Thursday, November 29, 2007

wee little ratties


"You would not like me when I'm angry..."


"Dems the chances you take, dems the dice you rolls.."


"OH SO LA MIA OH..."


"I made you a cookie..."



Thursday, November 22, 2007

The Great Escape


Christopher comes home from work one day this week in the morning. I'm getting ready for work, bustling about. He pops into the bathroom and says, "Do you know that Gabby is out?" I stare speechless, then mumble a "No..." I come out to see Gabby running on top of the tall Martin's Cage he and Drinky live in as young, eligible bachelors that they are. Chris scoops him up and we both puzzle over how he got out. No doors are open, no top left unsecured. I hurry off to work leaving a very concerned Chris.

Later, I get a voice mail on my cell. "I figured out how Gabby got out...in fact, he even showed me now...twice!" He went on to explain that Gabby was squeezing himself through the lab block self-feeder attached to the side of the cage. It's hard to believe, but somehow he managed it. As Chris pointed out, heaven knows how long he's been taking these field trips?! Thankfully, he hadn't bothered the mice in the cages on top of the rat cage...

We put a stop to it by blocking the exit to the feeder, but I had to chuckle at his sneekiness despite it all.

Saturday, November 17, 2007

Bounty rats


Drinky rat is harder to get posed, he is always on the move.


Gabby rat is more of a camera ham, but I think he is just waiting and hoping it is over soon.

shoulder rats



Drinky rat and Gabby rat hang out.

Wednesday, November 07, 2007

A Patriarch Passes

The day after we introduced Chaucer to his boys, he declined rapidly; we think it was a stroke. Christopher nursed him all yesterday, his healing hands worked magic massaging Chaucer's tired broken body, fed him Pediasure by dropper, and made sure he was warm and loved.

Last night he was put to bed, I checked on him around 2am and he was still with us. But this morning Chris came into the bedroom with Chaucer cradled in his arms, in a towel, "...He's gone."

Chaucer would have been 2 years old this coming January. He came from a line bred for longevity. Mother nature fooled us again.

R.I.P., beloved Patriarch.

Sunday, November 04, 2007

Chaucer rat meets Drinky rat and Gabby rat

Daddy Chaucer rat meets his baby boy rats Drinky and Gabby.

Saturday, November 03, 2007

Mighty Mouse

I hope this new strain of mouse means that eventually fancy mice bred with this line might live longer, healthier lives. One can hope...

Friday, November 02, 2007

The Boys Meet Dad

Tonight the boys met their Papa. It was quite amusing, because both Drinky and Gabby rushed poor Chaucer, they couldn't wait to say "Hi, hi, hi!!", but Chaucer was a little more reserved. He started sniffing them. They started sniffing him. Then it was off to the crazy car races as they ran around the big ottoman weaving in and out of each other's path. The boys would dive under Chaucer's chin, and he would come up behind them, almost mounting them, not sure of who/what at first. Eventually he settled down, with his 'wise Buddha' face, and they laid down beside him, and it was so sweet. It went well, very well, for a first meeting. We have high hopes they will be great friends. Photos and movies, to come...