jorats
Loving rats since 2002.
Isn't it wonderful!!! Stress and hormones can really screw up a rat but when you take that away, you have what is truly their personality, a loving little critter. :joy:
Shivers and the Pincushion
- Thread starter trillium
- Start date
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PiedPiper
Well-Known Member
:joy: You two can really start working on becoming the best of friends now, seeing as how you ... ahem, already know each other so intimately (well at leastyou know Shivers intimately). :giggle:
Moon
Well-Known Member
Wonderful news!!
SQ
Senior Member - Vegan for the animals
:thumbup:
trillium
Well-Known Member
I thought I'd post a few pics here of BellaBoo
(Her story starts with these threads -- viewtopic.php?f=4&t=14940&start=15 and viewtopic.php?f=54&t=14598&start=0)
and Shivers. Okay, so I'm feeling guilty for posting about Dizzy, but not my own two ratties! They're doing wonderfully though. It's kinda a Happy Bday to Shivers too, who passed by two (according to the age given by the Humane Society) somewhere around December - I'll say his Bday is Jan. 1st, just to keep it simple. He's starting to look a bit older, rougher - his coat isn't quite as glossy as it was a year ago -but he's still as active and brave as ever.
Bella made a bit of a breakthrough for me today. She's always been crazy protective of her space in the cage and pretty wild if she gets loose in the house. I've trained her a bit to come to the sound of a treats container being shaken, but if she figures out that she's not in an enclosed space, she's GONE like a flash. She has groomed me on a couple of occasions though, so I guess that's progress!
The breakthrough was that I was in a rush to get things cleaned up this morning to go down and see how Dizzy made it through the night, so I (insert stupidity sign here) stuck my hand in the hidey nest to drag out the paper towels. Bella was on my fingers in no time, one little nip and then as I withdrew my hand a hard CHOMP... BUT I froze and she didn't break the skin! I think when she realized it was me she stopped herself. I've been trying to desensitize her to the hands a bit and make her realize hands aren't all bad, but I don't have too much time to work on it, so I'm really happy with her response. Though, I'm pretty sure if I'd yanked my hand back she would have bitten down even harder. Ah well, she's a cute little monkey --
Hello! Morning greetings - (particularly if I have treats - i.e. apple in this case)
The ever handsome, smexy (smart AND sexy) Shivers posing for his glamour shot...
Bella in one of her favourite hiding spots. You can't see me!!!
(Her story starts with these threads -- viewtopic.php?f=4&t=14940&start=15 and viewtopic.php?f=54&t=14598&start=0)
and Shivers. Okay, so I'm feeling guilty for posting about Dizzy, but not my own two ratties! They're doing wonderfully though. It's kinda a Happy Bday to Shivers too, who passed by two (according to the age given by the Humane Society) somewhere around December - I'll say his Bday is Jan. 1st, just to keep it simple. He's starting to look a bit older, rougher - his coat isn't quite as glossy as it was a year ago -but he's still as active and brave as ever.
Bella made a bit of a breakthrough for me today. She's always been crazy protective of her space in the cage and pretty wild if she gets loose in the house. I've trained her a bit to come to the sound of a treats container being shaken, but if she figures out that she's not in an enclosed space, she's GONE like a flash. She has groomed me on a couple of occasions though, so I guess that's progress!
The breakthrough was that I was in a rush to get things cleaned up this morning to go down and see how Dizzy made it through the night, so I (insert stupidity sign here) stuck my hand in the hidey nest to drag out the paper towels. Bella was on my fingers in no time, one little nip and then as I withdrew my hand a hard CHOMP... BUT I froze and she didn't break the skin! I think when she realized it was me she stopped herself. I've been trying to desensitize her to the hands a bit and make her realize hands aren't all bad, but I don't have too much time to work on it, so I'm really happy with her response. Though, I'm pretty sure if I'd yanked my hand back she would have bitten down even harder. Ah well, she's a cute little monkey --
Hello! Morning greetings - (particularly if I have treats - i.e. apple in this case)
The ever handsome, smexy (smart AND sexy) Shivers posing for his glamour shot...
Bella in one of her favourite hiding spots. You can't see me!!!
mamarat
Well-Known Member
They're so cute. :heart:
Moon
Well-Known Member
Shivers is SUCH a handsome guy 
jorats
Loving rats since 2002.
Such a sweet story those two. Shivers is so handsomely white.
trillium
Well-Known Member
Shivers is entering a new period of his life, and likely a time that I need to enjoy and cherish before I lose him, so I thought I'd post an update, for myself and anyone who's had a close bond with a "pincushion" rat that turned into a much loved mushball. :>
He's always been a pretty robust boy, so when he started sneezing and getting a weepy eye a month or two ago, I didn't think much of it, other than figuring that he was likely aging a bit (He's about 21/2 now). Then, last Saturday/Sunday, I thought: Does that weepy eye look bulgy? I think it looks bulgy...but I'd already had him on Baytril/Doxy for three weeks, so I thought it likely wasn't an abscess/infection, so that meant it might be -- a tumour pushing the eye out? He seemed to be showing some weird stretching movements, so I thought that might be a possibility.
We ended up at the vet's on Tuesday for meds - she gave us penicillin shots to do (that was an interesting learning curve), metacam, chloramphenicol ointment for the eye... and an e-collar. Horror of horrors.
A week of pretty intense attention didn't improve the situation. In fact, the eye burst and started spewing gross stuff by the following Monday. I called to make what might have been his final appointment. I wasn't sure what to do. The vet was honest that she'd never done eye surgery on a rat before. The cost to do such a surgery on a rat that was also showing some neurological symptoms seemed just crazy. He was absolutely miserable. He had sores on his neck from wearing the collar all week, he was shaking and scratching at the collar non-stop. His face and nose were covered in gunk and eye ointment.
But if I looked at the left side of his face, he basically looked like his normal Shivers' self...and when I offered him his mushed up meals and treats, he was greedily sucking them down as always. My hubby offered to split the cost of trying surgery.
Wednesday he went in. My expectations were pretty low. I told the vet that if there were any signs of a tumour or abscess in behind the eye to just let him go. I was happy, though, that he'd be out of pain and misery. Before I took him in T. said we should rename him "Shiver Me Timbers" given his one good eye, and with the toughness of a true pirate, Shivers made it through!
So we're on metacam, baytril and soft foods. He's still in an e-collar to stop him from scratching at the incision, but he's got his second chance. A chance for us to get some more lovin' in before we might have to say goodbye. I am so happy that the surgery worked. Not sure what else is going on internally, or what caused the eye to go - the vet said she couldn't see anything in there behind it - but I'm excited to have this "extra" time with him, however long it'll be.
Some photographs...I'll try to link the goopy ones...
When I first thought the eye was looking, well, too big.
Two days later:
http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o284 ... 240004.jpg
After surgery -- "Shiver Me Timbers" is born:
And a little video -- that shows the head bobbing that we still haven't sorted out. The vet refuses to prescribe prednisone, as she says it'll tank his immune system.
I love my little pirate.
He's always been a pretty robust boy, so when he started sneezing and getting a weepy eye a month or two ago, I didn't think much of it, other than figuring that he was likely aging a bit (He's about 21/2 now). Then, last Saturday/Sunday, I thought: Does that weepy eye look bulgy? I think it looks bulgy...but I'd already had him on Baytril/Doxy for three weeks, so I thought it likely wasn't an abscess/infection, so that meant it might be -- a tumour pushing the eye out? He seemed to be showing some weird stretching movements, so I thought that might be a possibility.
We ended up at the vet's on Tuesday for meds - she gave us penicillin shots to do (that was an interesting learning curve), metacam, chloramphenicol ointment for the eye... and an e-collar. Horror of horrors.
A week of pretty intense attention didn't improve the situation. In fact, the eye burst and started spewing gross stuff by the following Monday. I called to make what might have been his final appointment. I wasn't sure what to do. The vet was honest that she'd never done eye surgery on a rat before. The cost to do such a surgery on a rat that was also showing some neurological symptoms seemed just crazy. He was absolutely miserable. He had sores on his neck from wearing the collar all week, he was shaking and scratching at the collar non-stop. His face and nose were covered in gunk and eye ointment.
But if I looked at the left side of his face, he basically looked like his normal Shivers' self...and when I offered him his mushed up meals and treats, he was greedily sucking them down as always. My hubby offered to split the cost of trying surgery.
Wednesday he went in. My expectations were pretty low. I told the vet that if there were any signs of a tumour or abscess in behind the eye to just let him go. I was happy, though, that he'd be out of pain and misery. Before I took him in T. said we should rename him "Shiver Me Timbers" given his one good eye, and with the toughness of a true pirate, Shivers made it through!
So we're on metacam, baytril and soft foods. He's still in an e-collar to stop him from scratching at the incision, but he's got his second chance. A chance for us to get some more lovin' in before we might have to say goodbye. I am so happy that the surgery worked. Not sure what else is going on internally, or what caused the eye to go - the vet said she couldn't see anything in there behind it - but I'm excited to have this "extra" time with him, however long it'll be.
Some photographs...I'll try to link the goopy ones...
When I first thought the eye was looking, well, too big.
Two days later:
http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o284 ... 240004.jpg
After surgery -- "Shiver Me Timbers" is born:
And a little video -- that shows the head bobbing that we still haven't sorted out. The vet refuses to prescribe prednisone, as she says it'll tank his immune system.
I love my little pirate.
jorats
Loving rats since 2002.
What a little love. He's a fighter all the way. I'm surprised that he's made it through anesthetic so well even though he has a URI. He's really a strong little man.
That must have been one hard decision. Even if he has a month, that is a lifetime for him.
That must have been one hard decision. Even if he has a month, that is a lifetime for him.
mamarat
Well-Known Member
Sending good thoughts for the little guy. He is a fighter.
Godmother
Well-Known Member
What a sweetie he turned out to be. I am so glad that he made it through surgery. Hoping for a good recovery. :heart:
