# A Rattakiss Ruckuss....!!!!!!



## sharlee (Apr 19, 2008)

Well to anyone that has been reading my posts lately you know that for the last while there has been ALOT of rattakiss ruckus goin' on. First poor Butterbean died and then not long after getting Sonora and Tobi I heard the pitter patter of 10 pairs of feet. My 43rd birthday is coming next week (Yeah me!!) so I bought myself a Ferret Nation 142 double stacked cage for the girls and boys. For all my good intentions it backfired!! Even though the babies are huge and I thought they wouldn't fit through the cage bars I was** VERY WRONG** Rube and Reggie the "Terrible Twins" were found in the girls cage sleeping with all six girls! All I could think was S#**T they are going to spawn 100 babies "Shoot Me Now" SO Sonora, Delilah, Whisper, Pengu, Ally and Seraphina made a fast trip to the vet to get spayed. Pengu and Ally will be going to live with my best friends daughter and I couldn't in all honesty do that knowing they could be pregnant. For all of you that do not know how much it costs to have your rats spayed or neutered take heed. $150.00 EACH!! due to the fact I have a great vet he took 10% off the total price and a additional $50.00 it still came out to a whopping total of $ 850.00. There goes the backyard pool I was going to buy for my girls but I learned a valuable lesson. Rat boys will do anything and I mean ANYTHING to get to a female in heat and NEVER,NEVER get boys and girls at the same time unless you are willing to shell out the big bucks to rectify possible unwanted pregnancies. Who would want 75 or more in bred babies? I couldn't send them to the humane societies already over burdoned pet population. As it turned out, none of the girls were pregnant so I don't have the added guilt of thinking I killed babies but I still "paid the price" right in the wallet. My husband Jim?... Lets not go there but I have to pay back every cent to the line of credit including the interest. I have sold my old cage for $85.00 and I will be selling ALOT more of my collectables to pay this debt. There is a moral to this long tale as well...Be prepared as a responcible Rattikiss owner to shell out $$ you might not have to keep your furry friends healthy and happy.Think hard before bringing that cute ratty home if you wont be willing to pay vet bills when ever needed.These lovely, sweet rattakisses deserve nothing less. Don't you think? Sharlee.


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## KayRatz (Apr 5, 2007)

you should have neutered the boys instead

cheaper


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## JulesMichy (Apr 8, 2007)

KayRatz said:


> you should have neutered the boys instead
> 
> cheaper


If there's a choice (meaning you have the money), _always_ spay females instead. So many more health benefits. Just having three girls I've had 7 tumors and a case of pyometra. So yeah, go with the spay.


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## lovinmyworm (Feb 18, 2008)

She had the girls spayed because the boys had already gotten out of the cage and in with the girls. If they were pregnant it would have been like a ratty abortion and no babies. Plus spaying females is always a good idea! It stops so many health problems from occurring later in life. 

BTW: I feel your pain! I just shelled out $942 at 2 different vets office last Friday for my pets. The dog had an ear infection so I took him to the vet and got him his antibiotics and such, while he was there got him his next set of shots along with having his nails clipped (because he refuses to allow me to do it) which meant sedating him so they could do it. Then Mr. Frumples was sick and I had to take him to the vets. 45 minutes one day gas at $4.09 per gallon. The vet said "lets wait and see" ummm ok. I'm watching my friends dog while my she is out of town. When I got home I took the dogs out to go play. My dog was acting fine, but hers didn't seem to want to play. I looked over at her and thought she was choking. I loaded her and the boys up in the car and raced back to the vets office. (I actually left my poor dog outside I was in such a hurry). When I got there I thought they were going to pull something out of her mouth like she was choking. Nope tons of tests, x rays, bloodwork, more bloodwork, ect. and $450 later on that part of the bill and yeah my friends dog had lymphoma. It had swollen so much that it was compressing her airways. There really isn't a treatment for it that actually works so I had to call my friend and tell her that her dog needs put to sleep, worst day ever! This dog is her baby, her everything and she is out of town! Because of her breed the vet said they often show no signs of any illness until it's so bad that affects their breathing, or their movement. Great... no wonder I didn't notice. Earlier that morning she had played ball with me outside, gone to the dog park, ect. and was totally fine. $200 to have her put to sleep and cremated along with a plaster paw print they did for my friend since she couldn't be there. Pets are expensive!! My friend is broke, I don't dare ask her for the money for her dog's vet bills back. I'd rather just take the hit! She lost her dog, has no money and there is no way I can even try to approach that subject with her! Then Mr. Frumples got worse on Saturday and we had to drive back to the vets office to get the antibiotics and for the vet to check him out again. He's getting better now (once I shove the antibiotics down his throat basically, or bribe him to take them).


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## phaidraft (Apr 9, 2008)

I wish it was $150. I was quoted about $250 everywhere I've called.


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## sharlee (Apr 19, 2008)

I am finding that ALOT of people in the states have MUCH higher prices for there Rattkisses than here in Canada. Any ideas?


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## twitch (Jan 4, 2007)

there's more market in the states the canada...? but you guys also have good breeders and rat shows and more knowledgeable vets and just more rat vets period....


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## KayRatz (Apr 5, 2007)

JulesMichy said:


> KayRatz said:
> 
> 
> > you should have neutered the boys instead
> ...


Having girls all my life I've had 1 tumor, personally.


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