Abigail Mouse and Lady Mouse

Abigail Mouse and Lady Mouse were introduced. After the initial greet and sniff and some squeaking and kicking on Lady Mouse's part, they settled in together like they were best friends. I found the girlie mice snuggled together many times through out the day.

Ethel Mouse

Sweet old lady Ethel mouse passed as I held her. Ethel mouse had been in decline and when she was no longer interested in her wheel I knew the end was near. Two weeks ago I found her in some sort of respiratory distress, blood appearing to be coming out of her nose and mouth. I held her, expecting her to die that morning, but her breathing improved and she even became mildly pissy with me for holding her so long ("I have to go NOW.") Since then Ethel mouse appeared to make a come-back, but the signs were still pointing towards her decline. The morning I found her once again in distress, struggling, and she stumbled around in the cage, trying to run away from what was tormenting her. I picked Ethel mouse up and cuddled her to the end.

Ethel Mouse was one of many of what I called "the little brown mouse" type mouses, who was always feisty and independent, but could be quite the loving little mouse when the mood was right. Her friend Abigale mouse noticed right away Ethel mouse was gone and searched for her. Abigale mouse was always a caretaker mouse, minding her little girl Lizzy mouse and then Ethel mouse. Abigale mouse was cuddled for a long time and she eventually went to the nest she shared with Ethel mouse and slept with her head sticking out as if she were waiting for Ethel mouse's return...

Rat Stamps

Introducing Lady Mouse

Introducing: Lady Mouse. Lady Mouse let me pick her up today. There was some initial kicking and squeaking but after few minutes she sat contently in my hand. At first Lady Mouse was not sure about being tufted and scritched but after a while she appeared to enjoy it.

Over the Rainbow

[I just found out about this video due to a comment on this blog by the Fluffy Tribe]

An amazing video from Vermin Realm, in honor of their special friend Riff. It includes many ratties who were well-loved by many, including our beloved Boober...

Lady Mouse

We have a new adopted mouse who we have named Lady Mouse. She is a couple of months old with lavender-colored fur and the cutest face. Lady Mouse is still not sure about us and will kick and cry when I have tried to pick her up. But, Lady Mouse has never bitten me. Lady Mouse is not completely anti-social as I have caught her looking out and watching us and has even come up to say a quick HELLO when solicited before running away. I will try to get some pictures of Lady Mouse when she is ready...

Happy Year of the Rat!

Mixing Animals

Mixing Animals
Putting bat DNA into mice sheds light on how limbs evolved.
By outfitting mice with a chunk of DNA that directs wing development in bats, scientists have created rodents with abnormally long forelimbs, mimicking one of the steps in the evolution of the bat wing. Their work gives weight to the idea that variations in how genes are controlled, and not just mutations in the coding regions of genes, are a driving force in evolution.

Amelia rat

Amelia rat was a strong and persistent little old lady rat from the day she arrived to the evening she left us. As she sat in my arms she struggled, fighting to her lost moment with such dignity and grace, her soft, loving pink eyes looking up at me while I snuggled and scratched her.

I found Amelia rat's tumor shortly before her nieces were born and fretted about what should be done, considering her age and temperament. Amelia was fragile but persistent when she wanted something, pushing her way out in front of the younger ratty girls and letting her intentions be known. Nothing could stop her from her navigating the house and play area. We would sit together in evenings, Amelia bruxing and boggling in my lap or against my forearm. Eventually she would start to fuss, her way of telling me she had enough and wanted to go back to her house. Amelia's nieces Drinky and Gabby and sister Isis took care of her. Gabby rat insistented to being her snuggle buddy while her newly adopted sister Elle rat would share the plush new hammock with her. Amelia rat could diffently hold her own.

Gigantic fossil rodent discovered

The fossilised skull of the largest rodent ever recorded has been described by scientists for the first time.