# Bunny didn't eat a golf ball after all and please welcome the lucky 7



## Rat Daddy (Sep 25, 2011)

So..... This was out newest little girl until last Friday... Her name is Bunny.









Bunny is Cloudy Rat's great great great grand niece and Misty Rats great Grand niece or there abouts.... She's from the same breeder and line that produced two of our four true shoulder rats and we have high hopes for her too.








Cloudy Rat








Misty Rat and Cloudy Rat



And it turns out that Bunny didn't eat a golf ball after all...
















Yup... after we adopted Bunny and her immersion was going well we introduced her to Misty Rat which went pear shaped and she started acting a bit tweeky and then suddenly started bulging around the middle... I called the breeder and I asked if she might be pregnant... there was dead air, pause of affect and then finally a "yes... I'm sorry... it's possible"... Oddly I was still rooting for the golf ball explanation.

Bunny is doing well... healing from her injuries sustained in the intro gone south to Misty... and diligently nursing her pups and caring for them. She's letting us handle the pups and seems to enjoy a bit of attention from us too. She's still a little on the high strung side and is intent on scavenging my dresser for additional nesting materials... And she keeps tugging at our shirts to get more tissue paper to enlarge her nest with.

There are seven pups, my daughter and I will be pre-socializing them. They are all exceptionally healthy and as there are only seven, getting plenty of milk and growing fast. They are from a medium size strain. Cloud passed away at two without getting tumors and Misty is in great health and still plays tug of war at over a year old. Neither rat have ever seen a vet. Both were or are true shoulder rats. A third rat from the same breeder adopted by a friend a couple months after we adopted Cloud was also in excellent health and going outside with her human last I heard from her. Cloud was pudgy and preferred her meals from the kitchen trash while my friend is a health food freak... The breeder claims that in his experience this strain gets about 2 1/4 years old and dies of old age, but I wouldn't be surprised if the health food only fed rat lives longer. In any case, neither Cloud nor Misty have ever had any special care or diets... They eat mainly leftovers, and in Cloud's case... anything moldy in the trash. These are not hothouse rats.

The babies are likely to be black on white... blue on white or a color I like to call 1990's GM upholstery.... kind of a grey-tan, on white like Misty. The black on whites are most likely to have natural color eyes the other's may or may not be black-ruby. None should have issues with bright sunlight, or vision... but the natural brown eyed rats are likely to see better for shoulder rat training... but it's too young to rule out a surprise... Mom is a dumbo, and most likely most of the pups will be too... Cloud was a very soft rex, Bunny has soft straight hair, we don't know who dad is, so there may or may not be rexes among the pups.

This line has been bred for good health and temperament for many generations, so all of the pups should have sweet and temperate personalities. We will be working with them so they will be pre-socialized before they go to their forever homes... 

We haven't sexed the pups yet, but first pick of the girls and first and second pick among the boys are taken, and I've received inquiries about the others, but no firm commitments yet. These are the first pics I've posted anywhere. They can go as singles to current rat owners or pairs to people who don't have rats currently. Adoption requires a $15.00 donation to my daughter's rat fund. These pups should be really excellent quality with the potential to be amazing...

We are in NJ near exit 12 on the turnpike... northern Middlesex County. The pups will be leaving us between 4 and 6 weeks old as we don't have the facilities to let them free range in the house enough and I don't like to keep rats in cages too much of the time. We will do our best to maximize mom time, and socialize the pups, but will not keep them to the point that we can't provide the best life possible.... they should be ready for their human families to take over raising them in three to five weeks or a little bit longer, depending on how the pups mature. 

As everyone has their own taste, it isn't likely that two people are going to choose the same pup, but picks will go in the order of confirmed adoption inquiry received... If you are interested please let us know if you want boys or girls or something special and how many... As we don't know what we have yet third boy may never be available but fifth girl might... so don't be discouraged... if you are interested and have room in your home and heart PM me. 

I know, I'm likely taking adoption placements a bit early, and there are only 7 pups, but these should be very special rats and I'd rather have a waiting list than send them to lesser homes because I can't keep them too long.

This is the first and most likely the last time I'm doing this... I'd prefer these pups go to people who want to work with them and help them to grow to their potential. I haven't worked out all of the what if's... But picking order will determine who gets which rat if two people want the same one.... but no one will get stuck with a rat they don't want. For sure, that's all I can promise... And yes, you can meet the rats before you take them home... maybe we'll have an adoption picnic... maybe at our safe site? 

If you have room in your home and your heart... and you are near NJ... again.... feel free to PM me.

Now that that's out of the way... I'll post more on how Bunny and the pups are doing and growing and I'll try and update the pics for those waiting and those otherwise interested... And yes... these pups are a lot cuter than golf balls.


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## Rat Daddy (Sep 25, 2011)

And by the way... I'm getting the jealous wife routine from Misty... I'm starting to feel guilty, like the guy with another family living downstairs.

I have been sniffed and I have been marked... and I get that look as in "stay away from that tramp with all of her kids"....


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## Tabitha&Tobermori (Mar 14, 2016)

I'm both sorry and happy for you! Sorry about Misty, and happy for you welcoming a litter! Although I'm also sorry about the unexpected litter. Good luck with the little ones!


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## Rat Daddy (Sep 25, 2011)

In the end Misty is going to need a friend, she's been my shadow since Cloud passed away.... Sure she's the family rat now and she loves the prestige and privilege that comes with the job... like a daily trip downstairs, walks outside and field trips in the car and she's stuck on defending her house from the intruders... but in the end I think she'll appreciate having Bunny around. 

The pups are only 4 days old and it's already a little nerve wracking not knowing where they are all going to live, but...

My daughter, now 10, experienced the birth and is enamored by the pinkies, when they all find good homes, I'll move this little calamity into the win column... These pups should be really special and I'd really like them to go to forum members or people I know before I offer them to the general public.


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## Gribouilli (Dec 25, 2015)

I hope you find wonderful homes for all of them. It would be awesome if forum members would adopt them so we would get periodic updates!


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## InuLing (Dec 26, 2015)

If I wasn't trying to find homes for my 11 boys I would be jumping at this opportunity.


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## Rat Daddy (Sep 25, 2011)

In 6 years, I've been unable to teach my wife to avoid the free ranging rats... Since Misty has become the family rat, she's learned to avoid the wife, in a little over a week... Wife enters room, Misty evaporates and doesn't re-appear until wife is gone... No more standing on the chair screaming... things have become oddly peaceful. 

Bunny's drinking a lot and seems constantly hungry... Despite that she appears to still be shrinking. I'm sure it's all in my mind... has anyone else had this delusion?

Best luck with your babies InuLing.


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## Rat Daddy (Sep 25, 2011)

Back on topic... the pups are growing fast and doing great, Bunny might be putting on a little weight, she's starting to feel rounder and less hollow... 

It looks like the largest pup might be a dumbo blue berkshire rex... his or her whiskers seem to be curling backwards... but all of the pups are starting to show some really pretty markings... 4 are likely to be black on white and three are most likely blue or GM upholstery color... which is actually a rather pretty color... a warm blue/brown. I'll try to post more pics later.

Bunny is desperately trying to explore my dresser... it's like a fixation... and she's still a bit squirrely.. She wants to get out of the cage, and she likes attention, but it's like she's stuck in high gear and doesn't know which way to go sometimes. Ideally, I would like to have her free ranging the house by now, but I somehow just don't feel comfortable with her being so hyper... 

Does anyone have any ideas on how to relax a new mom? Or is this just not going to happen for a while?

Naturally I have Bunny and the pups in my bedroom so they get used to human smells and sounds and they are getting handled as much as is reasonable. 

For me, at least, the pups are still too young to reliably sex... I'll let everyone know as soon as I can.


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## catty-ratty (Feb 21, 2016)

I know this is off topic.............

How on earth did you end up with a rat-phobic wife??

I can say with a doubt that if Anga were there, she would intentionally harass your wife with vengence! She does it to the 100 lb dog all the time and Kenshen, my cat who is afraid of her! I swear I believe I can hear her laughing at them!


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## kksrats (Jul 25, 2014)

Rat Daddy said:


> Back on topic... the pups are growing fast and doing great, Bunny might be putting on a little weight, she's starting to feel rounder and less hollow...
> 
> It looks like the largest pup might be a dumbo blue berkshire rex... his or her whiskers seem to be curling backwards... but all of the pups are starting to show some really pretty markings... 4 are likely to be black on white and three are most likely blue or GM upholstery color... which is actually a rather pretty color... a warm blue/brown. I'll try to post more pics later.
> 
> ...


This sounds like typical new mom in a new setting behavior. She's likely trying to learn about her surroundings as much as possible...and might be searching for a place she thinks is safer for her pups. All the new moms I've ever brought home have acted pretty neurotic during free range.


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## Rat Daddy (Sep 25, 2011)

Catty-ratty, the rat phobic wife came first... the question is: How did we wind up with rats? And that is a very very long story... And no matter how I tell it, the guys are going to understand that it was my wife's own fault and likely all of the girls are going to blame me... One day, if anyone is really interested I'll tell it...

And Kksrats, you are probably right... tonight during free range I came to realize just how inexperienced Bunny is. She frightened herself by knocking over a cup... she's obviously never free ranged a room before and she doesn't know what anything is... I'm used to working with pups, so when I see a rat as large as Bunny, I kind of assume it knows a lot more than she does... It's got to be hard on her, in a strange place with 7 pups having to figure out the basics of survival in a brave new world. Today I put her on my shoulder and took her to the kitchen to get her some dinner, she stashed it in her nest and then climbed back onto my shoulder... like 'now lets get some more'... she's really trying to figure things out. 

Bunny is healing up pretty nicely from the intro that went wrong with Misty and the pups are growing fast... two are crawling pretty well already... and of course they are already getting handled while mom free ranges. They are all very cute and they should all be very attractive when they grow up. 

Now, I do have another question... I kind of screwed up because I didn't expect the pups for another week, and she pretty much built her nest and had the pups in a matter of hours... So... I didn't clean the cage before she had the pups and she's been burying food in and around her nest... and her cage is starting to smell...

When can I clean out her cage? It obviously means trashing her elaborate nest in the process. I'm sure she will get over it one way or the other, but is there a point when it will be less stressful for Bunny? And do keep in mind I've been feeding her eggs and salmon for additional protein and lots of cooked and fresh veggies.


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## Fraido (Oct 1, 2014)

I've cleaned out nests pretty much the next day after babies were born, never had anything go wrong due to stress on the mum. The only thing was frantically trying to find a new nest, but babies weren't eaten or anything. I think if you want to clean the cage, you can, just give her a bunch of materials to rebuild in the same spot. I'm no breeder though.... so maybe others will have a different opinion.


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## Rat Daddy (Sep 25, 2011)

A little video update on the pups... They really are super sweet. They mostly all love to snuggle so it was hard to film them without us taking up most of the picture ourselves... They are eating solid foods and we're working with them every day so they will be ready for their new families.

https://vid.me/Gwg8


If you see someone you like PM me, there may be a couple pups that don't have committed forever homes yet. I'd like for all of these pups to have forever names and forever homes by around the end of next week.

Thanks!


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## Fu-Inle (Jan 22, 2015)

The dumbo blue berk is adorable. Are you keeping one?


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## Rat Daddy (Sep 25, 2011)

They are actually all adorable... both of the Blue Boys went within minutes of posting the video and both were someone's first pick. Which makes me super happy they are going to the people who wanted them first. The pups are weaned and growing like weeds and Bunny is starting intros with Misty... If I were her, I'd most likely rather spend more time with the pups than being chased around the house by Misty... but for some strange reason she seems to prefer provoking Misty over spending time with her pups... Thankfully there hasn't been too much bloodshed lately... Cloud wasn't much on running around... and Misty is savoring chasing Bunny to the max... Normally intros would be over by now, but I think Misty is just having way too much fun. 

In any event, my daughter is keeping one of the girls and the two others are supposed to be going tomorrow. They are going to a very nice friend who is actually a retired breeder that hasn't kept rats in several years. She met Cloud and Misty at the club meeting we brought them to and fell in love with our shoulder rats... Bunny's pups were kind of the icing on her cake and convinced her it was time for rats again... The two blue boys are going to fellow forum members.... Both have great homes waiting for them where they will be loved.

And that leaves us with only one boy in need of a forever home, the black and white... he is super sweet and friendly and cute as a button... like all of the others he's playing with us during free range time and has a lot of personality. He should go to someone who already has boys, and it's best for him to go to his forever home before he becomes an issue for the three girls that are going to be staying with us.... Misty Rat, Bunny and her pup Lucky. 

So if anyone is on the fence... this might be last call for one of Bunny's pups as pre-socialized by my daughter and myself... He's going to need a lot of love now and a friend when he gets older, but he's going to be so worth it.


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## Rat Daddy (Sep 25, 2011)

So Misty held Bunny hostage most of the day... I suppose it's better that fighting and the first two girl pups are gone to their forever home... Bunny got outside a bit and she seemed to enjoy it and we took Misty into the yard, in fact she pretty much followed my daughter there. 

It's sad Cloudy Rat didn't make the warm weather, but Bunny is showing potential, it's always a bit hard on the nerves working with a new rat in training... But today Misty was superb... leading us around as she explored... following her commands and such... Winter is hard on shoulder rats, they lose a lot of confidence being inside for so many months... after working with Bunny for only a few minutes on the razor edge of chaos... it was a real pleasure to work with a pro... The pup my daughter is keeping has been named Lucky... one of 7 pups born on the 7th... My daughter wants to train Lucky and had her outside... dad and Misty watching at a distance... My daughter is 10 years old now and she's got a lot of real skills... she still has to work on not getting distracted, but I now have two shoulder rats and one rat trainer in training.... Thankfully Lucky looks like she's a natural too... she was following my daughter around trying to climb up on her after a little bit of exploring... that's a good start and I think she's going to be a really good first time rat for a first time trainer. Well, my daughter has worked very closely with me since Fuzzy Rat so she's really not new to training rats... so it isn't fair to call her a first time trainer, but I think you get the point.

The two boy pups that are spoken for are doing great, I'll try and post a video tomorrow for their future parents... they are eager for attention and to play with us... I think they will make their forever parents very proud. As will the only boy that doesn't have a forever home yet... They are not being neglected and we are having a lot of fun with them too.

Yes... it's been a ratty day and it was a ratty weekend... a barrel full of rats is more fun than a barrel full of monkeys.

Socializing a litter of pups... breaking in two new shoulder rats and bringing a rusty one back into condition is a challenge, but it's very rewarding...

I'm kind of thinking that if both Bunny and Lucky make the grade... I'll have three true shoulder rats at the same time... It isn't something I actually ever wanted to do.... but maybe I'll don my 10 gallon hat, take them to Manhattan and give the Times Square Rat Cowboy a run for his money... LOL....


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## Fu-Inle (Jan 22, 2015)

I'd snap up those two boys in an instant if I lived closer


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## Rat Daddy (Sep 25, 2011)

We're just having too much fun and I hate to see the pups go... but they are already old enough to be out of their cage most of the time and should be free ranging like Bunny is with Misty... Now that Misty has a subordinate, she absolutely refuses to go back into her cage... Now she's not only the family rat, but she's actually in charge of someone else she feels like she shouldn't have to sleep in her cage anymore and Bunny is fighting tooth and claw against being cooped up with her pups too... and the pups are clinging on to my hand when I put it into their cage to get out... They want to be with their humans and to explore...

I wish I could keep them all... but a soft heart and a mixed sex pack of free ranging rats is the recipe for a hoarding situation.

And btw, our club ships tropical fish mostly in from around the world, I've looked into shipping fish to Australia and there's no place quite like Oz when it comes to getting animals through customs... If they ever got to you they would most likely be too old to be any fun any more... I do wish you were closer, I'd know our remaining boy would have a great home with you. Each one of these pups has a super personality and so much potential.. it's hard not to want to be a bigger part of it.


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## Rat Daddy (Sep 25, 2011)

New videos as promised!!!

Our new girl Lucky

https://vid.me/jDNq

Big squishy Blue for his new family...

https://vid.me/R9Zx


Aiden for his new mommy...

https://vid.me/nLYN


And Spot... still available...


https://vid.me/VmDd


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## Rat Daddy (Sep 25, 2011)

I'm happy to announce that Blue has gone to his new forever home. I'll add more when my DSL is back and I don't have to ask Emily to thumb this on her cell phone.


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## Kokorobosoi (Jan 14, 2016)

Blue has settled in quite wonderfully!! He actually has only spent about five minutes in his new cage, he is currently asleep inside my hubby's shirt!


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## Rat Daddy (Sep 25, 2011)

Dont forget to tell hubby Blue is supposed to be your rat, before they start a mens club... Actually Blue has plenty of love to go around and loves attention 24X7. Blue was so much fun to work (play) with. the house feels just a little bit emptier with him gone.

Emily and I are really happy you found each other.

I'd write more, but I'm borrowing public wi-fi with an old xp laptop I've never typed on before.. and I'm used to a 'natural' type keyboard... I'll hopefully be back on line at home soon...

Thanks for adopting Big Blue, I hope he'll make you very happy and proud.


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## Kokorobosoi (Jan 14, 2016)

Haha I think it's too late.... The boys club already is set up! 

They were so adorable blue tried taking up permanent residence! Such sqeaking when I had to fish him out when we wanted to go to bed.


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## Rat Daddy (Sep 25, 2011)

Blue is on the mommy's boy side, but he can be insistant too... If you let him, I'm sure he'll build a nest in your pillows and move into your bed. He's been handled from birth and doesn't get the whole human/rat thing... Most likely he still thinks he's going to grow up to be just like us... I'm pretty sure most of our rats think there are two kinds of rats, the little smart ones and the giant not too bright ones...


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## Rat Daddy (Sep 25, 2011)

Sooo yesterday Aidan moved to his forever home... He was the precocious explorer among the boys.. and we already miss him. He's got a great forever mommy and he's also got new friends. We are so happy for him...

Bunny spent her first full night with Misty last night... Misty looked tired and Bunny seemed a little confused about the change in the sleeping arrangements, but overall happy to be out and about this morning.... I suppose the girls made a late night of it and they are off somewhere sleeping right now... 

We started intros between Lucky and Misty... so far it's been a little traumatic for Lucky, but there hasn't been any blood spilled yet... Bunny cut in and protected her by getting in-between and distracting Misty... Just so anyone reading along is clear on the subject... this is way too early for safe intros! But Bunny got pregnant at only 6 weeks old, so Lucky and Bunny have to be moved away from Spot our last remaining boy... And in a house pretty much without cages... this is a situation we hoped to avoid... And yes, that means in a couple of days if all goes well poor spot will be living alone. 

Spot is really a wonderful little boy, he's sweet and loves to explore, he gives kisses and loves affection from his human family members... He's more than ready for his forever parents and forever home... and sadly he's about to be alone... We'll do the best we can for him, but it's time to start training Bunny and Lucky and they are going to need the lion's share of our time.

I'm going to post him in the adoption section later today, but I prefer he go to a forum member with experience... He's related to two true shoulder rats, Cloud and Misty and he's got a great personality for training... he's been presocialized by my daughter and myself and like his brothers he's got the potential to be someone's someone special... 

A vid taken last week...



https://vid.me/VmDd

PM me if you are in or near NJ and you are looking for a really great boy to love.


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## Rat Daddy (Sep 25, 2011)

So we are hopefully approaching the end of the story and the beginning of six new ones... Lucky has moved in with her great aunt Misty and her mom Bunny. Introductions were predictably awful.. but thankfully not bloody and they are lining up like furry logs now... 

I'm not entirely sure if the girls were more destructive when they were fighting or now that they are playing... I'm used to family rats that managed things for me... Max maintained discipline and Cloud was so mellow she kept everything calm.... But Misty has finally found something I think she has always wanted... a partner in crime to destroy the house with. And Bunny is more than up for the challenge. Lucky might actually be the sanest one in the group, but she's only about six weeks old so she isn't quite ready to romp with the big girls yet.

Emily is still spending a lot of time with Spot who is now on his own... He's getting hefty and he's a real sweet heart. It's a shame he can't free range and play with the girls.


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## Ratloved (Oct 4, 2015)

Just out of curiosity, if you end up keeping him, will you consider neutering him so he can be with the girls?


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## Rat Daddy (Sep 25, 2011)

I'd love to keep him and I think Emily is falling in love with him, but I think he would have a better life with a forever family of his own. I prefer two rats and usually one that's older so I can focus on training the other. I also like to give each rat a lot of attention and 3 rats is starting to stress the dynamic. I'm already starting to see why people with multiple rats keep them in cages. 

Bunny is a firebrand, and Misty is young enough and healthy enough to try and keep up with her, Lucky is still growing but she seems to want to jump into the fray already and the destruction is already starting to add up. I'm not going to say that 4 rats can't be managed... but hearing things crashing to the floor or crunching in three places at once in the dark is already unnerving. It's like one rat is provoking the next to greater heights of depravity. And yes, I know they are only having fun.... and Misty never had that much fun with Cloud who was always older and slower, so she deserves a little amok time before she gets old and slow too... but 4 rats might very well be too much of a good thing.


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## Kokorobosoi (Jan 14, 2016)

Lol oh this is awful but that made me chuckle a little. Glad the girls are doing so erm... Well?? Lol!

Poor spot! I feel so bad for him but I'm at my limit for animals. I just started my next session of coursework for Buddhist studies, and already I've got a rat in my bra and one on my head when I'm supposed to be studying. He was such a doll when I met him, I really hope someone here decides to add him to their family! And they are big for their age, so if someone is hesitant on the age difference alone, don't be discouraged! 

(Btw when I tried updating you on blue, your box was full- clear some space!! Lol)

Blue is doing well, though he has discovered what I'm referring to as cliff diving. And he pulled one of my eyelashes out. Can I tell you how much that hurt!!! I think I taught my neighbor a few new words. If I'm laying on the bed he dive bombs and jumps on my face nipping till I react. Guess who taught him that little maneuver? Lol!!

He did learn not to nip me while Frankie was nearby. Frankie thinks he is a bulldozer. Doesn't bite, has never bitten anything, but rams things. Or sidled up to blue, puts his feet on him, and pushes. Lol!!

I have held off on unsupervised interactions so far, but so far so good!!


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## Rat Daddy (Sep 25, 2011)

Despite what some people might think, I'd never adopt out any rat before it's time. Bunny pretty much finished nursing and left the day to day care of the pups to us by around 3 weeks. Keep in mind, she was only 9 weeks old herself when she had the pups. As a rat trainer, I usually adopt rats at about 3 weeks old and start their socialization and training young. So we're pretty expert at meeting the emotional and physical needs of young rats. So this kind of worked out perfectly for everyone. We actually didn't wait for Bunny to finish with them, we were hands on right from birth so the pups really love human contact as much as play with other rats. The first rats to go went to a long term rat owner and former breeder who has lots of experience with pups and their special needs and given your own experience level, Blue was more than ready to start bonding with you and your family. In fact, I think he was the perfect age to adapt best to your home given your skill set. Similarly, Ayden seems to have made a great transition too... It's hard to see the pups go, but I tend to feel that there's a point where they would be better off bonding with their forever families and not us anymore. 

Brian, who created this line of rats is one of those people with a gift or maybe it's in part luck, but you might have noticed that they aren't short of energy... Sometimes I actually miss those more lethargic pet shop rats... Brian likes to call them "healthy" but they have so much energy and passion for exploring they just can't stay out of trouble. You adopted the momma's boy of the group. He just loves human companionship so I'm not at all surprised you aren't getting too much peace... I suppose the eyelash was his way of getting your attention, I wouldn't worry too much, I believe they make false eyelashes for girls with rats. (just kidding... I can only imagine how much hair removal by rat can hurt) And by the way these rats love to playfight, Misty still plays toilet paper tug of war with me and now Bunny is at it too... I get attacked as soon as I have a piece of toilet paper in my hand... I'm going to have to start locking the bathroom door, even if I'm alone in the house or I'll never get off the throne again. Normally I love their high energy level and their enthusiasm, it makes them so much easier to train, but three at once is starting to push even my limits. And they are smart, clever and crafty, not to mention persistent... (which is true of most rats) and of course we have three girls... which makes them even more invasive. 

But yes, Spot is ready to go to his forever home, he's large enough and he's already pretty much socialized to people. As a young rat, he will need lots of attention, but no special skills to care for him. He's developed a pretty well rounded personality. He's not quite the adventurer that Ayden was or the snuggler Blue was but he's a bit of both. I'm not sure how much I believe in genetics vs early socialization, but I'm really happy how each of the pups turned out. 

Blue was more of a cuddler than a fighter and I think he actually prefers people to other rats, but he's strong and I'm sure he can roughhouse if he has to depending how big Frankie is. And yes, I've seen the bulldozer thing, it's hysterical. Misty and Bunny are the same height, so when Misty stands up to push Bunny stands up and they pretty much hold hands and push... They kind of look like they are about to start waltzing. Misty is bigger and stronger, but she's over a year old and already a lot slower then Bunny. She's already starting to show the strain of being in charge in her face. But I think she knows that if she doesn't get the upper hand now, she'll be outclassed in a few months when she really starts to slow down and when Bunny and Lucky come into their own. I always hate to see the older girls lose their abilities, but it's in the nature of rats and nothing we can do about it.

We had to rush the intros with Misty and Lucky, but that worked out and they are girls... I'm sure if you keep a watchful eye on how things develop Frankie and Blue will do just fine.

Thanks for keeping us updated I'm sure Emily will be happy to hear Blue is doing so well.


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## RatAtat2693 (Jan 13, 2016)

Rat Daddy said:


> ...Brian likes to call them "healthy" but they have so much energy and passion for exploring they just can't stay out of trouble...


Oh my gosh, yes. Ayden was zipping around the cage at warp speed. It's insane. He's especially fond of Grandpa Rome, who, in traditional Romulus fashion, couldn't give two shits about anything. Bruté puts up with it, and Shamus just kind of puts his paw on Ayden's face as if to say, "Stop."

I got lucky that the old men are as patient and forgiving as they are. Though, I've noticed they're a little more enthusiastic about getting out of the cage now for their alone time. They have a cheap dresser that the babies can't access.

I have a couple of five month olds coming in as fosters in a couple weeks. They're boys, so for once I can use my men as program rats to get everyone adjusted to each other and me. Plus, Ayden can get some training on working with strange rats. Just wish the boys were bigger so I could move everyone into my DFN. I need an extra unit as soon as I get some cash flow.


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## Kokorobosoi (Jan 14, 2016)

Haha!!!! Healthy.... yes that is the word. I love the playtime, and for what its worth he did stop the eyelashes.... now he wants to shove his nose up our nostrils. Or peel my lips back and investigate. Its adorable, but strange to explain to my mail lady. She knows I'm nuts so it works, I guess. 

Blue is such a love... and yes! He loves to play! THey found my pants drawstring and love to tug and pull till they untie hahah!!!

Frankie and he will do well, I'm just careful, you know. Frankie was born in January, and he is well.... big boned. I love him to bits  

Hope all is well, 

K


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