# First Time Rat Mommy



## HollandTaylor (Aug 28, 2011)

*My First Ratties*

Introducing my very first rats after years and years of wishing, hoping, and dreaming. I'd like everyone to meet Apollo and Artemis! 

They were not fans of the bumpy noisy truck on the way home but they did come out every so often to sniff fingers and look around. 








This is Apollo. He's a little more skittish about people. He's been letting me pet him a bit and slowly warming up. He's curious about me but scampers off to do other things when I catch him looking at me or coming closer. He's been giving my finger tips little nips but nothing bad. When he and Artemis tussle he seems to be the alpha rat. He ends up on top and power grooms Arty's belly. 









And this is Artemis. My dumbo. The people I got them from said his name was John. They then told me that neither one of them knew their names so they could be changed. I decided to keep Apollo but I just can't have a "John" in my house. No way. No how. So I figured Artemis would work. For two reasons. 1) In Greek mythology Artemis and Apollo are siblings. Twins. However, Artemis is a goddess. So... 2) I love the Artemis Fowl books by Eoin Colfer. Big fan. So it works! Arty is soo sweet. I though he would be the more skittish of the two because he seemed so shy on the ride home. But he's actually really sweet and has been letting me give him all kinds of skritches and kisses. 




















They both have no problem taking treats from my fingers like there is no tomorrow. Right now they are being kept in the *CritterWARE® Animal House 35" Small Animal Cage* from PetSmart. Let me be on the record as saying... I am NOT a fan. But it's the cage they came to me with. And it's the only one 100% rat ready. I have another cage of my own that I'll be moving them to but it's not ready for mischievous little boys just yet. Hopefully by the end of the week. (I didn't expect to getting my little babies so soon!) 

I LOVE my new little fur-babies and I couldn't be happier! 

I have to give a MASSIVE thank you to Lovingly for putting me in touch with the wonder family that passed their little darlings on to me. This is a dream come true and I love it! 

(I'm still not very good at identifying colors/markings so if someone wouldn't mind helping me out in that department I'd totally appreciate it!)


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## HollandTaylor (Aug 28, 2011)

So my first intro post didn't really workout. Hopefully this one will because I'm really excited to introduce everyone to my very first pair of ratties ever! 

Introducing...

My shy but gentle agouti hooded, Apollo








and 

My curious, mischief making, agouti capped dumbo, Artemis








They have stolen my heart and scampered away with it, (likely stashing it amongst the cheerios in their "secret" hideaway), and this is only my first full day of having them! 

I was definitely always meant to be a rat mommy. I thought I'd be a little nervous once actually getting some of my own but I'm the opposite! I'm totally relaxed and at home with them. Which is something I haven't been in many many months. They have been so therapeutic for me in just these last 2 days... our future together looks bright! 









Now as far as their names go... Apollo already had that name from the people who had them before me. I liked it and decided to keep that name. But Artemis was originally named "John". That is a name I just can't have in my house. And I mean...seriously...does he look like a "John" to you?? No. 
SO, thanks to two things I quite enjoy, Greek mythology and Eoin Colfer's "Artemis Fowl" books, I was able to give my sweet little dumbo a name that not only fits solidly with "Apollo" but also a name suited to his criminal mastermind nature that I'm becoming quickly familiar with. 

Now I just can't wait to get their much larger cage finished so I can move them to it. Apollo is definitely a climber but he doesn't have much to work with in the short cage they came with. Someone at the pet store recommended it to the original family but it is clearly better suited to a guinea pig.  









I'm not sure how old they are. The woman that gave them to me said they bought them at PetSmart and they've had them for 4 months. So, I don't know how young PetSmart sells rats but these two are that age plus 4 months. :/ 

I'm just so excited about having my very own little eepers! 









I leave their cage door open while I'm in the room and just let them roam free all day. Earlier I was down on the floor with them and I guess I dozed off, (don't worry, my room is rat proof), when I suddenly woke up to BOTH of them taking turns grooming my bangs! It was the cutest sweetest little thing! I wish I could have caught it on camera. It just made me so happy!









They're still not big fans of being picked up. The family I got them from said they were giving them away because their son wasn't spending appropriate time with them. I can tell. They're not TERRIBLY shy but enough that you can tell they needed more attention than what they had. 

I just can't stress enough how much I love my little boys! No shame, I straight up drank the kool-aid <3


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## EJW323 (Jun 18, 2013)

Welcome to the world of rat ownership! They're so cute and I love their names! (I'm also a huge fan of Greek mythology). 


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## Lovingly (Jun 24, 2013)

Awe so happy to see the boys love their new home!! Love their names also a big fan of Greek mythology :3


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## HollandTaylor (Aug 28, 2011)

EJW323 said:


> Welcome to the world of rat ownership! They're so cute and I love their names! (I'm also a huge fan of Greek mythology).
> 
> 
> Sent from Petguide.com Free App


Thanks! They are certainly making me feel welcome with the chewing, paper stealing, and little boy mischief.  I can't get enough. I do see my corner dresser becoming a hide-and-get-stuck problem though. That will need to be remedied but otherwise... they are perfect! So so happy!


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## HollandTaylor (Aug 28, 2011)

Lovingly said:


> Awe so happy to see the boys love their new home!! Love their names also a big fan of Greek mythology :3


Dang it! I put a shout out to you in my first intro attempt and totally forgot to recreate it in attempt #2! I'm so sorry. So huge shout out matchmaker brownie points to you for putting me in touch with Cris! You were a God-send with that post! 

I never imagined I'd get them so quickly or that it would be such an easy transition. Thank you so so much! 

And I'm so glad other fans of Greek mythology aren't jumping down my throat that Artemis is a goddess' name.  It fit with "Apollo" and I felt I could justify it further with the Artemis Fowl books that I love wherein Artemis is the main MALE character. Just good juju all around!


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## lalalauren (Jul 3, 2013)

Beautiful boys! I had plans to get a male rat called Artemis one day (after Artemis Fowl  ) so I'm totally on board with that!


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## Lovingly (Jun 24, 2013)

Lol that's fine no shout out needed I'm just so happy to have helped found them amazing home  Keep us updated though love to see how things go! And I think Artemis is a cutie name for a male :3


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## CJMoore (Jul 30, 2013)

I am a new rat owner as well and I can't really give you any tips on your rats but I can tell you what I think your rats markings are. I am not expert and I may be wrong. Apollo is a black hooded and I think Artemis is a black headspot? I am not sure if that is even I marking name but it is something like that.


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## HollandTaylor (Aug 28, 2011)

Guys I'm sorry about this. As soon as I made my new thread about my babies this one decided to post too. I'll ask a mod to take this one down so ignore it. My 2nd attempt thread is called "First Time Rat Mommy" still in the Meet My Rat section. I thought this one messed up. Sorry!


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## HollandTaylor (Aug 28, 2011)

CJMoore said:


> I am a new rat owner as well and I can't really give you any tips on your rats but I can tell you what I think your rats markings are. I am not expert and I may be wrong. Apollo is a black hooded and I think Artemis is a black headspot? I am not sure if that is even I marking name but it is something like that.


Actually I found out that Apollo is an agouti hooded and Artemis is an agouti capped. I won't be following this thread though. I'm having it deleted. My main intro thread for my rats is "First Time Rat Mommy". Thanks!


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## HollandTaylor (Aug 28, 2011)

lalalauren said:


> Beautiful boys! I had plans to get a male rat called Artemis one day (after Artemis Fowl  ) so I'm totally on board with that!
> 
> 
> Sent from Petguide.com Free App


Haha Awesome! You still should! I didn't expect it to fit him so perfectly though. I mean... criminal mastermind all the way! lol Thanks!


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## HollandTaylor (Aug 28, 2011)

Lovingly said:


> Lol that's fine no shout out needed I'm just so happy to have helped found them amazing home  Keep us updated though love to see how things go! And I think Artemis is a cutie name for a male :3


I sure will! Last night I couldn't get Apollo to come out from under one of my dressers. I didn't realize it had a hollow base that opened in the back. Well he decided to go under there and curl up to go to sleep. I tried getting him to come out for treats but no deal. I decided to leave the cage door open and when he wanted to come out or needed water or food he knew where to go. I woke up to Artemis crawling on me and trying to steal my robe off the bed. It was so cute! Thank goodness for rat-proofing! (Mostly...that dresser is gonna be the death of me.  )


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## Maltey (Jun 26, 2011)

Since both threads had replies on them I merged them together rather than deleting them


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## ShameOnSnakeFood (Jul 25, 2013)

Oh my goodness! They are so cute! I just felt like I wanted to scoop them up and run away with them (not steal...just you know.....borrow) heheI actually thought of naming one of my rats Apollo.....it's a very good name, same with Artemis.  Have fun with your little ratties!


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## HollandTaylor (Aug 28, 2011)

Maltey said:


> Since both threads had replies on them I merged them together rather than deleting them


Oh thanks so much! That'll work!


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## HollandTaylor (Aug 28, 2011)

ShameOnSnakeFood said:


> Oh my goodness! They are so cute! I just felt like I wanted to scoop them up and run away with them (not steal...just you know.....borrow) heheI actually thought of naming one of my rats Apollo.....it's a very good name, same with Artemis.  Have fun with your little ratties!


Yay! I'm so glad everyone seems to like them! I am so much in love with them it's ridiculous! You may definitely scoop them up! And stay put...Right by the cage...Where I can keep an eye on you...lol  I'm actually really surprised at how much I like their names! I have a whole long list of rat names I was going to pick from and neither of their names are on that list.  I love how stuff just sort of works out like this!


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