A Bouquet of Ratlets – Part Two of the Ratlet Trilogy - September 8, 2020
How hard can it be to adopt a ratlet, you may ask. They always have them at PetSmart! OK, you’re not likely to ask, but I’m going to tell you anyway. It’s difficult!
First of all, I don’t like to adopt ratlets from pet stores. I like to know the rats’ caregivers. Silly I know, but there you have it.
From the first story in “The Rat Trilogy” you know that I had adopted two ratlets – Dandy-Court from Burlington and Daisy-Spark from Hamilton. https://sunshineandapurpledress.weebly.com/the-ratlet... It’s rare to find young “Fancies” (another name for ratlets) posted on kijiji in St. Catharines.
Hubs was willing to have four Fancies – BUT NO MORE – so a week later we drove to see Marc (not his real name) who posted in the Oakville kijiji. Yes, there were ratlets posted in the Hamilton kijiji but the response rate wasn’t great. We adopted Lily-Black and Violet-Brown and they are super smart and super friendly. (Actually, these days they have become a bit skittish and I don’t know why… My kid Caro’s ratlets were so adventurous! Partly, I guess, because Caro took them out on adventures!)
Yay! I had my bouquet of four ratlets – Dandelion, Daisy, Lily, and Violet. Sadly, as it turns out, Daisy had very mal-occluded teeth which meant they were growing in twisted and actually stabbing her gums when she ate. She was not thriving and developed a mouth infection, so I took her to the Jelly Bean Humane Society to have her – well – humanely euthanized.
I asked the receptionist if Jelly Bean (not the real name, of course) had any ratlets up for adoption. She gave me the link to the website and the email to contact. Oh my goodness, they had a ratlet up for adoption and her name was (and is) Daisy. Daisy Duke. She is a rescue rat. Found outside with her brothers. Fancies cannot survive in the outdoors anymore than a hamster can.
So I wrote and was emailed back that I would have to fill out a three page application. Which I happily did. Not only did the fostering mom Maisy (not her real name) need to review it, there is a team who has to review it. I love these people already. I feel part of their tribe!
They wanted to know everything you could think of asking including but not limited to…
- What food I would feed Daisy Duke
- Type of cage
- Type of bedding
- Hours she’d be out of her cage
- When I would take her to the vet
- My expectations of her personality and behaviour
- How long she would be alone in our home
- Did we have other pets
- Who would care for my ratlet when my I was away
- Children? Grandchildren?
- Oh, and my drivers license! I know rats are smart, but…
So I submitted and waited the 24 hour time limit between intent to adopt and ability to adopt – if approved. Forty eight hours passed and Maisy didn’t get back to me, so I just assumed I’d been disqualified for reasons unknown to me. Ridiculous, I know. But even though I offer Fancy uptopia, I have low ratlet esteem.
I contacted my friend Marc who had Daisy-the-mom – really, that is the Mom’s name! - and four remaining sister ratlets of Lily and Violet. I would have adopted the whole shooting match in a heartbeat, but I promised my hubs to limit our bouquet to four Fancies. This was Wednesday – Saturday afternoon would work for him and for us. I would either adopt Daisy-the-mom or a daughter – to be named Rosie (as requested by grandchild Emma).
Later that day (Wednesday) I got a note from Daisy’s foster mom. I had been approved by the board but she had a few concerns she wanted to me to address. I was delighted! I don’t feel very smart, but I know a lot about ratlets and I love to obsess about my “mischief” of Fancies! (A group of ratlets is called a mischief. This is as close to being a “cool girl” as I’ll ever come.)
- Would I give her cooked veggies and some fruit to supplement her diet?
- Would I take her to the vet if she caught a cold?
- Did I have a thoughtful strategy on introducing Daisy to Dandy, Lily and Violet?
I was so happy to address these concerns. In short – “Of course times three!” In fact, the adoption of Daisy will the third of The Ratlet Trilogy. At the same time, it was obvious to me that Daisy’s fosterer was smitten by this Fancy and was sad to see her go. I encouraged Maisy to consider adopting Daisy herself and said I would not be offended. I understand the whole “small things with great love” thing.
And then I didn’t hear back so I assumed Maisy was adopting Daisy Duke. On Friday I let Marc know that the deal was on again. On Saturday morning, I heard back that Daisy Duke was now mine. How exciting! I could pick her up anytime. But, oh dear…
So I wrote Marc and said to him, “Guess what!?” He wrote me back and told me he’d sold Daisy-the-mom and her children to a pet store. I was horrified! They could become snake food! But this was now officially out of my paws.
And then my email to Maisy regarding when to pick up Daisy Duke bounced. I had been considered a spammer by the Jelly Bean website spam catcher. Gah! How could I reach her? I didn’t have her phone number. So, I asked daughter Anna to email her on my behalf about picking up Daisy Duke on Monday afternoon. As it stands right now, everything is a go.
*****
Just one little complication. Daisy has made a new friend at the fosterer’s house. A shy little white ratlet name Mojito. Would I consider taking two?
To be honest, I’m in no hurry to attempt another ratlet adoption for a very long time. But my definition of long, as you’ve just read, is 48 hours!
*****
Update: Daisy is here. And we have renamed her Daisy Doughnut! She is the biggest, fattest ratlet I have ever met. Anna, Emma, Laur, and I could not love her more…
First of all, I don’t like to adopt ratlets from pet stores. I like to know the rats’ caregivers. Silly I know, but there you have it.
From the first story in “The Rat Trilogy” you know that I had adopted two ratlets – Dandy-Court from Burlington and Daisy-Spark from Hamilton. https://sunshineandapurpledress.weebly.com/the-ratlet... It’s rare to find young “Fancies” (another name for ratlets) posted on kijiji in St. Catharines.
Hubs was willing to have four Fancies – BUT NO MORE – so a week later we drove to see Marc (not his real name) who posted in the Oakville kijiji. Yes, there were ratlets posted in the Hamilton kijiji but the response rate wasn’t great. We adopted Lily-Black and Violet-Brown and they are super smart and super friendly. (Actually, these days they have become a bit skittish and I don’t know why… My kid Caro’s ratlets were so adventurous! Partly, I guess, because Caro took them out on adventures!)
Yay! I had my bouquet of four ratlets – Dandelion, Daisy, Lily, and Violet. Sadly, as it turns out, Daisy had very mal-occluded teeth which meant they were growing in twisted and actually stabbing her gums when she ate. She was not thriving and developed a mouth infection, so I took her to the Jelly Bean Humane Society to have her – well – humanely euthanized.
I asked the receptionist if Jelly Bean (not the real name, of course) had any ratlets up for adoption. She gave me the link to the website and the email to contact. Oh my goodness, they had a ratlet up for adoption and her name was (and is) Daisy. Daisy Duke. She is a rescue rat. Found outside with her brothers. Fancies cannot survive in the outdoors anymore than a hamster can.
So I wrote and was emailed back that I would have to fill out a three page application. Which I happily did. Not only did the fostering mom Maisy (not her real name) need to review it, there is a team who has to review it. I love these people already. I feel part of their tribe!
They wanted to know everything you could think of asking including but not limited to…
- What food I would feed Daisy Duke
- Type of cage
- Type of bedding
- Hours she’d be out of her cage
- When I would take her to the vet
- My expectations of her personality and behaviour
- How long she would be alone in our home
- Did we have other pets
- Who would care for my ratlet when my I was away
- Children? Grandchildren?
- Oh, and my drivers license! I know rats are smart, but…
So I submitted and waited the 24 hour time limit between intent to adopt and ability to adopt – if approved. Forty eight hours passed and Maisy didn’t get back to me, so I just assumed I’d been disqualified for reasons unknown to me. Ridiculous, I know. But even though I offer Fancy uptopia, I have low ratlet esteem.
I contacted my friend Marc who had Daisy-the-mom – really, that is the Mom’s name! - and four remaining sister ratlets of Lily and Violet. I would have adopted the whole shooting match in a heartbeat, but I promised my hubs to limit our bouquet to four Fancies. This was Wednesday – Saturday afternoon would work for him and for us. I would either adopt Daisy-the-mom or a daughter – to be named Rosie (as requested by grandchild Emma).
Later that day (Wednesday) I got a note from Daisy’s foster mom. I had been approved by the board but she had a few concerns she wanted to me to address. I was delighted! I don’t feel very smart, but I know a lot about ratlets and I love to obsess about my “mischief” of Fancies! (A group of ratlets is called a mischief. This is as close to being a “cool girl” as I’ll ever come.)
- Would I give her cooked veggies and some fruit to supplement her diet?
- Would I take her to the vet if she caught a cold?
- Did I have a thoughtful strategy on introducing Daisy to Dandy, Lily and Violet?
I was so happy to address these concerns. In short – “Of course times three!” In fact, the adoption of Daisy will the third of The Ratlet Trilogy. At the same time, it was obvious to me that Daisy’s fosterer was smitten by this Fancy and was sad to see her go. I encouraged Maisy to consider adopting Daisy herself and said I would not be offended. I understand the whole “small things with great love” thing.
And then I didn’t hear back so I assumed Maisy was adopting Daisy Duke. On Friday I let Marc know that the deal was on again. On Saturday morning, I heard back that Daisy Duke was now mine. How exciting! I could pick her up anytime. But, oh dear…
So I wrote Marc and said to him, “Guess what!?” He wrote me back and told me he’d sold Daisy-the-mom and her children to a pet store. I was horrified! They could become snake food! But this was now officially out of my paws.
And then my email to Maisy regarding when to pick up Daisy Duke bounced. I had been considered a spammer by the Jelly Bean website spam catcher. Gah! How could I reach her? I didn’t have her phone number. So, I asked daughter Anna to email her on my behalf about picking up Daisy Duke on Monday afternoon. As it stands right now, everything is a go.
*****
Just one little complication. Daisy has made a new friend at the fosterer’s house. A shy little white ratlet name Mojito. Would I consider taking two?
To be honest, I’m in no hurry to attempt another ratlet adoption for a very long time. But my definition of long, as you’ve just read, is 48 hours!
*****
Update: Daisy is here. And we have renamed her Daisy Doughnut! She is the biggest, fattest ratlet I have ever met. Anna, Emma, Laur, and I could not love her more…