Freya heals, Four days without mum, and warm days arrive..

Not updated for a while. It's been crazy busy here.
Freya had her final post-spay check-up, and passed with flying colours.. almost.. (a rogue stitch needed trimming) she's now almost completely healed, and her fur is growing back.
Huge sighs of relief!

I went for a break last weekend down to the south-east to visit my family, and the girls were left with someone I completely trust. This didn't stop me ringing for updates, and issuing instructions down the phone like an Army Officer.

On my return, they were pleased to see me, but I realised just how much they missed me the next day..
Good morning kisses were a frenzy. Their routine of breakfast - snack - and warm evening meal was the most excitable and frantic it has ever been. Free range time was a full-on pampering session with manicure, eyebrow trimming, and my hands and cheeks covered in ratty licks.
*JOY* =D

Freya is already gaining weight, and has all but lost that skittish, nervous side of her nature.
Missing a few days of this transformation, then coming back to find my not-quite-so-tiny girl climbing the bars of the cage to greet me, was pretty surreal.
I still maintain, despite our drama, that rat spaying has an incredible effect on them, quite aside from the many health benefits. My opinion has not been changed.

Right now the ladies are in the back garden, in some shade, enjoying the unexpected warm breeze. (UK weather has been nuts this year - where did winter go? O_o)
They are lying eyes half closed, wind ruffling their fur, and looking adorable.
My daughter is on duty keeping an eye on them, while doing some homework, although judging by the giggles, I suspect less homework is being completed than usual...
Have a great weekend, wherever you are.
Deplume xx

 

Sunbathing Nova.. ^_^

The Bad Rat Pledge..

The Bad Rat Pledge

• There is no need to steal treats from others when I am given one of equal size of my own.
• There is no nutritional value in tissue.
• Bath time means a bath, not a chance to jump out and knock everything over.
• When dinner is being served, I will control myself and share with my cagemate in a sensible fashion.
• I will go about my night-time business in respectful silence.
• I am not qualified to give my human a manicure, pedicure, ear cleaning, nose cleaning, or dental exam.
• My human lovingly handcrafted this cozy hammock for me.. so I must not pee in it, or chew six holes in it.
• Band-Aids/plasters are there for a purpose and are not to be removed without permission.
• I will not bite my human's earrings, especially when she is wearing them.
• Begging for another treat after stashing the first one does not fool my human.
• I will try to remember to groom my tail... at least once a year.
• It's rarely ever wise to chew a hammock hook while lazing in it.
• I will strike perfect statuesque poses every time the camera lens points in my direction.
• I will not cling to that spot between my human's shoulder blades where I cannot be removed without assistance.
• I must remember that human skin simply does not have the traction required for vertical climbs.
• Walking down one level of my cage to use the litter tray is not inconvenient.  
• Water bowls are not provided for tail washing, or as a repository for unwanted food.
• Peeing all over myself and my cagemates does not make us smell irresistible.
•  I will not stare forlornly at my human, nose pressed through the bars of the cage, when she is having dinner and make her feel guilty so we get most of what she was eating..
  
  
  Credit goes to: Dapper Rat

The girls have been reunited!

Good news; Freya has now gone back into the big cage!
I was going to be really strict and keep them apart for longer, but she has done so well, and they both looked so sad, I decided enough was enough.
Time to get back to normality (or what passes for normal around these parts!)
Obviously I will keep a close eye on the wound, and a close eye on Novas grooming habits... ;)

An unexpected but very welcome upside of Freya and Nova being kept apart, is that I've been able to tackle the litter training separately.. and by jove I think we've cracked it!
They now have soft cosy fleece flooring, and a litter tray in one corner. ^_^
I fully expect the fleece to be shredded by morning, but hopefully not soaked through with rat pee....

Another bonus was spending time with Freya alone, as she's never been as outgoing as her sister, we needed some more trust training and bonding time.
It seems all the quiet whispers, and head scritches have paid off...
Yesterday she came out of the small cage, onto my hand, and straight up to my shoulder, without me having to pick her up!

This morning just to make sure reuniting them in the main cage would go well, I took them both upstairs for some free range time on my bed. I laid down and and put my head on my arms, and let them go about the important ratty business of checking whether my pillow case was edible, and fighting with a stuffed toy rabbit..
Then after around 20 minutes of frenzied exploring, Freya snuggled up next to my face, and started grooming one eyebrow.. and Nova, not wanting to miss anything, started grooming the other.
Within ten minutes we were all asleep.
It was only a cat nap, and I was rudely awoken by both girls trying to remove my fingernails... but it was bliss.

It's been a few days of ups and downs... but everything has settled down nicely..
:)
xx

Reunited at last... ^_^

Freya the (small but) mighty!!

Freya is home!! She had a very rough day yesterday.
She came out of her op fine, but then started spotting blood.
A nurse checked on her 15 mins later, and blood was oozing through the wound.
She had to go under, and be opened up again, washed out with saline, and then the bleeding stopped.
Put under, and opened up twice! Poor little girl..
She's been eating and drinking, staying warm, and I've been giving her pain relief, but she still seems very sore. It looks like she's lost some weight, she seems so tired and fragile, and I'm looking at her now, wondering how on earth she made it through. She's got some spirit for one so small!
Her wound is also a bit of a mess, and will probably scar a lot more than Novas did, but it's to be expected, and the last thing Freya has to worry about right now.

The vet said it was very unlucky, and they could spay lots of rats, and not have it happen.
She said she'd still recommend spays, and hopes it hasn't put me off.
I don't know what to think at the moment. I'm just so glad she pulled through. xx

 Poor Poorly Freya! :(

Freya: Spay has become complicated,

The vet nurse rang me earlier to let me know that Freya had been rushed in for emergency surgery.
Apparently they discovered a bleed while she was in recovery waiting for me to pick her up.
I don't know what this means, or how she is now, because they've asked me to ring back later for more information.
Hang in there bright eyes!
:'(

Nova: dainty paws and tiny sips...

Nova isn't the most graceful of rats.
She runs everywhere at full speed, whether she's in her cage, or free ranging.
She stomps around as if she owns the place (which as far as she's concerned, she does..)
In fact the only time Nova ever comes to a complete stand still, is if she physically runs into something, or she's too tired to bother..

However, I don't think I have ever seen any rat eat more gracefully, and with such elegance than Nova.
She picks things up with her tiny paws, and gnaws on them so meekly, and so delicately, it's heart-melting.
Unlike her sister Freya, who hits the water bottle and the food bowl, like a bull at an international glassware convention..

Nova - Tiny sips.. <3

Nova and Freya: Fun with a Piñata!!

The girls have had a lovely evening, and are both now absolutely exhausted (although I'm betting this will change the minute the cage door opens for free range time later..)
They've never had a piñata before, but it's something I've always wanted to try with them..
It's really simple, and the excitement caused them both to run around like maniacs, long after the last sunflower seed had been gobbled up!
Nova attacked it immediately, but it took Freya a few minutes to realise there was something yummy inside, then she quickly figured out, it was easier to let Nova do all the ripping, and tugging, and she could hoover up the fallen goodies from below..

I will definitely do it again, although, next time, I will make it a bit more of a challenge..





Then I left the door open, with a little tub of shreddies nearby, and sat back to watch the girls 'escape'
It was very funny watching tubster Nova trying to 'sneak' out of the cage, with a very guilty look on her face, grab a shreddie and dive back into the cage as though it was the naughtiest thing in the world!
She seemed completely oblivious to the fact that I opened the cage, placed the box there, and fully expected them to come out..
Once in a while it's good to let them 'sneak out and steal' some treats.. with mine, it's exciting enough to prevent any genuine naughtiness.. (usually, but not always..)

I have discovered Novas secret hiding place for treats, and so has Freya, much to her annoyance.
It's not very secret. Under the wheel in fact.
It couldn't be much more obvious if it had a neon sign saying 'TREATS HERE' hanging over it.
She's been very busy transferring everything to an even less secure location.. inside the hammock they both sleep in, I can see a scuffle brewing..  >___<
xx

Rat toys and treats: homemade how-to..

Freya: Rat Spay Impending..

I'm currently sat at the PC, with an unusually relaxed Freya.
I say relaxed, she's still scrabbling around trying to get down to the computer keys, where, if she's anything like Nova, she'll have a jolly old time trying to remove the letter 's'... but she's not quite as manic as usual..
I wanted to spend some time with her specifically, on her own, because this is a big week for her; On Thursday she goes in to the vets to be spayed..

I've always had every intention of getting both my girls spayed, but with the slight age gap, I couldn't do them both at the same time, so this one has been looming on the horizon.
Novas spay went so well, no hiccups whatsoever, so I have an amazing experience to draw from.
Aside from being a bit drowsy, and then getting mightily cheesed off about the ''no-climbing'' rule for a few days, Nova came through it as though nothing had happened.

Being a 'glass half empty' kind of person, I'm acutely aware of the rule that ''things never usually go as well a second time round'' - but I know Freya is in the best possible hands, and I am confident that with an amazing surgeon and my panicky post-op round-the-clock care, she should be fine..


It's going to be a hairy week.. but, while I'm looking forward to it all being over and done with, I'm happy with my decision to go through with it.

Will it stop them fromgetting the dreaded tumours and dying early?
I don't know.. Nobody does.
Was it worth it in my opinion?
Absolutely.
Would I do it again?
Yes. Thursday in fact..
*Nervous smile* xx

Nova and Freya: Rat Bathtime!

My rattys love water, and love having a roam around a shallow bath.

It gives them something exciting to do, keeps them cool during the summer, and helps deal with ''stinky-tail''

Some rats hate water, some have to be taught to enjoy it.

Mine have always been in the bathroom from an early age, and have been encouraged to explore.

In fact baths are often great places to introduce new rats to each other!
Small enough for them to have contact, but large enough and full of exciting things such as taps, and plugs, and wind-up frogs, to keep their interest, and (hopefully) prevent any major scuffles.

Neither of my girls are chewers, but if yours are, be careful leaving tubs, and bottles of shampoo/soap on the side of the bath. Check surfaces for anything you don't want them munching on, check the hot tap wont burn them, and isn't dripping scalding water, and it goes without saying, keep a close eye on them.
(Why wouldn't you, rats splashing around is wonderful to watch!) 

:)

I always run the bath with tepid water. They hate being cold, and obviously too warm is dangerous. 

Toss in a few toys, and some treats for them to fish out, and they are well away!

Nova - Debating whether to get in or not..

Nova likes nothing more than ducking her sister, and pushing her in, then grooming herself from top to toe.

Freya splashes about with child-like glee, stopping occasionally for a wrestle with the toy frog.

Freya: Frog wrestler extraordinaire!

 

I secretly think that they enjoy snuggling into a nice warm towel, the obligatory 20-minute, post-bath cleaning ritual, and falling asleep with some loving strokes and scritches, just as much as the actual bath.

Sleepy Nova + Nosey Freya = two happy rattys! ^_^

Nova and Freya: Choosing the girls..

Of the two sexes, I've always preferred girls.

My family kept boys, and we had one called Buster, who I seem to remember as being a huge, lovable, and very lazy!

Everyone I know who has boys, say they are more relaxed, and are much more likely to let you mollycoddle them, but, while a huge male rat who adores kisses and treats is a tempting offer.. I do seem to prefer my ladies.

Girls always seem so much more active. They have an irrepressible cheekiness, which I adore, and the love they give you on the way to and from the important business of being a rat, is always appreciated because it's not given quite so readily.

The delight I feel when one of them decides I need grooming, or comes over to see what I'm up to, always means so much, because they have taken time out of their own busy 'schedule' to pay me some attention.

I honestly went to see my local rat breeder, with every intention of getting a boy this time.

But as soon as I saw Nova, I knew she was for me.

She stood out among her 4 cage mates straight away.

At 7 weeks old, she seemed so tiny, but she was fascinated with me, and she kept hopping playfully over to my hand, then scuttling off again in the cutest way. When I picked her up, she sat on my hand, and one proper look at that daft expression (Dumbo rat owners will know it well!) and I was sold!

Nova - My ADHD shoulder buddy!

Freya was the more nervous of the two, and I think this is because she was a bit older when I got her.

Freya was in a cage with 5 other girls, all just passed baby stage, and they were so active!

They all looked very similar, and it seemed like an impossible choice, so I spent some time just watching and interacting with them. Within minutes I had chosen Freya.

She was very interested in my hands, but stood back from the other rats, and I noticed that the other girls would stop whatever they were doing to go up and give her a shove, or direct power displays towards her.

At one point all of them sat on her, ignoring her squeaks for mercy!

I think part of me just wanted to rescue her from being trampled on, and I do love an underdog, so I picked her up and held her for a bit. She was understandably nervous, but she was very interested in the new smells and the change of perspective, and I knew right then that she was the one for me. (Well, the other One..)

;)

I got Freya a few weeks after Nova, so we had to go through the necessary (though thankfully trouble-free) introduction stage.

In retrospect, it would have been easier, to have bought the two together, and I wholeheartedly recommend that approach, as would any vet, or breeder, but I had my own reasons for getting them separately.

As it turns out, I was lucky, during the first meeting, they greeted each other like old friends, snuggled down in their rat carrier, and refused to come out!

 Sleepy Freya - A moment of calm.

 ;) xx

Nova and Freya: Introductions!

These are the rats that currently own me;

NOVA: 

Nova is a silvery-grey hooded Dumbo-eared rat. She is a very sweet natured, daft-looking, greedy bundle of fun.

Her hobbies include; Keeping one ear open for packets being opened. Fretting about her sister stealing bedding material. Practising her 'pleading for treats' look.

I got her from a local breeder when she was around 7 weeks old.

I was impressed by her parents (Hera and Zeus) who were very healthy and friendly.

The way the mother Hera trusted her owner told me everything I needed to know.

These babies had been handled, and were used to human contact, which is always a plus, and he clearly knew what he was talking about.

I brought her home in the standard small furry carrier, and introduced her to her cage, and the rest.. as they say.. is history. :)

FREYA:

Freya is Novas half sister. They have the same mother, the lovely Hera.

She is a chocolate coloured hooded rat, with markings that extend to the base of her tail.

Although they share the same mother, that is where any similarity ends, she doesn't have dumbo ears, and has a very delicate little face, compared to her sister.

She is a mad bundle of energy, a cheeky, stubborn little monkey (I wouldn't have her any other way!)

Her hobbies include; Stealing Novas bedding material. Running on her wheel. Doing the 'wall of death' around my neck.

;)

So those are my girls. I will post some Info about choosing, etc soon!

xx