# i just made a booboo...



## OnlyOno (Apr 4, 2007)

i know i know i KNOW you're not not ever supposed to adopt animals from petstores, especially MALL petstores, but i just did it.  my personal justification for buying this angel at the time include:
1. OMG SHE'S ABSOLUTELY ADORABLE
2. picasso really needs a friend
3. breeders a) don't have any available babies for me or b) are being rather immature
4. she's got bright eyes, coat, tail, nails, etc, and so do all her littermates
5. mother rat seems to be in good condition, so do all other rats in store
6. the lady selling me the rat seemed decently knowledgeable
cons:
1. 4 or 5 adult male rats crammed into a 10 gal aquarium
2. they "breed" their own rats in store
3. it's a frickin mall petstore, what the **** was i thinking?
4. the rats are on wood shavings in glass aquariums too small for them
5. rats are being fed store-bagged rat food

okay, so i got that off my chest. point is, i fell in love and made every excuse in the world and got her. she's an adorable, pink-eyed cream ratty with standard ears, underfur seems to be greyish. says her brithday is 4/3, which i find sad that she was already separated from mom, but she's very gentle and oh-so-soft. she's currently quarantined in an aquarium, admittedly not in another airspace. i don't know about you guys, but i don't have anywhere else to take her. seriously, don't question this point.  i'll be good about direct contact exposure, but i can't guarantee any air-borne viruses. she hasn't sneezed once since i got her so i actually think she's doing better than picasso when i got her.

anyway, i don't know what to call her, but i have to play with her later and we'll see. for now, it's work time.


----------



## LizLovesRats5 (Mar 28, 2007)

Congradulations! She is adorable, and I am sure she is going to make an excellent pet, store bought or not.

Soon you'll have to avoid pet stores all together. It is seriously the only way I can resist getting more of the little eepers.


----------



## Sara_C (Mar 10, 2007)

You ought to try working in one! It's torture!

She is absolutely gorgous though....what about Monet? Sticking with the artist theme


----------



## Stephanie (Mar 25, 2007)

oooh Sara what a great idea for a name that is precious. Congrats on your new baby!


----------



## 2manyrats (Apr 10, 2007)

You could call her Braque, the other "inventor" of cubism.

Or, if the two little girls end up fighting a lot, you could call her Matisse, because Matisse hated Picasso's work.


----------



## OnlyOno (Apr 4, 2007)

lol, that's awesome, and actually a really cute name. i don't know yet. we have to play and let her tell me what her name is.  yeah, i have to make it difficult. she's so tiny! i hope picasso likes her though. they're both very friendly to people, although baby is a little scared, as is understandable.


----------



## 2manyrats (Apr 10, 2007)

She is so cute. Those whiskers are just adorable. I want to toss her in the air and tickle her tummy! (not at the same time)


----------



## Poppyseed (Feb 1, 2007)

Freida? I luff Freida personally lol or Kahlo if you stick with the last names.

Or Manet, hrm what else? Degas? Dali? She has really big whiskers and Salvidor Dali had a really large mustache *snerks*


----------



## 2manyrats (Apr 10, 2007)

Well, Picasso is very eccentric-looking, which is congruent with Picasso's work. If you were going to call her something that matched her look, I'd go for Cassat or Whistler. It also depends on if you want to use a female or male artist's name... or an artist at all. There aren't that many women to choose from. Personally, I think Artimesia Gentileschi was the coolest, so you should check her out. She was the ultimate Caravaggisti, and I think her paintings were better than his, personally. (sorry rambling)

And I wouldn't feel bad about getting a rat from a petstore. That's where almost all of mine have come from, and if I hadn't purchased them, some snake would have had a feast. And if a person actually got them, they'd probably have lived a life where they didn't get as much attention or such a posh environment!


----------



## Poppyseed (Feb 1, 2007)

Just be prepared for many more possible vet bills or a shorter life D: Hopefully you won't have to worry about that though.


----------



## OnlyOno (Apr 4, 2007)

i hope not as well. thanks guys, for all the suggestions and encouragement! she is kind of shy and does that "i'm not fully aware of how far the ground is, but i'll jump anyway" sort of thing, so we'll work on that in the next few weeks. 

it doesn't necessarily have to be an artist, or if it is, even a female name (ex, picasso! ). i just want something to fit her personality, so we'll see. thanks again!


----------



## 2manyrats (Apr 10, 2007)

A bunch of the petstore rats around here have lived 2.5-3 years, no problems. Not all feeder-breds are doomed to short lives and bad health problems. Depends on your area's feeder-breeders, and if they're bred in the winter or the spring. (Our local feeder-breeder doesn't heat his warehouse, so winter rats have horrible myco problems, whereas spring/summer/fall rats aren't so bad.)

Also, I'm pretty sure OnlyOno knows of the gamble she's taking - based on the original post.


----------



## OnlyOno (Apr 4, 2007)

haha, that's for sure. but when they just *stare* at you like that, you *have* to get them. i'm a bit of a pushover. it's a good thing i'm not made of money or i would have a lot more animals.  and yes, i decided i was tired of waiting, and the older and more territorial/dominant picasso got as a loner, the less likely i could get her a friend, so i figured it was about time.


----------



## Poppyseed (Feb 1, 2007)

I know she's aware, was just saying  Yeah I know that feeling Ono, I had many breeders ignore me in the area and saw this little cute rat that currently resides in my lap at the pet store everytime I went and he was there for SOOO LONG. I finally HAD to get him after I saw him jump around the cage like crazy and bounce on his little chew ball D: My heart was STOLEN I tell you!! STOLEN!

Little thief D:


----------



## Inesita (Feb 18, 2007)

Congratulation with the new baby. aw she's so pretty!


----------



## dreadhead (Mar 1, 2007)

she is absolutely adorable!


----------



## LizLovesRats5 (Mar 28, 2007)

How's she doing, Ono? Did you name her yet?


----------



## reachthestars (Feb 27, 2007)

GGMR always strikes at the worst places . She looks a lot like my petstore girl Amelia, who's just over a year old now. Those little fawn faces can be hard to resist, especially when they're no reliable beeders near you (and the only rat rescue was unknown to me).


----------



## Spider (Mar 19, 2007)

WOW! You really scored, what a cute little ratmuffin. Don't worry about getting her at a Petstore as this is not a perfect world.
Sure most petstores are money grubbing houses of pain for some animals. But the reality is they're always gonna be here. Profiting from selling our fellow creatures is as old as time. I believe the best you can hope for is tough laws regarding animal welfare, and hold them to it.

You should never apologize for displaying an act of kindness, and never be embaressed for having some Heart.
Spider


----------



## OnlyOno (Apr 4, 2007)

aww, thanks spider.  i was so worried because i TOLD myself i wouldn't adopt from a petstore again and then i did and blah blah blah.  i have no strong will when those fuzzy faces are staring at you! puppies included, i whoopsed there once too. anywho, that's exactly how petstores finally get you to but from them, by always being there. eventually, when every thing else fails, you'll know that there is always a rat waiting for you there.

anywho, i think we're going to go with matisse, because the boy likes it. i've called her matisse a few times, and i don't know if it's sticking, but i'm sure it will with some time.  either way, she's so cute she kind of needs a feminine name (altho matisse's first name is henri, lol), and matisse seems to work in that regard.


----------



## Forensic (Apr 12, 2007)

My roomie just did the same thing... I'm keeping him in QT until he's proven healthy before I'll decree him a member of the family.

But gosh, your girl is _adorable!_ Matisse is a cute name! Matty would be what I'd end up calling her, of course. :lol:


----------



## Fuzzie (Apr 25, 2007)

I have got to tell you, I'm new to the rat world but the picture of Baby melted me like butter!!! Oh she's so cute!


----------



## OnlyOno (Apr 4, 2007)

haha, i thought so too.  i may have accidentally named her skittles today, LOL. i know, after all that work and mind-numbing decision making, and i called her skittles and it made me laugh and reminded me of her kind of shy but spaztic behavior.


----------



## Poppyseed (Feb 1, 2007)

Lol maybe it could be a nick name? Bert gets nicked 'lil' ol' man' sometimes XD And Odin gets nicked 'Winks' XD

Bastian gets nicked 'Ross Perot' on occasion lol


----------



## LizLovesRats5 (Mar 28, 2007)

Ross Perot! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA


----------

