Rat Travel Adventures

A blog from traveling rats!

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I have been bonding nicely. I give them a puzzle every day or put treats in a snuffle mat. Dangerous Beans always wants to know what I'm up to. They are getting pretty big! I will be putting a ladder down to the floor and setting up a play pen for them on the floor. I plan to put old towels I can't use and like the play pen with them.

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I was able to pick up the new babies a couple days early. Their names are from a book The Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents. Dangerous Beans is the brown dumbo, Sardines is the silver one, and Darktan is the black one. They are tiny balls of energy zipping around everywhere. I think Sardines is going to be easily trained for camera work. I'm excited for an outgoing rat.

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For people that don't know, all the fabric you see in my rat cage is custom cut and custom sewed by myself. I have been working long hours cutting fabric and sewing fabric. I also custom make the fleece covering the floor wire in the cage. So far this weekend I have only made one set of shelf covering and one hammock. I'm out of practice, tee-hee. I find the double hammock essential for peace in the cage. I am picking up new babies on August 14th and I have named all three already. I'm excited for scuffling, squeaking, and clicking tiny babies.

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Obby also passed under a week ago. I finally figured out what was wrong with him. He had heart failure. Finally figured that out when his paws were getting blue. I did all I could to help him. He was 1 1/2 years old. He was being patient here and waiting for a treat.

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I have unexpected and bad news. Moomoo died rather suddenly. I don't know what happened. Obby is, somehow, still alive. I don't have a specialist and I have narrowed it down to a heart problem. I have no way to take care of it. He is being kept comfortable. I do know when Obby passes I am not planning on getting more rats for a long time. I can't seem to find a breeder that will breed rats without chronic conditions. I can't take the stress of constant unique chronic illnesses.

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Moomoo was asking why must I do stretches? I must stay with him on the bed and not go anywhere else, even though he doesn't even touch me. 😂

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I know I haven't posted in forever and a day but really, I am doing my best to manage both Obby's chronic illnesses and mine. It takes up all my time. This is a picture of Obby and Moomoo in their hammock. They may not be any good with a camera and I may not have energy to train them, but they are very happy.

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Bwonsamdi and I have lost the battle against his health. He started to pee only blood last week. I scheduled him to be put down today, I just got back from dropping off his body at the crematorium. This was my last picture of him that I took today. He had a good day today. He had chocolate cereal this morning and his favorite foods yesterday and today. He was on pain killers this past week to keep him comfortable. I'm glad he had a good day.

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Bwonsamdi has had his yums, it's cuddle time. I can't help but love my big boy. He has had a urinary tract infection so he is on medication for that. He is a medical mess but I try the best I can to help him out.

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Bwonsamdi also thinks the snuffle mat and sunflower seeds are the best. I know I never officially said this, but he hates the other two passionately. He will walk around their cage and hiss at them if I let him. During introductions, it started out just fine, but Bwonsamdi escalated aggressive behavior. He was out for blood after week two. At least they pulled him out of his depression after Jani passed away.

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They love their snuffle mat. I got them some of those black oil sunflower seeds for wild birds. Obby says it sure is tasty!

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Bwonsamdi gets a nice, healthy breakfast! He has spinach, snow peas, a grape from our garden, carrots, a nut mix made up of raw almonds, walnuts, pecans, and roasted, unsalted sunflower kernels, and to top it off, a few pieces of rat blocks.

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Mommy has a lot of raw nuts! Oh boy, it's puzzle time! Moomoo is being much more active in puzzle solving today.

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More enrichment. Obby figures out the puzzles and Moomoo just comes in after and eats. I try to get them engaged in a puzzle on a daily basis, make things not so boring for them.

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Enrichment time! Obby and Moomoo love their snuffle mat. Obby is always really nervous when I get the phone near him for pictures, it always makes him look startled. Moomoo's face is so happy. They love those sunflower seeds.

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I have been really busy the past few months with Bwonsamdi. He had really dark pee for months and it never cleared up. My vet here didn't do a blood draw so I had to take him about an hour and a half away to get tested. Finally I got an answer for it, he is diabetic. It's a little rough because I can only manage his diet. The vets aren't willing to give him insulin. He has been acting much more energetic with his set meal times, less kibble, more veggies, and more protein.

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This is definitely Obby's favorite thing in the whole wide world. He is just so cute burrowing in the balls.