The Rat Room

When you bring home your rats, you need to make sure that not only their habitat is adequate, safe and fun but you must also assure that their out time will be safe as well. Rat proofing the area is very important, set it up before your rat gets into trouble. Things to look out for are electrical cords, outlets, spots where a rat can get into and anything that you don’t want to get chewed. My sister has lost a beloved couch to her rats. They have tunnelled through it and made it their own. They have since heavily ducked taped it.
I recommend making a corral around the cage, setting it up as their play pen. Rats need exercise and mental stimulation as well as daily human interactions. Out time should be at least an hour a day. Allowing them to climb, run and explore will keep them fit and healthy.
I use a great product called coroplast. It’s a corrugated plastic used mainly for sign boards. It comes in big sheets so you can cut it down to size and attach it with zipties. Recently, I had to make mine bigger, I’ve acquired rats skilled in gymnastics.
Some people will use wood boards to fasten together, it’s a little heavier but it will also do the trick. With rats that are less energetic, you might be able to use big cardboard boxes.
The bottom line, make your ratties’ home and play ground safe and secure.

My corral, keeping rats inside and safe.

My corral from a few years ago.

Yesterday I was not able to take the rats out for their usual out times. I had to go out for a few tests and came back too late.
But today… when it was time for the Gera and Rory group to come out, I had to check them over several times… make sure it was them. They were all super happy and hyper. It was wonderful having bouncing rats all around me. Especially Gera, he has transformed. He’s feisty and playful, going after all the girls making everyone and everyrat laugh. It was a good good day. This has made me hopeful that the move in together might be more realistic than I first thought. yay!
Today Gera has a vet check… I’m sure my Dr. Vannevel will be so pleased with the progress. Gera is doing great!!

A happy but pooped out Rory.

Molly doing her act again.

After only a few days on Clavamox, Gera is feeling quite well. He is no longer holding his leg up, nor is it swollen or red. He’s actually running on it now. And the best news, that lump in his groin is almost gone. I feel so relieved and I’m sure Gera is too.
The intros are going very well, a few setbacks each time though because they aren’t living together yet. Each day, when they meet again, they have to go through the whole alpha, beta and omega process. This can get tiring for everyone. The girls don’t much mind at all, it really only involves Max, Rory and Chief. But Gera is sitting back and waiting. I can see him taking over once everyone has settled in. This might happen at the end of August, once I have my rat room up.

The only pic I could take of Gera, he was always on the move.

Baby Meeko, looking more like a maturing rat. Awwww

Rory on the ramp.

A couple of days ago, I noticed Gera was holding up his leg and wasn’t moving much. I waited it out hoping it was a simple sprain but the swelling never came. So I packed my sweet Gera up and off to the vet we went. The vet suspect cellulitis. He’s now on Clavamox for the next two weeks. We hope that this will treat it and he’ll be right back to normal. Gera also has a small lump in his groin. We are hoping it’s only a neuter abscess which can sometimes happen. Clavamox should take care of that as well.
Gera has been enjoying the extra coddling. He especially approves of his Cozygloo which I gave him when it’s out time. This way he can be out with me and I can watch him so the other rats won’t bother him. The girls don’t seem to understand that Gera needs some recovery time.
We are back at the vet’s next Tuesday for a follow-up. Wish us well.

Get well soon Gera.

2 years ago, my mom took in 5 rescues which ended up into 32 rats because the girls were pregnant. Anna was a princess from the start. She was a fun loving girl and never partook in any bullying or shunning of the buddies. She welcomed newcomers and made them part of her cuddle group.
Anna Banana was born on May 6th 2008. She was part of a large litter but only 10 survived. She came to me at the age of 5 weeks along with 7 of her siblings and half siblings. She was named Anna Banana Cream Pie because of her whispery white curly hairs and that rich beige making up her bareback marking. She is a beauty. She survived the bout of illness that took many of my rats. She made it to 26 months old only to be stolen away from me by a pituitary tumour. She fought it hard but it was too much to ask. I finally let her go. She is reunited with so many siblings and buddies, I know she’s having fun again… in her beautiful loving spirit.

Anna at 4 weeks.

Anna Banana at 23 months old.

So last night, I did take Chief and Doc out from Gera’s cage. I just couldn’t risk anything happening. Although it did break my heart because Chief was really enjoying himself, and Meeko and Doc were playing quite a bit. But this morning, I scrubbed down the cage and moved them in. This is working out as it should. They are still getting their out time with Rory and gang. Everyone had fun today, Max wasn’t so nice to Doc but Doc needed it. Doc gets into these weird over excitable moods so when Max or Rory sets him straight, I’m quite thankful. It always settles down the Doc.
It was fun to see all the rats just being themselves and enjoying their out time. Their cage is still not available to them. That will be the next step.

Baby Meeko

The ever beautiful Molly

Just a little update with Gera and friends. I’ve had them together the better part of the afternoon and so far all is well. I did see Chief cuddled up with Gera. Each time I go to the cage, Doc starts to play crazily with me. I’m debating if I should have them be together overnight. I’m leaning towards yes… things are just going so good.

With the dreaded day 2 behind us, it’s nothing but good energy now. It was a delightful day 3. I did do something different this time around. I decided to give Gera, Meeko, Little Doc and Chief 20 minutes of out time with just the four of them. I want to get them bonded and happy. Eventually, I’d like to get those four living together before they move in with the Rory gang if ever.
It went very well, in fact it set them up for that perfect energy for Max and Rory. Once all 10 were together, they were quite happy. Chief explored everywhere which is a first. He’d often stop to do that happy head shake. Gera didn’t take charge but he really didn’t need to. Max never puffed up and didn’t pay much attention to the young ones. Rory did a couple of times but nothing serious. It was more of a: “you are annoying me, stop it.” The three younger girls had quite the fun with Meeko and Little Doc. They chased each other around, played tag and leap frog. After an hour with the Rory gang, everyone went home and had some broccoli. Currently, I’m keeping an eye on the Gera cage. I’ve decided to enclose Chief and Doc in with them. At first Gera was not too happy. Oh he didn’t puff up or anything. When Gera is not happy, he flattens out and squints. He seems much better now, eating his broccoli. So far so good. Keeping fingers crossed and certainly not putting away the other cages yet.

Filing down those teeth: Gera

Chief and Molly

But it wasn’t Chief my concern today. As usual it was to be expected since it is a familiar ground day 2 after all. It was Max and Rory who decided to go around and be meanies. I stopped them quick enough. I hoped I caught it before it downed the mood. Luckily most took it in stride but not Gera. Gera was done. He doesn’t like neurotic rats, bullies of any kind. So he pretty much spent his intro/out time on my shoulder. But if you were to look at Meeko, you’d swear nothing happened. He was happy and bouncing all over the place. That was a good sign, especially for a day two.
All in all, it went well.

Rory: “my box”

Meeko loving the Snak Shak

Bianca and Molly near the end of the out time, telling me, it’s time to go home, they were trying to get access to their cage.

We did two more neutral ground, things are going great so I figured it was time to move it to familiar ground, the place where Rory and friends play. This area is familiar to Gera, Meeko and little Doc too. But it was new to Chief. He was a little quiet and more puffy than most. The others were pretty good though. Rory did go around showing his muscle but didn’t flex it once. Gera did go around making sure his buds were ok. Meeko and little Doc remained quite happy and that’s a good sign.
Tomorrow is day 2 of familiar ground and we all know how that can go so keeping my fingers crossed.

Chief, king of his castle.