What's one more mouth to feed? (pics are here!)

[IRescue452]

Tomorrow I'm picking up a new adoptee, another rat. He's actually at the dog kennel I used to work at. He's been there for over 7 months looking for a home, he's about a year old. He's silver with dumbo ears. He's very friendly and very active for a lone male. I'm hoping of all hope that he might be introduced successfully with my boys, but if not oh well. His current name is Ratsie, but I think I'm going to change that to Patron. Tomorrow I also have to call and see what I can do for getting 5 rats neutered, snip snip boys. I've been waiting for the littlest boys to grow a bit.

I also have the opportunity to get some dwarf rats. I just have to clear more space and bring another cage out of storage. Might not get them right now though, its the slow season at work and I need to find a more stable job.

[IRescue452]

Ratsie is home!! New name is Patron.

I was wrongfully informed about the dwarf rats. They are "soft-coat rats", whatever that is. Looks kinda like a shrew/rat. There is a breeder who just got these in the area, but I didn't talk to him. I'm definately going to have to do research before getting these.

[KittyGurl]

Congrats on the new addition! Can't wait to get to see some pictures of Patron. He sounds like a real sweetie.

And welcome to your new home Patron!

[Christmas_Hamster]

CongRATs! Can't wait for pics!

Soft furred rats or natal rats they are adorible but I don't know anything about them. They are different then your fancy rats though. =]

[IRescue452]

Pics of Patron sleeping in his travel carrier.



To give you an idea of how big he is, two of my other rats usually fit well in that carrier.

Here's a few stray pics with Hirschel, Meshugganah, and Lowensenf.




Patron has very dry skin and sheds a lot. I think he may have a protein deficiency. His staple food was a seed mixture at the kennel. He's also very big. So he needs a diet and richer food all at once.

I only found one site about soft-hair rats. Its a reptile site and the topic was feeding and breeding feeders. It seems this species doesn't ever really get hand tame or anything. Since I'm looking for something with a better temperment than I've been getting with my mice, this isn't the species for me.

[Christmas_Hamster]

hehe I woul just stick with your fancy rats, hehe. They are all cute! *steals*

[KittyGurl]

Nice to "meet" you, Patron! You are just too cute!

[Freedom]

Hi Patron, welcome to PT and to your new home!

I am SO glad you said something. I looked at him in the carrier and thought, "oh, he CAN'T be THAT big, it must be because it is a close up." Then you said , well, normally you fit TWO in there. YIKES! Get him a wheel; heck, get him a treadmill!!

[lute]

What a handsome rattie!

[Christmas_Hamster]

Most males don't like wheels and most males are large and squishy :P Now you have a very squishy man rat. C=

[IRescue452]

He sure is squishy. He has a wheel, but no idea what to do with it. He sits in it while it rocks and sometimes he rocks it with his front feet. I call it his porch swing. I'm including a high quality cichlid pellet as part of his diet. Its lean protein and lots of good vitamins. I sometimes give fish food to my mice who need the extra boost and they absolutely love it.