#ratfosterdiary — Public Fediverse posts
Live and recent posts from across the Fediverse tagged #ratfosterdiary, aggregated by home.social.
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Speedy is *insisting* on lots of free roam time out of his cage. I leave nuts scattered around, and he "buries" them in the folds of the blanket I draped over the sofa.
A few seconds later he digs them up and nomms them.He's also alarmingly interested in the aquarium. I never leave him unsupervised!
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Speedy groomed me for the first time! He kindly removed a hangnail.
He's being adopted at the end of this month, going to a small town a few hours drive away. The person adopting him already has a female rat. Speedy's been neutered, but we have to still wait a few more days to be sure he's sterile.
He's lonely. He constantly demands I take him out of his cage. I carry him around and show him random things to entertain him, and I make him food puzzles to keep him busy. But I think he'll be much happier at his new home with an actual rat friend.
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When I first got Speedy he would get overwhelmed from just the slightest touch, giving me little "watch it there buddy" warning nips.
So I've been sharing a spoon of porridge every morning and stroking him just a bit while he's distracted.
It seems to be working because by now he's allowing me to scritch him quite firmly. I think he's enjoying it. -
Speedy had an adventure today. First he jumped into the rubbish bin while I was cleaning his cage. He regretted that decision quite quickly and wanted me to lift him out.
Then, I didn't notice that one of the doors on his cage was partly open. Some time later I looked up from my work and saw him crossing the living room floor.
He was reluctant to be caught, but I couldn't let him roam. Most of my house is not rat-safe, lots of electric cords he could chew. He eventually went into the bathroom (that's the rat safe room where he free-roams every day) and at last climbed up onto my shoulder, where he had a little wash.He now consistently allows me to pet him, so I was able to stroke the side of his neck and his back quite firmly. I must admit that it's taken me a while to feel confident doing this as he bit me so hard when we first met. The place has only just stopped hurting. Little rat teeth punch deep! He was like a little furry stapler.
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I've just been told that I'll be fostering three "hybrid" rats after Speedy is adopted.
A hybrid, in the pet rat world, is a cross between a domestic rat and a wild rat. I've never encountered one before so I'm very curious to see what they're like.
I was hoping for something placid and cuddly after Speedy (who's nicknames include Sharky, Jaws, and Knersus) and hybrid rats are not that...but still really excited to get to meet these three half wild girls.
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Am making really good progress with Speedy. Had a bit of a breakthrough.
Last night he climbed up my leg for the first time, impatient to be picked up. This is a little guy who was terrified of me before.
And today while I had him out of his cage, he pushed under my hand and allowed me to stroke him! He closed his eyes and sat perfectly still while I rubbed the side of his neck and his back.
I'd been gradually getting him used to being touched, usually while he's distracted by a treat, and he's allowed me to stroke him before. But this is the first time he really asked to be petted and seemed to enjoy it. -
So, Smokey and Stormy both peed on my phone. I cleaned it with hand sanitizer so Speedy wouldn't smell it.
Speedy: won't stop sniffing the phone.
He's getting a bit more confident every day. He had a wash while sitting on my lap this morning, first time ever! He does tend to forget that I have a legitimate reason to be near my own lap, though. He sees a hand move and he gives it a glare.
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Aren't they *gorgeous*?
This is Stormy and Smokey's last night with me, their mom is coming home from holiday tomorrow. I've washed and folded all their hammocks and packed their bag.I put my hand inside that hammock and both of them immediately started giving me a gentle manicure, holding my fingers firmly between their little paws and nibbling on my nails. Big, soft, warm, good natured potatoes.
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Some of my previous fosters are back! Stormy and Smokey's people are going on holiday so I'm looking after them for a few days. They have grown huge! Two big, good-natured dudes. Their mom gave me some cash for extra fresh treats 😊 and a whole shopping bag full of their possessions so they'll feel at home.
#rats #RatFosterDiary -
Speedy seems to be making progress.
Up to now he just climbed out onto my lap, and then directly back in the cage again. I've been slowly getting him used to being carried around.
Yesterday I was able to free roam him in the bathroom for the first time. He explored the room and then climbed back on me quite confidently.
Today was a big day, as I cleaned his cage. I've been doing that less than I usually would, to help him feel safer. He had to wait in a small cage while that happened, and then got something to keep him busy, an egg box filled with treats: some mealworms and bits of cheese.He seems more confident and less stressed.
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For a while it looked like I might have to give Speedy over to another foster because they needed a place for 5 baby rats and mine was the only big cage available.
I was feeling bad about it as he's been moved from foster to foster so many times and I think that's contributed to his fear and stress. It's bad enough that he's all by himself, that's not good for a rat.
But some new people joined the org and were able to take in the babies, so Speedy can stay with me.The stress neuter surgery was a setback in his confidence but he's climbing out of the cage more confidently again. I've started carrying him around a bit but his tolerance is low he demands to go back quite quickly.
I really don't want him to bite me again! So I just take it slow. He's started climbing up on top of my head 😊 Such a serious boy. He never seems light-hearted or relaxed.
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Big day for Speedy and Scaliwag.
Got up before sunrise to drive them to the exotic vet to get "tutored" as the Farside cartoon would say.
Surgery went well, both boys are back home and quietly recovering.
The vet asked me to bring soft food for them to have post surgery (plain yoghurt and banana). I had just done a long drive in rush hour traffic with a migraine, so I took the chance to get myself some recovery food as well.
Now I'd like someone to cover my cage with a towel too, and leave me alone for a bit! -
I learnt something new today, about the rat foster group.
Apparently sometimes, people who are upset with the small animal rescue org for *reasons* will report it to the SPCA, who will then send unannounced inspectors to a foster person's house.
People get angry because the org reports petshops who treat animals poorly, and they also confront people about breeding rats for snake feeding or keeping them in cruel conditions. Or they turn down people who want to adopt but aren't suitable for whatever reason. And there are those people who just want drama.
So we have to be ready for surprise inspections at all times. Which, not a bad thing! Apparently the SPCA inspectors are very professional and helpful.
But it feels a bit intimidating all the same!
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I'm a two rat household again, just for one night. One of the other foster people dropped off Scaliwag this evening. He's the white boy in the picture. I'm taking him and Speedy to the vet to be neutered tomorrow.
Scaliwag has been returned twice by people who adopted him. From what I know, they were just not into the reality of having a pet rat and were dissatisfied with him. Poor boy is unsettled from so much change.
Apparently there's someone interested in adopting Speedy, after he's recovered from being neutered. They've got a female rat, so Speedy won't be alone anymore.
I've been very careful with Speedy after he bit me. He's very nervous. He's keen to crawl into my hoodie but he doesn't want me to pick him up at all. I'm keeping his routine steady with lots of calm interaction
Every day he's a bit braver. Yesterday he spent some time sitting on my shoulder and in my sleeve.He was very interested in inspecting the bandage on my bite wound!
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I think I know more about why Speedy (my new juvenile foster rat) bit me last night.
I'd washed and sterilised the cage and used only brand new hammocks so he wouldn't smell the previous rats. But last night I wore a hoodie that I had forgotten to wash, he must have been able to smell Stuart and Dipsy, and maybe Twyla and Zen as well.
The previous person who fostered him just told me that he gets more aggressive when he can smell other rats.
But it looks like the small animal org is going to get him neutered, which should help with the aggressive behaviour. Will also mean he'll be easier to place with other rats. He's already in trouble for biting a potential rat friend as well...
I've allowed him to climb onto my lap a few times today, just being very careful not to make him feel trapped by my hands. He's doing ok. Serious little guy.
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Ah so I was just putting Speedy back in his cage after he ventured very carefully out onto my lap, when he bit me quite hard on my hand. I think he got a fright.
I realise now that he'd warned me before by putting his teeth gently on my finger, but I didn't realise what that meant.I'm going to have to take it very gently with him. No free roaming for a while. Luckily he has a very big cage with lots of things to keep him busy.
My husband disinfected and bandaged my hand, provided tea and chocolate and put on a Cowboy Junkies album. So I'm OK!
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Only one night of no rats in the house! Speedy has landed. He's a juvenile rat, actually a juvenile delinquent after failing an introduction to another young rat by biting him.
So Speedy is a solo boy. He's probably going to be neutered so it's easier to place him in another mischief.
It's so odd having just one single rat! He's in the big penthouse cage, with brand new hammocks so he doesn't have to deal with too many strange-rat smells.
A little bit scared and overwhelmed right now. Going to leave him alone so he can settle down.
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The young man who's adopting baby rats Stuart and Dipsy came to fetch them today. They went from super confident and playful to very shy as soon as he came into the house. It's amazing how quickly they knew that a stranger was around. Makes me wonder about their past before they got to me, maybe someone scared them?
The carrier he brought was not secure so I had to lend him mine. The thought of driving with two baby rats loose in the car is so terrifying to me!
I didn't anticipate how much this would knock me, I'm feeling quite anxious and sad, although both this guy, and the man who adopted Twyla and Zen seem very careful and caring.
I have no rats in the house right now! Odd feeling. Am expecting someone to drop off my new foster today as well but she's not told me when yet.
Time to clean some cages, I suppose.
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Twyla and Zen were collected by their new person this morning.
I cleaned their cage and moved the baby boys, Stuart and Dipsy, into the big cage. They've been running around in there like little blurs, risking dehydration in their attempt to pee on every single thing.Dipsy is loving the wheel. Is on it right now, I can hear it ticking as he runs.
They're being fetched by their new mom tomorrow morning. So I only have them for one more night.
There's a chance I might be taking over a solo rat called Speedy, but until that happens, I'll be an empty-nest rat-foster !
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Freeroaming the boy-rats in the bathroom (the only rat safe room). Just watched Stuart dip both his little hands in the bath, scoop up some water and drink it. So delicate and careful.
Next minute he's jumped up where I've hidden the toothbrushes "out of reach" and is knocking everything over like a tiny bull in a china shop.
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Twyla and Zen are being collected by their new owner tomorrow, and I've just heard that Stuart and Dipsy have been adopted too! They're probably being fetched the day after.
I've only had these boys for a short time but I'm really going to miss them.
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I was just getting used to the idea that Twyla and Zen would be with me for the long haul, and today I got a message the there's someone who wants to adopt them.
He has one lonely rat (her friend died recently) and she needs some company. I don't know how much longer they'll be with me. Apparently he's a very good and careful rat owner so they'll be well taken care of. But it is a bit of a wrench! -
Got to get these little babies adopted, so I did a glamour shot for the small animal rescue org's social media. Stuart and Dipsy ate a large amount of yogurt drops as I tried to get non-blurred photos of them! Also some videos.
Stuart: https://youtu.be/uR3O9c0SlSk?si=Kimw3Co_XYvXzgtG
Dipsy: https://youtu.be/4b4caFTWnb4?si=kpaWY6s-XNPJdd4c
They're going on an adoption event this Saturday, so a good chance they'll find their forever homes.
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Not much work got done while the baby rats were checking out my desk.
Dipsy is ridiculously cute. He's quite a chill little guy, he likes sitting in my hoodie or perched on my shoulder.
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Video:Stuart stops his exploration of my desk to have a quick grooming session balanced on my mouse.
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Apparently that's a scary book!
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Stuart and Dipsy's first meal with me!
For most of their lives they were fed only on black sunflower seeds so they're still a bit new to fresh vegetables. -
The babies are here!
Today I went to fetch (father, cream coloured ) Stuart and (son, black ) Dipsy from one of the other foster people.They're in their new cage now, about 4 times the size of their previous home, and outfitted with their own hammocks so they have something familiar. They seem pretty fine, Stuart has already started grooming himself.
I'm leaving them alone for the moment so they can recover from the stress of the move.
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Drama and skandaal in the Rat Foster group!
A person who adopted one of our rats last year reported that it became "suddenly pregnant", and by the look of the babies, the father is a wild rat. Apparently the deed was done through the bars of the cage, or that's what the owner guesses.
This is a problem as hybrid domestic-wild rats are not as easy to keep. They will get frustrated in a standard rat cage. I have no personal experience with hybrids, but I suspect they are not quite as placid as domestic rats are.
So now the small animal org has to decide what happens to these twelve half-wild babbas...
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The two old lady-rats, Twyla and Zen, were free roaming in the bathroom just now and I lost track of Zen.
Rustle rustle.
She'd fallen into the flip top waste paper bin and it had closed above her.
She was so annoyed. When I opened it, she looked up at me and gave a loud squeak.
Then immediately climbed up on the bin again.