Chernobyl Area Becomes Wildlife Haven

"In the Journal of Mammology in 1996, Baker and his colleagues reported that the disaster had not reduced either the diversity or abundance of a dozen species of rodents - including mice, shrews, rats and weasels - near the Chernobyl plant."

Celebration of a Life

After reading this, you'll feel like you knew him...

One Smart Parrot

Poncho - an amazing parrot - is someone to watch...literally. His owner says this about him in this clip: Poncho, my 30 year old double yellow headed amazon (i've had him for 15 of those years!), uses one of his feathers to help scratch his head! The new feathers that are constantly growing in cause the itch, which I usually scratch for him. He was not taught to do this, he figured it out on his own, and has been doing it for years. He uses feathers that fall out naturally, and will also use other objects besides feathers for the same purpose, like pencils, straws, toys, etc. Does anyone elses parrot do this?

"...It got out of hand"

Calif. woman found with 120 pet rats

LOS ANGELES -- Officers seized more than 100 pet rats, dozens of rabbits and other animals including several birds from the home of an 81-year-old woman, who was later treated at a hospital for what appeared to be bites, authorities said.

"The woman had no food in the house for herself and seemed disoriented," said Annette Ramirez, an officer with the city's Animal Services Department. "Her arms were covered with open wounds apparently caused by animal bites."

Animal control officers discovered the scene while investigating a report Monday of unkempt conditions at a home in suburban Wilmington. In all, they found about 120 rats, 25 rabbits, six parakeets, a dog, a quail and a cockatiel, she said.

The woman, identified as Wanda Langstom, was overwhelmed by how quickly the rats reproduced, Ramirez said.

"She said it just started with two but it got out of hand," Ramirez said.

Most of the animals were in fair condition, but two rabbits needed medical attention. They will all be available for adoption after being treated by a veterinarian, she said.

Mouse Guard

In a world full of dangerous predators, how do simple mice survive? Only through the heroism of the Mouse Guard. Three of the Mouse Guard's finest — Lieam, Saxon and Kenzie — seek to uncover a traitorous plot against the Guard in the difficult chill of Fall 1152.

Take a peek ...

Farewell Regina rat

Over the last week Regina rat had been slipping away. Regina rat had not been showing any obvious signs of discomfort or pain but she has been slowing down considerably and her body temperature was cooler than normal. I would find Regina laying all by herself, looking forlorn and panting softly with no obvious congestive lung sounds. Her tumor-like growth had not appeared to have gotten any larger. Regina rat would willing let me hand-feed her and give her Pedialite and then cuddle with me for naps. She was getting around the various levels of the cage with some effort but she was very willful on going where she wanted to go, at times leaping up ramps or across levels and still getting food and water on her own. She would even get "twitchy" while being held when she needed to go to the bathroom. But every day she would slow down more and more. We would take time to cuddle and nap together and she was still very bright eyed and bruxing.

This morning Regina rat drank some Pedialite and nibbled some treats but I could hear her softly whining. When I put her back she would turn and climb back up my arm, letting me know she needed more snuggle time. Regina rat did sleep on her own in her hammock for a while, her two new sisters checking in on her with cuddles and licking, but as I was about to leave I looked in on her and could see she was in distress. I took her out, wrapping her in her blanket and she sat with me. After a while she tried to get up on her own, letting me know she had enough of my snuggles and I put her on the play mat near her playhouse. Regina rat sat on her mat and I scritched and cuddled her and seemed to be happy with her last moment on the play mat. She begin to twitch, gave out a soft cry and a gasp, trembled and was gone. I sat with her for a while longer and then readied her for the journey to the rainbow bridge.

'Smart' Mice

'Smart' mice teach scientists about learning process, brain disorders
Mice genetically engineered to lack a single enzyme in their brains are more adept at learning than their normal cousins, and are quicker to figure out that their environment has changed, a team led by researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center has found.

Rat Stop Motion Video

Animal Internet

A favorite new hangout for the furries and us is Animal Internet.

You might even see a familiar face or two there...!

Scottish wildcat with kitten

A Scottish wildcat kitten - one of Britain's rarest mammals - shelters under his mother, Flora.