# My ratties (updated aug 7th new vids!!!!)



## rattielvr (Aug 4, 2008)

Ok so heres my new boys, they're really skittish as of now because the place I got them was so horrible to them. I've going to try and get a new cage tomorrow so dont worry the tank is only temperary for tonight because I didnt want to buy a cage from that place. 

Heres Edward









And heres Jacob










And here they are playing together 

















I didnt have many pictures for they're still very skittish .

Heres Bella (again tank going soon, did not know tanks were bad for them  )









And heres my Justin who died a week ago of old age  he lived to be more than three years









Sleepy boy










And heres Cinnamon, my moms rat. Hes about 2 years old.


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## Hallie-Mae (Jul 31, 2008)

*Re: My new babies (just got them today)!!! And my other ratt*

Oh bless they're gorgeous  !!! 
BTW are they being kept on sawdust ? 
Both cedar and pine shavings (sawdust) contain phenols, the oils in the wood that give them their fresh and woodsy smell. Phenols are poisonous, caustic, acidic compounds present in soft woods, and cover the smell of animal urine. Because phenols are caustic, they constantly irritate the nasal passages, throat and lungs of rats, which gives an easy opening to bacteria. This can cause mycoplasmosis, pnuemonia, and many other respiratory problems which can be fatal, and most likely will be unless treated. 
Woah, long rant, sorry 8O
Anyway, they're so gorgeous ! I want them  !! Good luck with em


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## rattielvr (Aug 4, 2008)

*Re: My new babies (just got them today)!!! And my other ratt*

lol I didnt know the bedding was that bad >.< I try to keep them in safe conditions but my dad is very stubborn. Maybe I can talk him into changing the bedding plus I'm getting a new job soon so i might be able to start buying it. Whats the best, cheapest alternative? and where could I find it? I just came across the forum yesterday so I'm learning many new things. Petstores have given me all this false info apparently. But thanks for thinking theyre cute. I just adore them.


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## Hallie-Mae (Jul 31, 2008)

*Re: My new babies (just got them today)!!! And my other ratt*

Newspaper is a nice cheap and safe alternative :lol: I use it and it works just fine, they love shredding it and building it into a nest
It's also good if you cover the newspaper with cardboard squares and paper flakes (both very cheap, you can buy them in any leading petstore like Petco or Petsmart or [email protected] etc)


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## rattielvr (Aug 4, 2008)

*Re: My new babies (just got them today)!!! And my other ratt*

Thanks I might try that out. My dad would throw a fit otherwise lol. He doesnt like spending money.


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## Hallie-Mae (Jul 31, 2008)

*Re: My new babies (just got them today)!!! And my other ratt*

Aggh I know what you mean, I always have to find cheap alternatives for that exact same reason :|


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## rattielvr (Aug 4, 2008)

*Re: My new babies (just got them today)!!! And my other ratt*

i have to pay for new cages myself now because i want them to have more room. he said the newspaper idea was ok. Is construction or regular printing paper ok as well?


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## Hallie-Mae (Jul 31, 2008)

*Re: My new babies (just got them today)!!! And my other ratt*

I think so, my rats have never injested but either way I've never come across toxic ink in newspapers despite what you'd think


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## rattielvr (Aug 4, 2008)

*Re: My new babies (just got them today)!!! And my other ratt*

yeah i have lots of paper but limited newspaper hehe. so thats a good plan, line the bottom with newspaper then cut up bis and peices of others


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## Hallie-Mae (Jul 31, 2008)

*Re: My new babies (just got them today)!!! And my other ratt*

Sure  ! Good luck


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## rattielvr (Aug 4, 2008)

*Re: My new babies (just got them today)!!! And my other ratt*

Thanks you. I'll post more pics later too


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## Stace87 (Jun 24, 2008)

*Re: My new babies (just got them today)!!! And my other ratt*

Lovely rats  

Just out of interest, have any of your rats had respiratory problems?


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## rattielvr (Aug 4, 2008)

*Re: My new babies (just got them today)!!! And my other ratt*

yeah Justin did. I didnt know it was because of the bedding. He lived to be older than 3 though


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## Stace87 (Jun 24, 2008)

*Re: My new babies (just got them today)!!! And my other ratt*

It may not have been due to the bedding. I'd imagine if it was, there would have been signs earlier? He lived be a very good age!


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## rattielvr (Aug 4, 2008)

*Re: My new babies (just got them today)!!! And my other ratt*

yeah him and Pizza lived to be the oldest rats ive had. Justin just recently passed away but yeah he always had problems with it even when i bought him. Most petstore rats do sadly :/. The toy boys I got are a bit sniffly but I havent seen the red stuff so maybe just a cold? But Bella doesnt sneeze often at all unless she gets her nose into something. Shes a michevious girly lol


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## Stace87 (Jun 24, 2008)

*Re: My new babies (just got them today)!!! And my other ratt*

New ratties can get new home sneezes, adjusting to their new environment sort of thing. It could just be that


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## rattielvr (Aug 4, 2008)

*Re: My new babies (just got them today)!!! And my other ratt*

Oh ok good cuz he was sneezing when i got him hehe. right now i have bella out shes stealing my food.


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## Stace87 (Jun 24, 2008)

*Re: My new babies (just got them today)!!! And my other ratt*

Just keep an eye on the sneezes 

:lol: What's she stealing? I've just gave mine some sweetcorn then they crashed out on the bed. Max was going insane over my ice lolly earlier 8O kept jumping up onto my shoulder ALL the time lol.


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## rattielvr (Aug 4, 2008)

*Re: My new babies (just got them today)!!! And my other ratt*

Lol, she was stealing my cheesy potatoes actually. I started to give her the cheese so she wouldnt take the entire potatoes then she hid it in my blankets hehe shes so michevious. I love her though. Shes the one who makes me a nervous wreck, I try to watch over her every second shes out. One time I was at work and she chewed my phone charger. I got it to work again with electric tape thank God. Shes a silly girl, my first hairless. The babies are getting used to me now too. I'm so surprised. I just got them today and even though they still run from me while picking them up, once they're out they seem to enjoy my company. This is coming from rats who have never been handled besides by their tail. Very fast progress for these boys. I finally got them to discover where their water was haha. I was wondering why they hadn't had a drink since they got here. Its a good thing I got them. They look so much more at peace now. And their fur already looks way better since I bathed them. I was concerned theyd be unhealthy but after a bath and some food and fresh water they seem perfectly fine.


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## Kathleen (Jul 1, 2008)

*Re: My new babies (just got them today)!!! And my other ratt*

Cute rats. Jacob especially!


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## rattielvr (Aug 4, 2008)

*Re: My new babies (just got them today)!!! And my other ratt*

Thanks. Yeah Jacobs is less shy than Edward. I just love the pic where hes looking straight at the camera ha. He seems a lot more curious. Edwards very shy. I love them both. I can already tell I picked two great rats.


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## rattielvr (Aug 4, 2008)

*Re: My new babies (just got them today)!!! And my other ratt*

Heres some more pictures I managed to get. 

Here they are cuddling 








Edward

















Jacob

















And here they are together 
Edwards like "ah butt in my face!" haha








Cuties








I think Edward got Jacob back  "Butt in the face" haha








Jacob giving Edward a BIG rattie hug!









I think Edward likes me now


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## Abrakyusqueak (Jul 31, 2008)

*Re: My ratties (updated!!!)*

=O...so...adorable...!

Edward looks like my boy Nico, just younger. ;] Good luck with them<3


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## Hallie-Mae (Jul 31, 2008)

*Re: My ratties (updated!!!)*

Awwwh they're BEYOND adorable ! 
But, kept in an aquarium and on sawdust :? ?
Woah nevermind, ignore this, I didn't even realise or remember that conversation we had last night 8O


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## Stace87 (Jun 24, 2008)

*Re: My ratties (updated!!!)*



Hallie-Mae said:


> Awwwh they're BEYOND adorable !
> But, kept in an aquarium and on sawdust :? ?


If you read the previous posts in this thread the aquarium and sawdust has already been sorted/is going to be 

Edit: Hmmm it was actually you, Hallie-Mae, that had the conversations with rattielvr about it lol, did you forget?


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## Hallie-Mae (Jul 31, 2008)

*Re: My ratties (updated!!!)*

OH right sorry :lol: 
I haven't slept at all in the past two days so everything's a bit of a blur, I didn't even notice that I'd already queried her about the sawdust thing 8O
God I'm stupid these days
Soooooo sorry Rattielvr


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## KayRatz (Apr 5, 2007)

*Re: My ratties (updated!!!)*

LOL omg, Hallie. That is hilarious.


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## Stace87 (Jun 24, 2008)

*Re: My ratties (updated!!!)*



KayRatz said:


> LOL omg, Hallie. That is hilarious.


 :lol: Isn't she silly? lol. Saying things that have already been posted AND she actually posted them :lol: 

I think you need some sleep!!


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## rattielvr (Aug 4, 2008)

*Re: My ratties (updated!!!)*

lol dont worry im going to try and get cages today may only be able to obtain 1 at a time though. Theyre really expensive! Thanks for thinking they're adorable


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## Stace87 (Jun 24, 2008)

*Re: My ratties (updated!!!)*

What cages you thinking of getting? Make sure you use a rat cage calculator to check it's big enough 

Was Justin also kept in an aquarium on sawdust? He lived to a very good age didn't he.


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## rattielvr (Aug 4, 2008)

*Re: My ratties (updated!!!)*

yes all my rats had been. they all lived to be really old so i didnt realize that was a problem until now. I'm thinking about getting this rat cage i found at petsmart. I used the rat calculator and i think its good for four rats. so it will be plenty big for my boys. I still have to look at our other petstore though because my cousin works there and could probably get us a discount. I couldnt get them today because she wasnt working. and then ill have to get Bella one. I can't talk my mom into getting Cinnamon one but hes out of his cage ALL the time unless my mom is sleeping and she doesnt sleep much. My parents arent really too happy about the idea but hey theyre my rats.


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## Stace87 (Jun 24, 2008)

*Re: My ratties (updated!!!)*

That's quite interesting as people tend to say it reduces their lifespan and they become ill etc, due to aquariums and sawdust generally. How often did you clean the tank? Were your ratties from a petshop/breeder/rescue? 

What's the cage called that you're looking at?


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## rattielvr (Aug 4, 2008)

*Re: My ratties (updated!!!)*

All my rats came from petstores and we wash the cages once a week unless they smell horrible or get really dirty. But our rats are out of the cage most the time. Really Justin was the only one with respitory issues but even then he lived to be one of our oldest. The majority live to be around 2 years. I've been keeping rats for 9 years now so yeah. I didn't even know half this stuff  I guess I mainly taught myself how to care for them with the help of care books. The cage I was looking at was especially for rats, I'm trying to find it on the website. It wasnt a starter home, it was an actual cage. It was a bit cheaper than the ferret cage plus the bars are a lot smaller. I cant find it :/ Maybe it was on sale or something. I think it had like three levels and was about the same size as the Super PetÂ® Deluxe My First Home Cage for Exotics but cheaper. And that one housed four rats according to the rat calc. I still have to look at pet supplies plus though because I wanted to try and get two cages so all my rats could have a cage instead of tank.


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## Hallie-Mae (Jul 31, 2008)

*Re: My ratties (updated!!!)*

If you can't find it, these cages are awesome for rats 
However I'm not sure if they sell them in the US sorry 
Ferplast Furet XL Cage Rat & Ferret Cage
Tom Rat Cage
Ferplast Jenny Rat Cage
Freddy Savic Rat Cage


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## Stace87 (Jun 24, 2008)

*Re: My ratties (updated!!!)*

There's quite a lot to learn isn't there! lol. Good luck in getting a discount at the store your cousin works at


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## rattielvr (Aug 4, 2008)

*Re: My ratties (updated!!!)*

Thanks


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## rattielvr (Aug 4, 2008)

Jacob and Edward vids
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KvVlU77lBUk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N8lRxr8SIgQ
And these were taken before told about bedding and cage requirements!


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## Stace87 (Jun 24, 2008)

Cool videos, they're so small. They like that tube :lol: playful little boys. The 2nd video they're like "What's that thing pointing at us?!" lol.

How old are they by the way? Sorry if you've already mentioned.


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## rattielvr (Aug 4, 2008)

I have no idea actually. They are really small though. I got them from a horrid petstore who treated them like objects more so than animals. She picked them up by their tails and everything. I've only had them for a day and a half and this is what I get from them. They're making excellent progress. I guess they just know they're finally at a home they deserve


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