My very cute baby rat (w/pictures!)

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
1

Since my rat Lola died I’ve been thinking of getting another friend for Bettina and Cookie. Last week I decided to do it. Her name’s Ruby, and she’s about 2 months old. She’s just a tiny thing. A mini-rat. I put her in a seperate cage beside the others, so they could get used to her scent. Ruby was terrified of me and hid in the bamboo tube I’d put in her cage for most of the first day.

On the second day, I let the other girls out to examine the new cage. Bettina has previously been the mother of 9 babies. When she saw the little fuzzy butt sticking out of one end of the bamboo, she went into mama mode. She grabbed the bars of the cage and shoved her nose in. If she could talk, she’d have been yelling, “Baby! Baby!”

When Ruby saw Bettina she immediately bolted over to the side of the cage and started frantically licking Bettina’s toes. Cookie wandered over to see what the excitement was about. When Ruby saw that there was yet another rat she started bouncing like a kangaroo. A kangaroo rat. She boinged all over the cage, stopped a moment to lick toes again and drink some water, and boinged some more.

Based on the favorable reactio, the next day I let her in the cage with Bettina and Cookie. The second she got in there she kangarooed. Over to Cookie, then Bettina, then back again. She got so hyper that Cookie began to look annoyed and turned her back on Ruby. Ruby was not deterred by this and bounced in front of Cookie. Cookie shoved Ruby onto her back.

“Week!” Ruby cried in surprise.

Cookie held her down with one paw and began to slowly but firmly groom her, with an attitude that said, “You WILL calm down…for just a SECOND…and let me groom you!”

Ruby did not like being held still. “Weeeeek…” she made sounds like she needed to be oiled as Cookie’s tongue cleaned out her ears. “Oooooeeeee…”

Finally Cookie let her go and the bouncing commenced once again. She endured one more forced grooming from Bettina, and by morning they were all curled up in the same little plastic igloo.

Here’s Ruby (in a rare moment of not bouncing). :slight_smile:

2

She’s adorable. Congrats on the new addition.

3

Ooooh, what a cutie! I love rats, got three of my own plus the bunch at work. Have you tried teaching them any tricks? You’ld be surprised at just how bright they are.

4

I want a rat too!

But I live with my mother, who has told me that if I get a rat, she’s getting a tarantula.

I can live without a rat.

5

Oh yeah, Bettina plays a game with me where I’ll take her out and put her on my shoulder, then sit down at my desk and hold my arms out with my hands on the desk. Then I’ll say, “Down this arm!” and she’ll run down my left arm and onto the desk. I’ll say, “Now back up the other one!” and she’ll dash up my right arm and dive into my shirt. Then I tell her what a smart girl she is and much happy chattering ensues from her. :smiley:

6

D’awwwwww! Who’s a cutie 'lil ratbutt? Is it Ruby? Iiiis it Ruby? Ye-es! Yes it is! Da cutie 'lil ratbutt Rubykins!

7

We salute you, Amazon Floozy Goddess.

8

Why?

It sounds like a win/win situation to me.

9

She’s CUUUTE! I have two, Zsa Zsa and Suede, who is a nudie rat. They really are great lil’ pets.

10

She sure is is cutie! I’d love to see a bouncing rattie baby!!

11

Some of her fear is wearing off now. She came to sniff my hand yesterday. She’d sniff a bit, then suddenly jump and look at me like I might be about to snatch her up. When she realized that I wasn’t going to try anything, she’d relax a little and sniff some more. I think when she gets used to me she’ll have a lot of fun. It helps that she can see the other rats’ reactions to me, it proves to her that I’m not a threat. :slight_smile:

12

I like tarantulas too, but I’ve got enough pets for now. I might get a small snake someday. The first live tarantula I saw was one in a pet store when I was a kid. It was labeled a “Curly Tarantula”, and I laughed imagining it rolling around on the ground going, “Woob woob woob woob woob! Woob woob woob woob woob!” :smiley:

13

Just remember: A cage with bars is not so good for a snake, espescially if the rats snakes have bars, too. :stuck_out_tongue:

14

Hey! The thread title promised pictures! I want more! :: pout ::

I have never been able to take good pics of my rat-girls Templeton and Bob, becuase they almost never stop moving, unless they’re sleeping in which case they’re hiding in their house. Darn.

15

Requesting permission to use Ruby’s picture on my driver’s license, please.

:smiley:

16

I’ll see if I can get a shot of her bothering Cookie. :smiley:

17

Ruby’s photo has this “I dare you to keep me from driving” quality to it. I think it might work. :slight_smile:

Very cute little rat, AFG.

GT