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Pet Forum / Mammals / Rats / June 2004Update on my 2 new babies and a rant!
As I said last week, I succumbed to the dreaded GMRS. I eventually named my 2 new boys, Sonic and Tails, Sonic is defintely living up to his name, he's found a new game where he runs up the back of the sofa and across the pc and waits on the scanner the other side til I get to about 6 inches away, then he launches himself at me, runs up to my shoulder and waits til I sit down before repeating the process!! Anyway, I discovered a bizarre lump on Tails, I took him to the vets yesterday and she took the white scab thing off and squeezed the lump, thinking it was a cyst. After squeezing and it bleeding quite a bit, she then said it was most probably a tumour. I need to go back next week and she'll make the decision then whether it needs an operation or not. I'm so worried. I've been very lucky up til now and never experienced tumours or ops in rats. Has anyone had experience with tumors and ops? I've decided I have to sav up and get a big cage for all of 5 rats, they get on fine together, even climbing in and out of each others cages without causing any fights!! Now for the rant: I rang the pet shop earlier to find out if they could help towards the costs seeing as how he had clearly had this problem before I took him home. All they offered was to swap him and they'd treat him themselves and keep him as a pet. How cruel is that? Tails is about 6/7 months old. How could they even consider separting him from his brother? and no doubt he'll be in a cage on his own. I'm so angry about it. I did used to think that that pet shop was really good. I've rapidly changed my mind now. Needless to say, I wont be going back there. They couldnt get it into their thick skulls that I love him already and he's part of my family. Tails is not an item of clothing that you take back if its faulty, no animal is. Enough of my ranting now, before I get myself even more angry! > All they offered was to swap him and they'd treat him themselves > and keep him as a pet. How cruel is that? Er, how does a pet shop treat the rat? If its removing the tumour then this way they pay the full cost rather than your suggested idea of them paying part of the cost. Methinks 'treating' involves (at best) a rather shorter visit to the vet than you'd expect... in article rsyzc.6$k76.5@newsfe6-win, wotsitgizmo at > I rang the pet shop earlier to find out if they could help towards the costs > seeing as how he had clearly had this problem before I took him home. All > they offered was to swap him and they'd treat him themselves and keep him as > a pet. How cruel is that? .......... Tails is not an item of clothing > that you take back if its faulty, no animal is. Sadly, this seems to be major policy in almost all UK pet shops these days. What message it is imparting to children, whose "faulty" pets are "returned" to be exchanged or refunded, is anybody's guess! I think the trend has come about through the rodent farms (read: "rat mills") that supply a great many shops across the country, including PAH. All these mass breeders have a sale or return policy, meaning that any unsold at 16 weeks, or "faulty" rats, can be sent back to them. The fact that most - if not all - these farms also produce dead frozen rats for the reptile market probably tells you the fate of these rejects :((( A rat bought by a local person I know, from a new pet shop which had bought its rats from a notorious rat farm (which even has a bad rep in the pet trade!), ended up costing its new owner £45 in vets bills within the first 24 hours. At first the pet shop owners were contrite and apologetic, but later called back (after speaking to the supplier) and their attitude had totally changed. They became quite snotty, saying she should have brought it back for a refund, and *no way* were they going to foot the bill or any part of it. No doubt the supplier denied all responsibility and had told them what to say. Unfortunately, after involving the local Trading Standards and Environmental Health chappies, it appears the shop has done nothing wrong, and the only way the lady could get her money back would be to take the shop to the Small Claims court. The legislation on the sale of pet animals dates back to 1951 and clearly needs reviewing, as the Enviro bloke admitted to me, "things were a lot different back then" ! /end of my rant! ;) Sue ---------------------------- pendragon fancy rats Portsmouth, England, UK www.pendragonrats.co.uk First established 1981 > in article rsyzc.6$k76.5@newsfe6-win, wotsitgizmo at > I rang the pet shop > earlier to find out if they could help towards the costs [quoted text clipped - 42 lines] > www.pendragonrats.co.uk > First established 1981 Trust me, it's not just in the UK... we have evil pet stores here too...  SignatureJoanne Mom to 12 rats http://community.webshots.com/user/joanneb70 j-s.b@nospamsympatico.ca remove "no spam" From experience working for a few pet shops here in Ohio. Some of them just whack the returned faulty rodents with a hammer and throw it into the garbage and write it off as a unknown death. They will do this with other small animals, reptiles ....ect....to save money insted of getting the right medical treatment for them. ( This is why I stopped working for pet stores and started taken in abused and neglected animals) I actually got one pet shop that was in a mall that I worked at closed because of animal cruelty. They were using a baseball bat to kill unsold kittens when they got to be to old to sell in their eyes. I couldn't believe that. Laurie ~A dog has a very short life. Their only fault, really~ > From experience working for a few pet shops here in Ohio. Some of them > just whack the returned faulty rodents with a hammer and throw it into [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > Laurie > ~A dog has a very short life. Their only fault, really~ Oh my God, that is just awful. It never ceases to amaze me the levels of cruelty human beings will stoop to when money is involved. I know what I would do with the heartless b***ards who did that, and a baseball bat would certainly come in handy. Tracey > > From experience working for a few pet shops here in Ohio. Some of them > > just whack the returned faulty rodents with a hammer and throw it into [quoted text clipped - 19 lines] > > Tracey Well I know where we could stick the Baseball Bat, but I am sure you would guess where. Jackie > As I said last week, I succumbed to the dreaded GMRS. I eventually named my > 2 new boys, Sonic and Tails, Sonic is defintely living up to his name, he's [quoted text clipped - 25 lines] > that you take back if its faulty, no animal is. > Enough of my ranting now, before I get myself even more angry! Your Sonic is living up to his name!!! As for tumors and Ops... if you have a good rat savvy vet, then all should go well. My sister had four girls that had lumps removed. Mom had a rat with two malignant lumps removed. All were successful and didn't take long to recover. I'm afraid your pet store is the "norm" around here too. I just don't go into stores that sell small animals anymore. No way will they be getting my money. SignatureJoanne Mom to 12 rats http://community.webshots.com/user/joanneb70 j-s.b@nospamsympatico.ca remove "no spam" the vets i use really know about rats, most of the people working there own rats themselves! the first surgery i tried, dont have a clue about rats, mind you they're not that good with dogs either, but thats another story!! i also fear that the pet shop would just get rid of tails, but i also had an even worse thought cross my mind- because he is such a gorgeous creamy/beige colour, would they breed from him? i know this pet shop doesnt use one of those horrible rodent farms, they breed the animals themselves. i could never separate 2 ratties that were 6 months or so old. it would be cruel. even if they were babies when i got them, i still wouldnt consider swapping him. its so fustrating because they are the closest pet shop and i was planning on getting a bigger cage from them, not anymore. i'm taking my business elsewhere, even if it means paying loads more in taxi fares! > > As I said last week, I succumbed to the dreaded GMRS. I eventually named > my [quoted text clipped - 42 lines] > into stores that sell small animals anymore. No way will they be getting my > money. <snip> > its so fustrating because they are the closest pet shop and i was > planning on getting a bigger cage from them, not anymore. i'm taking my > business elsewhere, even if it means paying loads more in taxi fares! Perhaps you could order a new cage on-line and have it delivered? That's what I did, as I found a really good site with very reasonable prices. The Terenziani Moore cage I ordered is great, the rats love it and the site I ordered from was the cheapest by far of the many I checked out. Good service too - the owner rang me personally to let me know when to expect delivery. Anyway, if you're interested, take a look: http://www.b-js.co.uk/acatalog/JOHN_BLAKE_Terenziani_697.html Tracey > <snip> > [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > > Tracey Thanks for the advice, the only problem I have with ordering online is that I dont have access to a credit card, however one of my friends is taking the afternoon off work on monday to take me cage shopping. Now I've just got to stop myself getting an extra big cage, I know the more room for them the better, but it also means more excuse to give into GMRS!! I have to stop at 5, I dont think my cat will be too happy if I get anymore. I've told my friend to physically restrain me (if necessary) from looking at the rats if the places we go to sells them!! "silent witness" <wotsitgizmo@nospamntlworld.com> SNIP > Thanks for the advice, the only problem I have with ordering online is that > I dont have access to a credit card, however one of my friends is taking the > afternoon off work on monday to take me cage shopping. Now I've just got to > stop myself getting an extra big cage, I know the more room for them the > better, but it also means more excuse to give into GMRS!! I know what you mean. My boys are happy with what the have...But dad has been looking at these http://www.martinscages.com/products/cages/rat/ Specificlly the R690. I'd look at the others, BUT space is an honest consideration. Though the RUUD R699 would fit..."STOP THAT KEITH!" >I have to stop at > 5, I dont think my cat will be too happy if I get anymore. I've told my > friend to physically restrain me (if necessary) from looking at the rats if > the places we go to sells them!! Ours isn't a 'cat' issue perse as we have parrots. Monk Parakeets to be precise...lound, bad tempered on occassion and other owners say mines well behaved! Cats would be declawed by these two! The other issue is that having moved to Montana and working for the BIA...not "Supposed" to have more than 2 pets at a time(fish don't count?) we are currently at 2 dogs'Gordon Setter & Red Heeler' 2 Monk parakeets 2 PEW's (muc & luc) and down to one mouse (rhonda was golden but has aged to a red gold colour) Poor Spot died last week at the age of 15mos wich is late middle age for a fancy mouse. So you see with the ark I have I envy your 5 ratties. 2 of anything seems my limit...darnit all. p.s.I'll probablly get them the taller cage to replace our current set up. p.p.s. Yes I'm posting from a new addy and ISP... SignatureKeith Schiffner You can't hate what you never loved... Nefarious Necrologist 42nd class Some people ride, some just like to show off their butt jewelry once in a while. Dum vivimus, vivamus <:(3 )3~~ <:(3 )3~~ > "silent witness" <wotsitgizmo@nospamntlworld.com> > [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > Specificlly the R690. I'd look at the others, BUT space is an honest consideration. Though the > RUUD R699 would fit..."STOP THAT KEITH!" The R690 is perfect for 4 male rats. The Rudd could hold over 9 male rats. I currently own the R695, good for 5 male rats. I'm also waiting on the R685 for my girls, should be delivered any day now... *excited* I'm also a cage freak!! SignatureJoanne Mom to 12 rats http://community.webshots.com/user/joanneb70 j-s.b@nospamsympatico.ca remove "no spam" "J&S Bouchard" <j-s.b@nospamsympatico.ca> SNIP > The R690 is perfect for 4 male rats. The Rudd could hold over 9 male rats. I > currently own the R695, good for 5 male rats. I'm also waiting on the R685 > for my girls, should be delivered any day now... *excited* > I'm also a cage freak!! STOP THAT! 8^) I'm the alpha rat and that's IT! I may get the 690...just to make 2 or 3 boys VERY comfortable. I mean...IF I just HAPPEN to see a nice fancy of some type that strikes my fancy. ;^) The wife wont mind much, I hope. Keith SignatureYou can't hate what you never loved... Nefarious Necrologist 42nd class Some people ride, some just like to show off their butt jewelry once in a while. Dum vivimus, vivamus <:(3 )3~~ <:(3 )3~~ > "J&S Bouchard" <j-s.b@nospamsympatico.ca> > [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > > Keith Just give wife that extra pillow talk and she should be fine...lol SignatureJoanne Mom to 12 rats http://community.webshots.com/user/joanneb70 j-s.b@nospamsympatico.ca remove "no spam" Crikey my boys must be in space heaven. The cage on my webshots site is a Speedy Chinchilla 556 and measures 100x55x100 high and I only have three ratties in there. Jackie > > "J&S Bouchard" <j-s.b@nospamsympatico.ca> > > [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > > Keith > Just give wife that extra pillow talk and she should be fine...lol > Crikey my boys must be in space heaven. The cage on my webshots site is a > Speedy Chinchilla 556 and measures 100x55x100 high and I only have three > ratties in there. Is that in centimetres, or inches?? *eyes boggle* I have a cage which is nicknamed "the ridiculously large cage" which is three feet long, two feet deep and three feet high, with three levels (not including base). It's a monster, and I practically demolish all my internal doors when struggling to get it out in the yard for a hose-down. That started life as a mega chinchilla cage, and despite its unwieldiness, I'd love to get another for my boys. It currently houses 11 girls and it still looks empty at times. Good News: I've heard we can now get Martin's cages in the UK! Bad News: I can't for the life of me remember who is selling them! PS: Jackie, my deepest apologies for not getting back to you re baby boy... someone who had already taken two of his littermates decided three would be more fun... Sue ---------------------------- pendragon fancy rats & rare breed rabbits Portsmouth, England, UK www.pendragonrats.co.uk > > Crikey my boys must be in space heaven. The cage on my webshots site is a > > Speedy Chinchilla 556 and measures 100x55x100 high and I only have three [quoted text clipped - 21 lines] > www.pendragonrats.co.uk > No problem Sue we found a nice lady in Northampton who breeds Dumbo Agouti's and Berkshires and we met her at the Kettering Rat show Daphne and Karen. They are really nice and were really helpful. And asked us all sorts of questions before we went and then I sent them some photos of my delinquents and we got on like a house on fire. I am glad they picked up three it is much better and much more fun. Best Regards Jackie > > Perhaps you could order a new cage on-line and have it delivered? That's > > what I did, as I found a really good site with very reasonable prices. [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] > friend to physically restrain me (if necessary) from looking at the rats if > the places we go to sells them!! Actually the site I recommended asks you to pay by cheque or postal order, they don't accept credit cards, that's how they keep their costs down. Anyway if your friend took you shopping yesterday for a cage you are probably already sorted! Tracey > > > Perhaps you could order a new cage on-line and have it delivered? > That's [quoted text clipped - 30 lines] > > Tracey I have one of those, from the same guy, he was really helpful, but the only thing I don't like is the wire mesh levels, and they also put a wire mesh base, that you have to leave out. Its not good on their feet, and can cause bumble foot, unless you put a covering on it. I have to keep a selection of boxes around, so I can give them a clean levels every week. The other thing I'm disappointed with is the shallow base. It doesn't hold much in the way of floor covering, and gets pushed out by the boys, when trying to move stuff around. John. If you want a good floor covering for wire levels etc, I can recommend Lino tiles, just don't peel the backing off. They are very easy to clean then..:)) It worked a treat in my old Rats House..:) Regards Kate > > > > Perhaps you could order a new cage on-line and have it delivered? > > That's [quoted text clipped - 45 lines] > > John. > If you want a good floor covering for wire levels etc, I can recommend Lino > tiles, just don't peel the backing off. They are very easy to clean [quoted text clipped - 62 lines] > > > > John. Hi Kate, Ahh, I didn't think of that, good idea, thanks. John. > If you want a good floor covering for wire levels etc, I can recommend Lino > tiles, just don't peel the backing off. They are very easy to clean > then..:)) It worked a treat in my old Rats House..:) > > Regards Kate Or, as recommended by someone here - sorry can't remember who, maybe Sue Schultz? - plastic tapestry canvas, then all the pee can still drip through! Tracey > > If you want a good floor covering for wire levels etc, I can recommend > Lino [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > > Tracey I like to put rubber mats over mine. I buy the rubber runners and cut them to fit. Wipes up real good. SignatureJoanne Mom to 12 rats http://community.webshots.com/user/joanneb70 j-s.b@nospamsympatico.ca remove "no spam" Yep, I use the plastic needlepoint canvas.....pee falls through and cleans up really nice. I just use twist ties to attach then to cage...otherwise, at least my girls, like to drag them to the bottom of the cage. Good luck finding something. Sue Schultz > > > If you want a good floor covering for wire levels etc, I can recommend > > Lino [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > I like to put rubber mats over mine. I buy the rubber runners and cut them > to fit. Wipes up real good. |
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