Good news about Spike

I heard from Amy, the girl who homed Spike, today. She sent me an email saying Spike has settled in fine and has already been introduced to Archie. They went in together straight away with not even a squeak. She sent me some lovely photos of the two of them in their hammock together.

I was really really hapy when I saw the photos as I was so worried about whether i’d done the right thing, and what if Spike and Archie didn’t get on? It seems to me that both boys were obviously really desperate for some ratty company and I have been going about grinning like a nutter this afternoon as I am so pleased Spike now has a friend to snuggle with.

Spike delivered safely

Well Spike and I got to Edinburgh 6 hours after leaving here. The traffic was really busy and I hit the Edinburgh by-pass at 5.05pm so that was fun! He spent the whole trip asleep buried underneath the carefresh and shredded paper but didn’t seem too stressed by it. The girl who’s delivering him to Manchester for me is really nice, she got him out of the carrier when we got to her house and he was happily climbing over the sofa and scent marking the remote and meeting her house mates. Spike was really calm at her house which I was really pleased about – I think he will settle in really well at Amy’s. I’m looking forward to seeing the photos of him in his new home.

Last day with Spike

Spike is off to his new home tomorrow. I’ve put the bedding in the carrier, organised wet foods for him to eat on the way, printed out the address and telephone number of where i’m going and the route from aa autoroute, as well as going shopping in Tesco to buy goodies for me to munch.

I had him out on the bed this afternoon and did a little video of him (which I will add to youtube later) and felt really sad that he’s going. I was very very tempted to lie to the girl he’s going to and pretend he has to stay here for some reason or other. But I didn’t, as she’s got a lone boy waiting for a friend. I’m still sad he’s going – he’s a nutter, everything i’ve read has said boy rats are really chilled and laid back, but this one isn’t. He doesn’t stop when he’s out and is always ready to come out to play. I reckon he’s making up for lost time being in the pet shop for so long.

We are going 265 miles tomorrow, from Wick to Edinburgh and he is then travelling to Manchester on Friday evening and being collected on Sunday to go to his forever home. I’m looking forward to seeing pics of him settled in. It’s been great having him, but I don’t think i’d be any good at fostering – everything that arrived would stay!

Free Range time

Free Range time is very important for rats. They are very intelligent and need mental and physical stimulation to stay happy. My rats are let out for at least an hour every day, sometimes for longer. They have a play area that is a section of our bedroom corderned off with two sheets of perspex. This gives them a safe place to play where they can’t chew wires or fall off shelves and injure themselves. They have access to the cage and can get on top of the wardrobe and up on the window sill. I have some tubes and a wine rack for them to play in, but they seem to prefer climbing all over me and chasing each other around. They are let out in the evening when they are most active and occasionally during the day if they’re awake. If they’re let out during the day they are still let out in the evening as if they aren’t Treacle and Doughnut start chewing the bars in protest as soon as the light’s out. Spike gets let out whenever h’s awake and i’m in the bedroom. He is allowed on the bed and the computer desk. His cage opens out onto the desk and we put up a ramp to the bed. He’s often awake in the mornings so he come out in the mornings quite a bit, especially at the weekends. He’s very good and unlike the girls, doesn’t attempt to get onto the floor and escape.

 I have just added another video, of them climbing up me from the floor, to my youtube page. www.youtube.com/lauraspetportraits