# A lot has happened since I last posted.



## mimsy (Jun 8, 2014)

It's been a crazy last few months. 

As ritual we were watching tv in the bed with our girls when I realized I hadn't seen Goose in a few. I checked all the normal spots and couldn't find her and started to panic. My daughter, husband and I searched all night for her. We found a hole into the wall behind a bookcase. So I set up a small cage with comforts of food, water and bedding and then I set up a live trap....a week went by before we got her. She never went into the trap tho. It was crazy, she would cry and cry and cry in the walls. It was making me sick with worry. She was trying to climb back on the bed, as soon as I went to get her she ran and hid under the tv stand.
She was skinny, dirty and scared. 

Then we noticed a lump on Buttercups face. It turned out to be an abscess, thankfully not a tumor. It's draining and she is on antibiotics. I also have her on echinacea to help with the infection. 

Then!!!! WE noticed Goose got really really fat since coming home. So, well, now we have 12 babies born 10-1. Yes 12 of them! I'm guessing she found a wild boy or he found her. They are all very dark with pink bellies and feet. The tails are even almost black. It's kinda of hard for me to tell, but I think there may be 8 boys! Goose is an excellent Mom. We've been giving her a lot of extra's-eggs and making infant soy formula which she loves. btw-we'd like to at some point help out Goose in the feedings, anyone know at what age we could help feed the youngsters?

Now we have been searching the house and making sure there is absolutely no holes. Filled in the one that was there, put in a new wood boarder at the bottom of the wall. I've been setting live traps to catch him. I "think" he's under our house. If I can catch him he's going on a long journey to a home in the woods far from here. 

We ordered a new critter nation, since I'm sure we will have a mix of boys and girls. I was going to try and find homes for the boys, but I'm not sure I trust half wilds going into a home with out someone being really ratty knowledgeable. They may all just act like domestic rats, but I really don't know. I read a lot of stories and it seems a ymmv sorta of thing.

I've had 2-3 rats tops for the last several decades. Now I have 15 suddenly. I'm really excited and in awe of the babies, but I'm also a little scared of having so many and them being halfsies. If we can find a vet that is really reasonable I've considered neutering the boys. I've never had boys and girls at the same time so I'm worried about that too. I don't want any possible accidents!!!! I actually had a nightmare that we had another pregnancy!! I know I'm being a little phobic about it, but boy they can really increase in numbers too too fast for my liking.


----------



## Kitterpuss (May 9, 2014)

Oh my goodness! What a time you've had! Poor wee Goose sounds like she had quite the adventure in the walls of the house. Maybe she smelt the boy rat and that's the reason she went off. Best of luck with all the babies - what an absolute stressful time. Wishing Buttercup a full recovery too!


----------



## CatsRatsVeggies (Aug 18, 2014)

Oh wow!! Goose went for a right little adventure didn't she! I'm glad the babies are all okay and momma is doing well too!! Sending love to Buttercup on her recovery too!


----------



## Rat Daddy (Sep 25, 2011)

I've raised a part wild rat... and you will soon learn they are very special animals with skills you most likely have never seen before. Once they reach a certain age, if they aren't socialized they will become practically impossible to handle.... And there's the answer, you have to socialize them as soon as possible, get hands on and start working with them while you still can. If you get them socialized and bonded to you, they will grow up to be relatively tame pet wolves... perhaps a little scary, but overall friendly and smart. If you miss the chance to bring them into the family now they can potentially become nightmares... These rats will move super fast and they can really jump and if they bite... they tear flesh and don't stop biting... 

If they are bonded with you, they will have a strong pack mentality and will become your best friends for life, they will be among the best rats you have ever owned, but you pretty much only get one safe chance at it.

I also might add that wild rats and part wild rats tend to be one owner or one family rats. They learn to like one human or one family, not humans in general. Our very friendly part wild rat tore up my neighbor's hand when he tried to pick her up... My daughter could squeeze her into barbie doll costumes, a stranger took his life into his hands if he wasn't properly introduced to her.... If you are going to re-home any of the pups, do it as soon as possible, like when they are just weened to give their new families a fair shot at bonding with them before it's too late.

Lastly, when my part wild girl started play-fighting she would jump at my face and mock bite ferociously. She actually never broke the skin, but she was pretty scary during this phase.... Instinctively, I never let her win a mock battle and played with her until I got the upper hand. With how strong pack order influences wild rats, I wouldn't show too many signs of weakness. I don't mean that you should be overbearing or unkind or less loving... just don't let them push you around or this could become a problem when they grow up.

Think of it this way, both toy poodles and wolves can and will bond with their humans and become loving pets, and both wolves and toy poodles can become aggressive if mistreated or improperly socialized... Now an agitated toy poodle is actually rather amusing... an angry wolf isn't funny at all. That said we loved our part wild rat and we miss her. So it's always handle with care and handle with respect, but for now, most importantly handle a lot!

Congrats and best luck.


----------



## gotchea (May 4, 2013)

Congrats! Wild babies are the best. Hopefully we can get some pictures soon? I agree with ratdaddy about rehoming the babies ASAP. Wilder hated strangers. he was okay with a pet on the head, but if I tried to let someone hold him he was mess! I went to visit some wild rats that were raised together with a foster mom rat and were handled everyday! at 3 weeks they were too crazy to really handle. They tried everything they could to run away from everyone and a few of them would bite. It's going to be a tough road, they require a lot of hands on time. I'm excited to see pictures though!


----------



## mimsy (Jun 8, 2014)

I don't think homing any would be a good plan, as I said before. I don't have anyone near I would trust with them. To be honest I just worry about them being too much of a handful and people not being up for it. I just lost my last ferret recently, she was one of a group a had kept from when sheltering. She and some of the others were half European pole-cats. One of the group I had was an absolute doll, tho super smart and would get into things. The others could be bite something fierce, more so than a badly socialized ferret. I'm not really pro purposely breeding wild animals with domestic-however I believe these guys need the best life possible and it was my mistake so there fore my responsibility to do right by them.

As far as handling-they have been getting held since day one. If Goose is not feeding them, we are holding them. We are all making sure to do practice stuff now-look in ears, check toes, flip em around so that they are used to it.

When my daughter comes home from school I'll get some pics of the babies for ya guys.


----------



## nanashi7 (Jun 5, 2013)

I would contact local vets about discounts from neutering. It's usually routine for rescues to neuter Halfies and it is proven to help with the crazy. I got two rats neutered at the same time and it was only $100 more than neuterin my one rat.


----------



## gotchea (May 4, 2013)

Well that's even better if you keep them! Wild rats are great pets in my experience. Can't wait to see the photos.


----------



## mimsy (Jun 8, 2014)

Ready for some pics of pile o'rats? I hear my hubby grumbling with the critter nation currently. 

View attachment 178001
View attachment 178009


----------



## FinnishChick (Sep 25, 2012)

Wow! A lot sure has happened! Good luck with the babies


----------



## gotchea (May 4, 2013)

I'm going to cry! So cute!


----------



## mimsy (Jun 8, 2014)

I'm still thinking 4 girls and 8 boys here. I might take pics and ask. My eyesight is terrible. I have to take my glasses off to see, or hold them farther than my arms go. haha...I love getting older. They are all getting really soft hair. They are such cute little snuggle buddies. Goose is leaving them more and more now, so we take advantage and can spend a lot more time with them.


----------

