# Say hello to Riff Raff!



## kalamazoo (Jul 25, 2008)

So I was browsing Craigslist and this one ad jumps out at me: MALE RAT, 1 YEAR, WITH CAGE & FOOD, FREE TO GOOD HOME

So, I immediately contacted the owner, as I have been looking for a rat recently and this seemed like a good deal.

I get to the person's house and it is disgusting. Garbage piled up everywhere. Then they hand me this cage, with a carbboard box house, waterbottle and Tupperware full of sunflower seeds. Inside is a huge male rat, black-ish grey speckled with light grey hairs. He was covered in flaky dandruff and all the way home he scratched himself. Upon further inspection, his skin had a yellowy hue in places, was riddled with scabs and his teeth were disgutingly long and yellow. 

The owner said that this was a last-ditch effort to get him a home (she said 'nobody likes male rats') and unless an owner was found immediately he'd be made snake food or released into the wild. Also, he'd been movd from home to home because nobody is his year of life wanted him. He'd never had a friend, any toys and was rarely let out of his cage.

So, I stopped at the pet store and picked up they're strongest rodent shampoo as well as a proper dish, some decent food that will suffice until the Suebee's and lab block gets here I have a litter box in my basement as well as an igloo house, wheel and toys.

I've bestowed the named Riff Raff upon him as it seemed like the perfect name assuming his bedraggled appearance.

Once his skin clears up I'll be picking him up a friend at the local specialty shop (they don't breed in store and keep the animals separated as well - they're treated rather well for a pet shop) because I'd hate for him to be lonely any longer. He seems rather introverted but hasn't shown any aggresion aside from when I bathed him with the shampoo (he squeaked a whole lot, too!). I'm hoping he comes out of his shell with a lot of treats, love and free-range time.

Wish me luck and more updates to come.


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## Stace87 (Jun 24, 2008)

Aw poor boy being left like that. Good luck with him


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## MariHxc (May 23, 2007)

good job saving him  i bet he's more than happy now.




kalamazoo said:


> and his teeth were disgutingly long and yellow.


buuuut, this is perfectly normal as long as his teeth aren't overgrown  my boys' teeth are orange.


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## SamAnthrax (Jan 5, 2008)

Awww. You're his angel. He's lucky to have a wonderful mommy now


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## hayleyingham (Jul 16, 2008)

poor guy being passed around and not really looked after, and now hes got somebody to give him all the loves in the world


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## KayRatz (Apr 5, 2007)

My rats have orange teeth as well


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## kalamazoo (Jul 25, 2008)

That's good, lol. I thought something was wrong. =)


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## KayRatz (Apr 5, 2007)

So why can't Barnaby be Riff Raff's cagemate?


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## kalamazoo (Jul 25, 2008)

Intros are going really slow and being difficult, so it's my guess they will be able to be cagemates eventually, but Barn's been attcked by him once and I'm letting Barn recuperate before giving it another shot.


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## KayRatz (Apr 5, 2007)

Ohhh, okay. I take it you got Barnaby after this thread was posted, then?


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## kalamazoo (Jul 25, 2008)

Yep. Didn't want him to wait TOO long for companionship. I just wish he'd stop tackling Barnaby though. Poor little guy's no match against a pound of hulking rat. >.<


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## zombiedork (Jul 7, 2008)

Aweh! I am so glad that you rescued him from where he was & now he's in a good home with you


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## iLuffLoui (Aug 1, 2008)

How someone could treat a rat like that disgusts me. :[
But at least he has a good home and a loving owner now.
Im glad you ended up getting him a play mate :]
It be nice if you can post picutres of Barnaby too. 
I hope they stop fighting, and wish you the best! : D


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