not like the others
Only one of the new was confused
The rest of them felt at home
As the told her of the giants
And how they gave each of them a home
The oldest was Demeter,
Persephone next to her sis
Along with a great singer
The giants had named Artemis
Next to her was Hermione
Who was a wonder to behold
She said she used to have three paws
But the forth came for her to hold
There were two boys with them
A knight named Bumblebee
And with him was his best friend
Who the male giant named Dobby
He was a sweet boy too
With a sock on his tail
He made Bumblebee feel at home
And his bravery prevailed
Most tragic was but a baby,
Who appeared to her last
Her name was Velvet
Who showed up before she passed
She asked why Velvet didn't sing
When the others watched her fade
Velvet replied, a tear in her eye
"I was to young to learn the song they played
"But there is something you must know
The giants love use more than words can say
We came here to guide you to the Rainbow Bridge
Where we will laugh and play
"One day they will find us
But until that day
We will be here for them and the others
When their souls can no longer stay
"There is one thing I must ask
Before we go to play,"
She smiled sadly then she said
"Surely the giants gave you a name!"
She looked at her new friends and smiled
"Yes, you're right they did
It took them a little while
But the named me Orchid"
We said goodbye to a little one
Not so long ago today
She has new friends, but with them she waits
Until we will all meet again someday.
Goodbye, Orchid. We love you and will miss you and the other babies more than words can say.
Ben
Monday, September 19, 2011
Ohhhh my!
So, funny thing... my boyfriend's ISP told me I couldn't connect my laptop with a hardwire connection to the internet (non-wifi [ethernet/usb]) because I didn't have an ethernet port. Mind you, my laptop manufacturer was telling them this so hopefully you see the potential for BS in that situation. Now, I'm not saying that the company who made the laptop, let's call them Pell, would give inaccurate information on the machine. They cannot legally or they will be facing a class action lawsuit over false advertising quicker than the time it would take for a poorly made apology to be published in emails everywhere. What I'm saying is that they won't advertise the loopholes, they'd lose money. My laptop comes with an extra piece of equipment that I can buy for a convenient $100 that would allow me to hook up to the home modem with ethernet.. and take away the internet to the systems. Brilliant. So I realized that Ben's printer cable just so happens to be the perfect size and shape for the modem. I hook it up, awesome things happen, it fits but then I'm left with my laptop staring at me like an idiot asking me why I'd plug in a cable from a device for which it has no drivers. Well, I can go online and download the drivers easily! I can.. go.. onli-SUNNUVAFRACKINBATCH! So, you can see the dilemma, I hope. If you have no idea what I just said I'll translate.
NOTE: If you understand how to set up a home network or understand the terms hardwire, bluetooth and wifi, then ignore the next full paragraph.
For internet access in your home you need a device called a modem, it uses a phone or cable line to give you access to well, stuff like this and youtube and facebook. This device has different cables one of the most important being an ethernet cable. This takes the connection the modem has and gives it to your computer, gaming system or what have you so that you can surf the internet. If you don't have an ethernet or the thing that needs internet doesn't have the jack for it, then you can turn to a USB cable in most cases, it does the same thing as the ethernet, just with a different shape. It's kind of like watching a DVD on your tv versus on your computer, they do the same thing, just in different ways. Well, anything you plug into your computer via USB has to have something called a driver, what this does is tell your computer what this foreign object being shoved into it's system is and then tells it not to ruin itself or the object or, in most cases, to simply react to the device. Cross reference time: you have a lock, one that uses a key of a specific shape, as all key-locks do. You have a key blank, it has no ridges or anything. Well, when you try to insert it into the lock, a few things will happen (key won't go in, key goes in but just sits there wondering what it's supposed to do) that lead to the same result, you're not getting the lock open. Now imagine you have a locksmith's kit that allows you to make keys. You take the putty from the kit and make the shape of the lock's insides and then file the key blank to match. That's kind of what a driver does in a round about way for a USB device, it's a key of sorts to getting the system and device to work together.
NOTE: Pay attention now :)
Okay, now we are hopefully caught up and you can see what's going on. I didn't have a way to access the internet to get the drivers for the modem so I could get to the internet. Well, I finally decided not to fight futility. I hopped off the laptop. Fast-forward a day or two and Ben and I are at our friend's house playing games and eating yummy foods. Near the end of the night I realized something. I have internet access! So, as quickly as possible I download the driver and make sure it's what I need. It is. Okay, we're set. So we go home and I'm trying to install drivers on my computer. It says something like, "LOLNOPE" and I'm stuck. What do I do, what aren't I doing? I go through a few different routes of installation and finally go straight to grass-roots, the Device Manager. I click on the USB modem and let the system do it's thing. I now have a hardwire internet connection to my laptop when I was told by the IT guy of a major ISP that I couldn't do it. Vindication.
Also, the guy was creepy, he tried to flirt with me while I'm discussing the details of my BOYFRIEND's account. Yeah, real classy.
Ugh, anyway, that aside, Fée is remarkably pregnant. I am predicting a litter of at least 8 kittens. She should give birth any day now, or rather night since it's more likely to happen at 1-3 am. I'm also writing in my rat journal. When I get life together I'm hopefully going to be able to start college. I'll definitely go for genetics and immunology. It's fascinating and absolutely fun to think about and mess around with on paper. I love it so much. I can't wait to make this a life. :)
Something interesting though, for the college I'm going to attend the degree I want specifically requires calculus. Well, the university has a degree in which you work with a student adviser and make your own major (which I am considering) but seriously, calculus. I have a friend who is a computer programmer who while in college his calculus teacher told him that they would never use calculus. He uses code, his just happens to be in a computer. Geneticists use code as well, it just happens to be in a living being. What did I miss? Why is calculus in that course requirement list? I told Ben when I read that list that I would gladly take five college algebra classes in order to avoid calc. I seriously cannot see how business calc or just regular calc could in any way help make my job easier. Maybe someone out there who has a job in the field I'm seeking would be able to tell me. I cannot see it.
Halloween is coming up. I have no clue what I'll be doing. Meh, we'll see what seems interesting. Lord knows I have enough make up to throw my own zombie walk.
Anyway, that's what's been up. Sorry posts have been infrequent. I'll now be in the process of trying to get back in my writing groove.
G'mornin, g'day or g'night
Afterthought: Why do large companies want to screw everyone?
NOTE: If you understand how to set up a home network or understand the terms hardwire, bluetooth and wifi, then ignore the next full paragraph.
For internet access in your home you need a device called a modem, it uses a phone or cable line to give you access to well, stuff like this and youtube and facebook. This device has different cables one of the most important being an ethernet cable. This takes the connection the modem has and gives it to your computer, gaming system or what have you so that you can surf the internet. If you don't have an ethernet or the thing that needs internet doesn't have the jack for it, then you can turn to a USB cable in most cases, it does the same thing as the ethernet, just with a different shape. It's kind of like watching a DVD on your tv versus on your computer, they do the same thing, just in different ways. Well, anything you plug into your computer via USB has to have something called a driver, what this does is tell your computer what this foreign object being shoved into it's system is and then tells it not to ruin itself or the object or, in most cases, to simply react to the device. Cross reference time: you have a lock, one that uses a key of a specific shape, as all key-locks do. You have a key blank, it has no ridges or anything. Well, when you try to insert it into the lock, a few things will happen (key won't go in, key goes in but just sits there wondering what it's supposed to do) that lead to the same result, you're not getting the lock open. Now imagine you have a locksmith's kit that allows you to make keys. You take the putty from the kit and make the shape of the lock's insides and then file the key blank to match. That's kind of what a driver does in a round about way for a USB device, it's a key of sorts to getting the system and device to work together.
NOTE: Pay attention now :)
Okay, now we are hopefully caught up and you can see what's going on. I didn't have a way to access the internet to get the drivers for the modem so I could get to the internet. Well, I finally decided not to fight futility. I hopped off the laptop. Fast-forward a day or two and Ben and I are at our friend's house playing games and eating yummy foods. Near the end of the night I realized something. I have internet access! So, as quickly as possible I download the driver and make sure it's what I need. It is. Okay, we're set. So we go home and I'm trying to install drivers on my computer. It says something like, "LOLNOPE" and I'm stuck. What do I do, what aren't I doing? I go through a few different routes of installation and finally go straight to grass-roots, the Device Manager. I click on the USB modem and let the system do it's thing. I now have a hardwire internet connection to my laptop when I was told by the IT guy of a major ISP that I couldn't do it. Vindication.
Also, the guy was creepy, he tried to flirt with me while I'm discussing the details of my BOYFRIEND's account. Yeah, real classy.
Ugh, anyway, that aside, Fée is remarkably pregnant. I am predicting a litter of at least 8 kittens. She should give birth any day now, or rather night since it's more likely to happen at 1-3 am. I'm also writing in my rat journal. When I get life together I'm hopefully going to be able to start college. I'll definitely go for genetics and immunology. It's fascinating and absolutely fun to think about and mess around with on paper. I love it so much. I can't wait to make this a life. :)
Something interesting though, for the college I'm going to attend the degree I want specifically requires calculus. Well, the university has a degree in which you work with a student adviser and make your own major (which I am considering) but seriously, calculus. I have a friend who is a computer programmer who while in college his calculus teacher told him that they would never use calculus. He uses code, his just happens to be in a computer. Geneticists use code as well, it just happens to be in a living being. What did I miss? Why is calculus in that course requirement list? I told Ben when I read that list that I would gladly take five college algebra classes in order to avoid calc. I seriously cannot see how business calc or just regular calc could in any way help make my job easier. Maybe someone out there who has a job in the field I'm seeking would be able to tell me. I cannot see it.
Halloween is coming up. I have no clue what I'll be doing. Meh, we'll see what seems interesting. Lord knows I have enough make up to throw my own zombie walk.
Anyway, that's what's been up. Sorry posts have been infrequent. I'll now be in the process of trying to get back in my writing groove.
G'mornin, g'day or g'night
Afterthought: Why do large companies want to screw everyone?
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Fée - A French Love Story
There she was, in the pale white sheen of the halogen lights far above her. She was a prisoner of a high-walled home of glass. Her prison-mates sat with her through meal-time, chewing disgustedly on bricks of dried gruel. How could anyone eat this? The quality of life miserable. Across the way she could hear more of her kind being taken away to be used in cold-blooded murder plots. She was safe from a fate such as that, she had a unique trait that differentiated her and made her beautiful. Along with the buying of her people there were many large beasts that were for sale of all shapes and sizes, perhaps being used as slaves. For all she could see there was so much more she couldn't. In the cell right next to hers and her companions were people whom people labeled pigs. She feared for her life at this point. She knew nothing of the world outside her cell.
Many faces came in and passed by, paying little attention to her, she didn't know if this comforted her or discouraged her. She knew many of her companions longed for days with people whom they could trust, people who would treat them well and give them wonderful and delicious food to eat with new friends in a new home. She hated the cell in which she was confined. She had no freedom and the only true shelter she could enjoy was small and crowding everyone into it would have been nigh impossible.
Yet, through all of this turmoil, she had love. Through all of the hardships and horror of her prison, she had managed to find that one true soul mate in whom she could confide and trust. His name was Nathan Drake, and if she could help it, she would never leave him behind. One day, so shortly after they had wed and began their family, Fée was bought. She was just pregnant, and no one knew, and here she was, being bought. The ones who took her also took people from across the way, the ones that are normally sold for cold-blooded power. She was welcomes into their home, given friends and food, a wonderful place to live and many great things. But she didn't have Drake, her wonderful Nathan Drake had to be left behind.
In that first night there was a casualty within her new home. A very small girl that had been purchased with her tried to get out and explore. She was fatally injured in the process. When her keepers woke they seemed terribly distraught, so much so as to give her a funeral and proper disposal of her body. She spoke of trying to keep beasts away so that they wouldn't be able to defile it. Her keepers left post-haste to her old prison to rescue more of her companions.
She began speaking to the others, asking how well the keepers treated them. A young woman with curious eyes told her about a woman who'd recently passed that was missing a foot, but that they took care of and loved regardless.
"When Hermione took ill, they gave her medicine and tried to keep her alive, they feel terribly that she didn't make it. There's also a boy over there," she gestured to the other side of the divide, "he has a malformed mouth, so they take special care to make sure he can eat."
Fée felt more at ease now, knowing that when she had her children they would be well taken care of. She still worried over the heart of her poor Drake. When her new keepers returned they a surprise in a transport carrier. Drake! Nathan Drake! Her heart leaped for joy, even if she couldn't be with him in the same home, she was with him nonetheless.
Fin
- - - - - - - - - - - -
Yeah, Fée is pregnant. Due any day now... Ben and I are excited. I am also a little crazy, this seemed like the best idea for how to express this.
G'mornin, g'night or g'day
Afterthought: Unless I'd told you it was about a rat, would you have known?
Many faces came in and passed by, paying little attention to her, she didn't know if this comforted her or discouraged her. She knew many of her companions longed for days with people whom they could trust, people who would treat them well and give them wonderful and delicious food to eat with new friends in a new home. She hated the cell in which she was confined. She had no freedom and the only true shelter she could enjoy was small and crowding everyone into it would have been nigh impossible.
Yet, through all of this turmoil, she had love. Through all of the hardships and horror of her prison, she had managed to find that one true soul mate in whom she could confide and trust. His name was Nathan Drake, and if she could help it, she would never leave him behind. One day, so shortly after they had wed and began their family, Fée was bought. She was just pregnant, and no one knew, and here she was, being bought. The ones who took her also took people from across the way, the ones that are normally sold for cold-blooded power. She was welcomes into their home, given friends and food, a wonderful place to live and many great things. But she didn't have Drake, her wonderful Nathan Drake had to be left behind.
In that first night there was a casualty within her new home. A very small girl that had been purchased with her tried to get out and explore. She was fatally injured in the process. When her keepers woke they seemed terribly distraught, so much so as to give her a funeral and proper disposal of her body. She spoke of trying to keep beasts away so that they wouldn't be able to defile it. Her keepers left post-haste to her old prison to rescue more of her companions.
She began speaking to the others, asking how well the keepers treated them. A young woman with curious eyes told her about a woman who'd recently passed that was missing a foot, but that they took care of and loved regardless.
"When Hermione took ill, they gave her medicine and tried to keep her alive, they feel terribly that she didn't make it. There's also a boy over there," she gestured to the other side of the divide, "he has a malformed mouth, so they take special care to make sure he can eat."
Fée felt more at ease now, knowing that when she had her children they would be well taken care of. She still worried over the heart of her poor Drake. When her new keepers returned they a surprise in a transport carrier. Drake! Nathan Drake! Her heart leaped for joy, even if she couldn't be with him in the same home, she was with him nonetheless.
Fin
- - - - - - - - - - - -
Yeah, Fée is pregnant. Due any day now... Ben and I are excited. I am also a little crazy, this seemed like the best idea for how to express this.
G'mornin, g'night or g'day
Afterthought: Unless I'd told you it was about a rat, would you have known?
Monday, September 12, 2011
Dear Mac Laptop
Thanks for dying. -_-
Ben and I don't have internet at our apartment right now. The only way I'll be able to post is from his college, which fortunately has free wifi. Slow, but free. So, until he and i are able to regain internet access, hopefully with the purchase of a router, the posts may be few and far between. Money situation is insane, I'm looking for a job, so let's hope someone decides it'll be awesome to hire me. Until then, enjoy this as compensation.
G'mornin, g'night or g'day
Afterthought: Why are things made to break?
Ben and I don't have internet at our apartment right now. The only way I'll be able to post is from his college, which fortunately has free wifi. Slow, but free. So, until he and i are able to regain internet access, hopefully with the purchase of a router, the posts may be few and far between. Money situation is insane, I'm looking for a job, so let's hope someone decides it'll be awesome to hire me. Until then, enjoy this as compensation.
G'mornin, g'night or g'day
Afterthought: Why are things made to break?
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Iris, our new Houdini
So, this morning was... interesting. Ben comes into the room, fully dressed for the day and tells me Iris is missing. We spent the next half of our day trying to find her. She's a little sheepish and unlike Athena and Algernon, whom are allowed to roam freely when I think of it, she doesn't come just by having her name called. She also doesn't do what Athena does where if she gets stuck, she squeaks like mad to have Momma and Daddy rescue her from the evil couch.
So we spent the time trying to find her, wondering where she went and finally we thought that she may have gotten out and that we would never have her back. I was prepared to write that blog tonight. Luckily, I don't have to. Ben took a shower a little bit ago and when he went into the room to get dressed I heard the following, "no, no, no! It's okay, don't run away!" I immediately perked up and listened. He came out with Iris in his arms. She was spooked and I could understand. What's funnier is that a little bit earlier he noticed a tongue mark in the treat we put out to lure her. A mixture of honey, yogurt and peanut butter and I hadn't really thought that she was still in the house. I think more than anything I didn't want to get my hopes up.
So, Ben comes out holding our little escape artist and says, "do you know where I found her?" I didn't and then Ben answers, laughing, "in my underwear drawer!"
So, here I was, thinking she was gone forever and then there she is, like a sweet little mischief that I could never be mad at.
Before this incident we weren't able to pick her up easily, she was always a little skiddish. For the rest of the night Ben has been able to pick her up no problem. We put the rest of the bait mixture into the girls' grotto to let them celebrate the wonderful reunion of Iris with us.
In other news, I tried to play a practical joke on Bear and gave him a small chunk of pickle.
I never was a good practical joker. He took it, nibbled it for a second and just when I expected him to drag his mouth and glare, he snatched it from between the bars and ran away with it. He, Ares and Cream are insane. *sigh* I haven't broken it to them yet that they can't have too much of it or even have to it that often. Too much salt. Poor things, they'll be so heartbroken. *snicker*
G'mornin', g'night or g'day
Afterthought: Ben's first question upon having found Iris was, "how did you get in there?" I think we all know that feeling. :)
So we spent the time trying to find her, wondering where she went and finally we thought that she may have gotten out and that we would never have her back. I was prepared to write that blog tonight. Luckily, I don't have to. Ben took a shower a little bit ago and when he went into the room to get dressed I heard the following, "no, no, no! It's okay, don't run away!" I immediately perked up and listened. He came out with Iris in his arms. She was spooked and I could understand. What's funnier is that a little bit earlier he noticed a tongue mark in the treat we put out to lure her. A mixture of honey, yogurt and peanut butter and I hadn't really thought that she was still in the house. I think more than anything I didn't want to get my hopes up.
So, Ben comes out holding our little escape artist and says, "do you know where I found her?" I didn't and then Ben answers, laughing, "in my underwear drawer!"
So, here I was, thinking she was gone forever and then there she is, like a sweet little mischief that I could never be mad at.
Before this incident we weren't able to pick her up easily, she was always a little skiddish. For the rest of the night Ben has been able to pick her up no problem. We put the rest of the bait mixture into the girls' grotto to let them celebrate the wonderful reunion of Iris with us.
In other news, I tried to play a practical joke on Bear and gave him a small chunk of pickle.
I never was a good practical joker. He took it, nibbled it for a second and just when I expected him to drag his mouth and glare, he snatched it from between the bars and ran away with it. He, Ares and Cream are insane. *sigh* I haven't broken it to them yet that they can't have too much of it or even have to it that often. Too much salt. Poor things, they'll be so heartbroken. *snicker*
G'mornin', g'night or g'day
Afterthought: Ben's first question upon having found Iris was, "how did you get in there?" I think we all know that feeling. :)
Saturday, September 3, 2011
Milaea and the Girls' Grotto Project
When the tide came in
you were there with a
sparkle in your eyes
when they went out
you let me know of love
but you still said goodbye
I don't blame you or me
sometimes an angel
just has to fly
Ō
͡͡ω(⌅)͡ω
(i i) (I put way too much effort into this to be sane)
I wish I had an image for our little girl we lost after only having her for one day. It's still surprising at times just how well a rat can work her way into your heart. I cried and cried all that day, I still cry when I think of her and Dobby. Milaea is an alternate spelling for Meliah which means, "of the sea" and so I wrote that poem on a piece of paper and we laid her body with it in the box.
So, Ben and I knew we would have to find a larger home for our big group of girls. We were planning on finding a book shelf or other portable cabinet to build them a grotto so that we could move them there and move the boys to the largest cage. We'd recently moved Algernon and Athena to the boys' old cage and then moved the boys to the bird cage. Well, we were having no luck finding a shelf or cabinet that worked for us. We also don't have tons of money or time to be able to build from scratch or buy a custom. So, we're walking through our local walmart and we see the aisle with all the storage bins. I'm looking at them thinking that if we combined two of them we could make a grotto. I have a wood burning tool that I can also use to melt through plastic. This way the babies would have adequate ventilation. So that's what we went ahead and did as well as putting the bird cage top on top of the large rat cage. I secured it as well as a bit of felt (to protect their feet from the bars) with chain mail links that I have left over after taking an old collar apart.
Long story short, the boys are having a blast and the girls are as well. They have a tunnel made from PVC to get back and forth.
G'mornin, g'night or g'day
Afterthought: Have you ever bought a food for your rats that you wouldn't eat yourself? (Lab blocks and the like don't count)
you were there with a
sparkle in your eyes
when they went out
you let me know of love
but you still said goodbye
I don't blame you or me
sometimes an angel
just has to fly
Ō
͡͡ω(⌅)͡ω
(i i) (I put way too much effort into this to be sane)
I wish I had an image for our little girl we lost after only having her for one day. It's still surprising at times just how well a rat can work her way into your heart. I cried and cried all that day, I still cry when I think of her and Dobby. Milaea is an alternate spelling for Meliah which means, "of the sea" and so I wrote that poem on a piece of paper and we laid her body with it in the box.
So, Ben and I knew we would have to find a larger home for our big group of girls. We were planning on finding a book shelf or other portable cabinet to build them a grotto so that we could move them there and move the boys to the largest cage. We'd recently moved Algernon and Athena to the boys' old cage and then moved the boys to the bird cage. Well, we were having no luck finding a shelf or cabinet that worked for us. We also don't have tons of money or time to be able to build from scratch or buy a custom. So, we're walking through our local walmart and we see the aisle with all the storage bins. I'm looking at them thinking that if we combined two of them we could make a grotto. I have a wood burning tool that I can also use to melt through plastic. This way the babies would have adequate ventilation. So that's what we went ahead and did as well as putting the bird cage top on top of the large rat cage. I secured it as well as a bit of felt (to protect their feet from the bars) with chain mail links that I have left over after taking an old collar apart.
Long story short, the boys are having a blast and the girls are as well. They have a tunnel made from PVC to get back and forth.
G'mornin, g'night or g'day
Afterthought: Have you ever bought a food for your rats that you wouldn't eat yourself? (Lab blocks and the like don't count)
Thursday, September 1, 2011
I Am Such A Nerd
So... You can probably see the resemblance here, right? This is our new Dumbo Boy (and the oldest boy). He likes to explore, and he likes ladies. He had gotten two of his cage mates pregnant before we got him, and he loves sitting on my shoulder as I walk around. He's also very adventurous. For those reasons, we named him Nathan Drake.
What we didn't expect was how the other boys would take to him. Our two youngest, Zeus and Dumble, are who he protects from the evil forces of the cage moving, and Mommy and Daddy grabbing them. Bumblebee and him are like brothers, to the point where Bumblebee will get upset if he's out without Drake. Bear will play with him, but Drake, being bigger, will stop if he feels he's getting to rough. Bear will then take advantage of this, and tackle Drake.
I'm a nerd. I have rats named after musicians, Transformers, Redwall characters, Greek Mythology, and now a video game character. What's next, Cthulhu the Berkshire Rex?
Ben
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