| Past middle aged | 1:16 AM |
The rats aren't just middle aged anymore; they're getting old. I've noticed one of them hunches over more and squints a lot lately. Tonight I made them a fresh bowl of fruits and veggies and tuna and was hanging out with them. After dinner, I was watching one of them try to climb into his hammock and he didn't have the strength to pull himself into it. I'd noticed they hadn't been sleeping in it much the last few days. He fell to the bottom from the top of the cage and I was horrified. I went over and he climbed out, across my arm and snuggled into the crook of my elbow and just sat there. I started bawling thinking he was going to die. He's gotten so thin and I hadn't even noticed. They're not even two years old yet. There's no way they're going to make it to 3.
I rearrange their cage every time I clean it -- you know, to stimulate them mentally. I think I've made it too difficult for them to get around, though, in their old age -- I rearranged it tonight to make it easier on them. The other one still seems pretty spry, but they've both got little tumors and some respiratory issues. Ratties are prone to both. I'm traveling this weekend and I keep thinking about the last rat I had and how he had to be put to sleep when I got back from a weekend away. I don't want to do that again. I don't think I can have rats again. They die too soon and it's heartbreaking.
| Pet Violence | 11:53 PM |
A week ago Mr. Number Two was attacked (I'm pretty sure by the new cat -- the issue of satan as I call him). Blood splattered everywhere -- all over the wall behind the cage, and on the wood floors and as far as into the next room. He had to get five metal staples. He and his brother used to fight and haven't in a long time, but I heard a loud squeak in the evening, but didn't bother to look cause it was only one squeak and I figured the brothers were at it again. Later, walking by their cage, I saw his entire neck covered in blood. He was eating at his food bowl and dripping blood into it. Poor thing.
In more violent pet news...Maverick killed a baby bunny that same week. Actually, I killed a baby bunny, he just damaged it beyond repair. The next day, Einstein ate a baby quail and wouldn't respond to my pleas that he drop it.
The new cat is seriously the most fucked up cat I've ever lived with. I've never been afraid of a cat before. I'm never really sure what he's going to do. Even while I'm petting him, I'm all the while scared he's going to suddenly turn and scratch me. He brutalizes and terrorizes my other cats, and sometimes the dogs.
The other day, I saw Tigger playing with Buddy's collar and was wondering if that was some sort of dominance thing. But then I realized Buddy's collar was actually on the kitchen counter, and what they were really playing with was a snake they'd brought into the house! A very little snake, but a snake nonetheless that's currently in a small pet container cause I'm not sure if I'm supposed to release him back in the wild or if I'm supposed to kill it. I need to call my local animal control or wildlife center.
Today was skull day. I was spraying Nature's Miracle on yet another doggie blankie and was examining it and found these little hard things stuck to the blanket. I picked them off and looked at them closely and realized they were pieces of bones from a small animal...including the jaw. On the patio today, I found the skull of some other small animal. I guess the hawks must've dropped it there after pecking off all the meat or something.
Frogs are doing great (the ones that've managed to stay alive -- Minimus finally died). The turtle is going back. But Maverick is staying.
| Minimus | 12:21 AM |
I am completely fascinated by the frogs right now. I keep going into the office to see if they've changed. I came home tonight and there was a new frog on the rock.
Minimus has no legs and doesn't look like he has any guts. He's completely hollow on the inside. I'm not really sure how he's going to survive and what he's going to turn into. In the photo below, you can see the dark area of his belly where you'd think his junk would be, but if you were to look at him head on, you'd see that beneath the dark pigmentation, there's nothing -- at least nothing in the rounded "belly" portion of him.
| Frogs | 9:32 AM |
Tadpoles turn into frogs really fast. I usually look in on them every day and I missed a couple of days. Last night I walked into the office and goddamnit -- there was a frog sitting on the rock! I've named them all. Maximus (the biggest), Minimus (the tadpole that'll never turn into a frog), and then the Restofus (that's good for all four of them). I didn't get any pictures of Maximus with arms, but I got one today of one of the junior Restofus:
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| Jun 14 Max's recently developed legs |
Jun 18 Max's matured legs |
Jun 21 Max's already a frog! |
Jun 22 Jr with arms & legs |
| Pet Rats | 12:21 AM |
I finally gave up the idea of adopting kittens -- so, I got rats instead! I adore rats. I drove out to Petaluma to get them a few weeks ago -- I found the rat breeder on craigslist. The rats are beautiful -- healthy looking, shiny coats, bright little eyes, and very social and friendly. I asked the breeder what she fed them so I could make sure to have food for them before I picked them up. Trader Joe's lite dog food and a grain mix her daughter makes for them!. When I saw how big the bag of Trader Joe's dog food was, I said forget it...rat food for these guys (my last rat ate store bought rat food and he lived for over three years!)
Alas, I've discovered that a 1 gallon ziploc bag can hold 9 coffee cups full of Trader Joe's lite dog food. And a 20 pound bag of Trader Joe's lite dog food fits into almost exactly six 1 gallon ziploc bags. And the stuff I need to buy for the rat mix is easily obtainable -- I think I've got enough rat food for the rest of the year (if none of it goes bad that is).
