So, I stole my sisters laptop when she was at my Grans today and uploaded some photos :3 I took quite a lot of the rats over the last few days, so heres the best of them.

Damn rats for being so blurry in photos all the time >> I had to delete a lot. But I love them anyways <3 *Just printed out a load to stick in his college folders* >>

( Finally, some updated photos! )

My rats have turned 10 weeks old today, so I thought I'd share some photos of them! :3 I especially love the first *grin*

( Ready steady rats! )

Cross-posted to various.

I finally got my camera to focus properly >>; So yes! NEW IMPROVED NICE PHOTOS OF MY FURKIDS!

Excuse how scraggly Todd looks, the both of them had just had their first baths. Todd was all '*CLINGGGG* ;_;' whilst Tobi disliked it even more and squeaked at me. They forgive me pretty quick though, and they now smell nicer. >>



Todd thinks his butt looks big |:

( Beware of freaky pupil eyes )

And the others can be found at my YouTube account (and will continue to be updated with pet videos) here - http://www.youtube.com/user/Wingedwolf666

I decided to take photos of the ratties when I had them out on the bed this afternoon :3

( Photos under the cut! )

Ignore the horrible, horrible quality, its from my digital camera (as oppose to camcorder). Also ignore my voice, ugh. And pjamas. And everything.



*dies*

Yes, I do XD One which I haven't posted photos of until NAO D: Well, he's kind of mine. Jake, the Bichon Frise is my mother's dog, but since I live with her, I end up taking care of him most the time.


THERES A SHARK ON HIS HEAD D: Don't worry, the shark is friendly :3

Excuse his horrific haircut >_> I'm responsible <<; It was my first time clipping, and the clippers BROKE, so I ended up doing a lot of it by scissors. Epic fail. WHY did mother have to get a Bichon? XD;;; Aw well. He has a bald patch on his right leg, I'm not sure if you can see it in the photos, thats from a vets' needle. He also has a bald patch on his left thigh from my amazing clipping >_>

*should never be a dog groomer*

( Poodle-boy, as we call him, is under the cut :3 )

( Because you can never really have enough! )

I'm really starting to see their personalities now, and theres a good bond starting too. Todd is a rodentist, trying to in fact force my mouth open with his forepaws so he can sniff and lick at me. He even went so far as to stick his entire head in, which I've heard means a rat trusts you a lot, which is awesome considering I've only had the pair since Monday XD Tobias is more of a cheek and lip kisser, and a definite shoulder rat. He's perfectly happy sitting there for hours, falling asleep, bruxing (rat equivalent of purring, I've heard) and licking my neck and cheeks X3

Whilst Todd likes to run up and down and explore EVERYTHING, Tobias is happy to curl up in one spot, and loves being petted and massaged gently, it sends him into a bruxing, vibrating happy state XD Todd is more 'WHATS THIS? WHATS THIS?' while Tobias is more laid back. I was reading last night and he was determined to try and turn the pages, whilst Tobias was being quite a good neck-scarf X3

Its amazing how much personality you can get in such small animals. God, I love rats <3

Okay, so yesterday I finally went and picked Todd and Tobias up :3 The journey was long, and I got lost several times on the way, and was delayed on the way back, but you're here to hear about the rats, not that, ne? So I'll start from the breeders.

Mercury Stud rattery is in Birmingham, about half an hour away by bus, from Birmingham New Street station. I was greeted by the breeder, Rebecca, and I was told to go sit in their living room while she fetched the rats. They had two cats, and a border terrier (I THINK) which were all very friendly :3 Rebecca brought down a bucket of rats. Yes, you heard that right X3 A BUCKET OF THEM XD Tobias was the odd one out, being in with all his black brothers X3

I couldn't get over how friendly the rats were, all licking, and trying to get the most attention, it was absolutly adorable, and I'm SO glad I waited and bought from a breeder. It was a very hard decision, but eventually I picked one of the 'non-show' blacks, as he has a white foot (which I think defines him more :3) After I had chosen him, and held/played with both him and Tobias, she brought down Sirius, the father. He was very friendly, and very cute, and a good size. He's a winner at shows (dumbo class) and his temperament was lovely. After him, the mother, Carolina, was also brought down. She was a 'regular' eared rat, and was also lovely, very tame and again an excellent temperament. Finally, she brought down the siamese brothers, who were absolutly gorgeous, and I fell in love with the siamese dumbo, and definatly would have got him too (despite mum), if he had not been taken already. He was even more friendly and tame than his littermates :3

Anyways, finally I put Tobias and Todd in the carrier, and thanked the breeder, after she had given me a bag of food (they're currently on the Shunamite diet) and their pedigree certificates. The trip back was long, but they curled up together and slept the way back X3

ANYWAYS, enough on that. Judging from them so far, Tobias is the dominant one, pushing Todd about >> They've had playfights galore (some of which woke me up with loud thuds last night), and generally seem to be enjoying their new home. After they figured out what the hammocks were, they've been spending a lot of time curled up in them (when they're not causing havock elsewhere). Tobias is slightly more tubby than Todd, (I'm assuming its puppy fat, or he's just greedy) though they are physically about the same size.

I'm gonna set about making a diet schedule for them at some point. The breeder provided a diet sheet listing the protein she had been feeding them (stuff like eggs, chicken, fish plus brocolli, carrots), but I'm not entirely sure when/how to mix this into their regular dry food. I gave them a little bit of (unsalted) scrambled eggs this morning, and they went wild X3

ANYWAYS, I have some photos! I took more, but my camera is terrible at focusing, so only some came out okay. So here you go X3

( Cut for ratty pictures )

Yes, my camera is HORRIBLE. I'll hopefully get a new one for college D:

More photos from the breeder's photobucket, of Tobias. He, and his brothers at 30 days old :D



( Photos under the cut )

The ratties are now named XD Completly random, and different from originally planned, but whatever. The russian blue is now Tobias, and the black will be Todd X3 Obvious Sweeney Todd references.

Anyways, I noticed the breeder has put up more photos recently now that the ratties are now 26 days old, so heres some of my Tobias! ^^ None of Todd yet, as I have no idea which black I'll be taking home on the 28th D:

( Cut for photos ^^ )

Awesome news, the breeder is giving me a Russian blue (which I assumed would be spoken for, as he was the only one in the litter) and a black X3 I'm still unsure what to name them though D: I was thinking Vincent and Jack, but that was planned for two blacks. I think the black will still be Vincent, but as for the blue, I have no idea XD I'll come up with something!

Anyways, this guy is now my baby X3 As well as one of the beautiful little blacks <3 I'll have such a hard time choosing, and I defiantly would have gotten 3 or 4, had my mother not given me a two rat limit XD



I want to melt ;_;

No LJ cut, for he is too cute D: Also, if somebody could make him into an icon, I'd appriciate it XD *no photoshop*

You have stumbled across the pet and animal talk journal of Matt :3

Theres nothing here right now, but in the near future, this journal will be used to post photos, pictures, problems and general information of my pets. I'll also most likely use this journal to record my progress and experiences in college, where I'll be studying Animal Studies at level 4.

Thanks for looking, and please add me :) Photos of your own pets are very welcome in comments, too!

- Matt