Well, just as the title says. Pocket has been back to the vets. I do think he has perked up since starting on the metacam - although he still has the odd bad day like Thursday, when he rolled down my body so fast I thought he had dropped dead (was on the bed at the time so he wasn’t hurt - he’d just fallen asleep) he has started moving around more and seems brighter and more alert than normally - just happier. He’s getting on with McClane now and he seems happy, but the legs and hip problems aren’t any better and if anything you can feel the base of his spine so clearly you just know that if he had the slightest cut there you’d see his spine.
We, vet included, still don’t think he’s in pain but we want to keep it that way. Sometimes it feels as though he can’t remember he has back feet. Other times he walks well enough. But the vet thinks there’s a very good chance he has a spinal tumour. Between his first appointment and his second (apprx 6 weeks) he went from 700g to 670g. Between then (3 weeks ago ish) and today he’s gone down to 620g. He’s been on a diet but not that much of a diet! So. Keeping it from Si but my heart has actually broken. Pocky isn’t in pain and, like I said, is currently doing better than he has for a long time. He’s chirpy. Currently he’s actually sitting on the base of his spine (don’t ask - he’s like Spunky from Rocko’s Modern Life) nomming on an egg biscuit, occasionally falling over but not being bothered by this. It just feels like the writing is on the wall for him now and it’s the beginning of the end for my baby.
The original diagnosis, as I don’t think I wrote it up at the time, was a ‘not sure’. He was put on metacam and really we were going to wait and see. He has no muscle tone at all on his back legs and the third part of his spine, by the base. It is literally a thin layer of skin and then sharp bone. Likewise with his hips. I’m lucky, my vets are fantastic - so wonderful I want them to come live with me, all three at the practice. As vets and as caring people, couldn’t ask for better. And the prices - treatment and meds came to £20 today ($40 ish) and that was for Pocket AND McClane and baytril for 2 rats. But the approvement in his happiness is great. He lack of improvement in his legs and hims and the potential it’s a tumour in terrible. And the loss of weight points to something sinister.
As I’ve just mentioned, McClane was also at the vet. Last night he had some sort of accident (we think) as his back foot has really swollen up and he can’t put any pressure on it. He is clearly in pain, my poor little boy, and has had many mummy cuddles which usually he detests (likewise he doesn’t do kisses) but when you’re poorly everyone needs their mummy :( He has really been snuggling into me. So he’s on the metacam too and has been sleeping flat on his back (which he NEVER does) as it’s the only way he can be comfy. And only an evil mummy would take pics of this, right?
Trying to chew off his poorly paw 
I mustn’t get too fixated with just writing about Pocket all of the time! OK, so he is my very special boy but I have five other rats who are every bit as special and I would hate for them to think I didn’t love them all equally. So today I will talk to you about Mumble aka Mumble-bum.
Mumble, since his op, has turned into a different rat altogether. It did everything you’d want a neuter to do - it’s calmed him down, made him much more affectionate and laid back and turned him into a cuddle-monster in training. Nowadays Mumble is the rat that everyone thinks is their best friend - Gumby and McClane in particular adore him (seperately) and I have seen young master Gumby cuddled up to big ole squishy Mumble in the hammock on many an occasion (prompting the oft-used catchphrase “Gumby loves his Mumble”.) Whilst Gumby clearly looks up to Mumble, McClane sees in him an equal and a best buddy - they are on very sure footing, and Mumble is one of the few rats McClane doesn’t boss around.
Pocket and Mumble are now very close too, and snuggle up a fair bit. Perhaps because they’ve known each other for so long. Often when McClane is bullying Pocky during free range time I’ll call Mumble over and say “Go and protect your buddy,” and instantly Mumble will go trotting over to him and put himself between the two. If Pocky is waiting by the door (because he doesn’t like playtime) then often Mumble will go and keep him company, and you see him protecting old Mr Piglet from any of the more bolshy youngsters.
Mumble is getting very affectionate too - he likes cuddle time but he never seems to get used to it. He boggles and bruxes but it takes a while for him to relax. You know he enjoys it though. During playtime he will often jump onto our laps and nothing, NOTHING makes him happier than when we sit by the cage and talk to him. He adores that.
Mumble can also be very playful and tolerant. Gumby is at the ‘proving himself’ stage and often flips Mumble onto his side (Mumble is hoooge) and Mumble will let him. He’s quite the softy these days.
We’re glad we have Mumble. Mumble, though, is very much a daddy’s boy and adores Si far more than me. But I think he doesn’t mind me 
Well, an update. Pocket did go back to the vets and we’re pleased to find out he’s lost 30g but the diet simply must continue because he is having problems with his back legs - it isn’t just laziness I’m afraid. It isn’t hind leg degeneration but hip degeneration, certainly aggravated by his weight. Basically, his back legs splay because his hips are displaced and he has no muscle tone around them or the base of his spine. So, pretty serious. He’s been on metacam for a week and we are seeing improvements - he seems to be a little more mobile. But I know from past experience how hard it is to get a rat to lose weight
On the good news front, I entered a rat photo-competition judged by Anthony Head (of Little Britain and Buffy fame) and came first in the sunniest smiles category and third in the lolrats category. Awesomeness. I will be posting the prize winning lolrat pic on…er… lolrats now, but here, for your enjoyment, is the sunniest smile amongst rats…and yes, it’s my own dear Pocket!!!
Pocket is on a diet and an excersise regime. He is getting quite a fat pickle and he’s very lazy. I know I joke about it - particularly as he never really stops yawning - but the rat is seriously lazy. He sleeps most of the day and barely moves in the cage, ignores his toys etc. When he comes out for free range time he’ll wobble around for a minute then go to the hallway door and lie down until it’s time to go back to the cage.
It is a worry. I worry that he’s depressed - McClane bullies him a bit - or I worry that he’s beginning to get hind-leg degeneration. He does walk a little strangely - a strange, draggy shuffle. It may be because he’s fat but it looks like his legs aren’t on right sometimes.
So, if he does have hind leg degeneration or if he is depressed - any tips on how to make him happy. The only thing that makes him truly truly happy is cuddle time. He’s something of a loner.
Ξ April 4th, 2008 | → 1 Comments | ∇ Rats |
I think I forget the date of this every year, so I never have anything special planned or anything like that (although I always intend to, but for some reason I always think it’s the 14th of April). Still, the boys will get their celebratory blueberry muffin tonight and lots of scritches. Well, on world rat day you gotta scritch a rat!
We did spoil them absolutely rotten yesterday though. A parcel of goodies from the rat warehouse came through and boy, were we popular! They just kept bruxing and bruxing as the treats kept coming. Chew toys. A choclate scented rope toy. Wine sticks (for chewing - they’re twigs which have been soaked in wine and the wine evaporates, so it’s non-harmful but they go down a treat!) Special dog food with big meaty chunks (Gumby doesn’t like it though) and a huuuge bag of yoggies. Strawberry shortcake egg-mix to go in with their food. A roast beef chewable dog bone which has been carried around the cage but not actually chewed yet. A chew-toy hedgehog which Piggy thinks might be his baby. Plus I got some things for the medicine cabinet - nutrical, mite ointment and some of that special bedding you put down when you have a sick rat (I forget what it’s called). Also some baby powdered tap-a-drop (mmmmmm, gets rid of the bad smells) and a book on rat nutrition called ‘The Scuttling Gourmet’. Well and truly spoiled. Tonight I might back them pizza swirls for the first time. Crikey, I don’t even cook for me and Simon!
I don’t write about Ptolomy enough. It’s strange really. I love all of my rats but one thing which is hard for me, and I think all pet owners, to admit is that I do have my favourites. It won’t come as any surprise to you to know that Pocket is my favourite rat. He is one of my top 10 all-time faves (the list changes, but if you’re interested it goes: 1. RiffRaff, 2. Hobbes, 3. Pocket, 4. Columbia, 5. Smurf, 6.Gumby, 7. Cobway, 8. Toga, 9. Snaggle, 10. Not tellin! (So that the other rats don’t get jealous and can think it’s them)). But I really hate saying that as I love my boys so much and it would break my heart to think they thought I didn’t love them. So I tend not to admit I have favourites. I’ll probably delete that list later :) I tell them all privately that they’re the best rat we’ve ever had anyway - does anyone else do that?
Anyway, some rats are background rats. They’re not crazy or bad or stupid or assertive, they live their lives happily, never being all that much trouble.
Ptolomy is like that. He does have a playful streak and a habit of nipping feets, but he’s not overly demonstrative or bad. He’s a very sweet chap. At first I thought he would be a bit like Mallow - not very affectionate, a quiet background rat who doesn’t ask for much in life. He certainly has Mallow’s skinny physique. But then I realised he has a lot of Snaggle in him too. Snaggle was a sweetheart, who conducted himself quietly and was content all the time. Ptolomy is a lovely chap. He will jump on my lap for a cuddle when free-ranging and he has started to show a fondness for one-on-one cuddle time. He bruxes like crazy then. He seems one of the most intelligent rats, and he is a bit of a loner who isn’t on his own, if that makes sense. He likes Piggy. He gets on well with Mumble, Pocket and Gumby. He is still closest to McClane, although less close now they are in a bigger group and they still squabble a lot, but he seems happy. I’m happy that he’s started to be affectionate. And, of course, he is incredibly pretty!
But he is so small! He is easily the smallest buck I have ever had - he’s nearly a year old and he’s smaller than your average doe. Certainly Stitch was bigger than him. He’s skinny too, although he has a good diet and a good appetite. Pet shop rats. I guess he’ll never get bigger.
Well, another week passes. Gumby continues to be a muppet. The other day he started telling off my shoes. I was taking off my lovely new Dr Martens which squeaked as they were new. The next thing, Gumby’s jumping up and down in the cage facing me, and squeaking back!
Pocket is quite poorly - something I haven’t really discussed before. He’s got myco, and yesterday he was particularly wheezy. He also has a massive cut on his back.
McClane has hurt his front leg. We don’t know how - possiby a fall when fighting with Pocket - but his wrist is incredibly swollen and he won’t use his paw at all. Yet he’s behaving normally; eating, beating up the other boys (playfully, but with a view of letting them know who’s boss) and wobbling up the hallway quite enthsiastically on three legs.
Ptolomy has definitely stopped growing. Fair enough, considering he’s nearly a year old. But he is tiny. He is the smallest buck we have ever had- and the second smallest rat we’ve ever had! He’s smaller than all of our does except for Smurf (who was miniscule) . He’s half the size of McClane, his brother, although this isn’t reflected in photos, strangely. Mini rat.
Piggy is starting to slow down and sleep a lot more. He’s very happy though, and grins all of the time.
Mumble has turned into an exceptional little man! He’s a lovely stocky boy, and since his operation he’s been turning into a squish! He loves cuddles all of a sudden, is very gentle and has lost his nerves! We’re so pleased. He adores McClane - the two of tem are best friends now - but he also loves Gumby too. It’s nice - Mumbe is happier than he’s ever been
Gumby is very much a little boy. He’s very cheky and playful and, undeniably, stupid. He loves being the centre of attention but the best thing is that he’s a little bit like Joey from Friends. You always know when he’s doing something naughty because it will suddenly go quiet, and then you’ll hear him giggling. Last night he was playing noisily in the hallway when I could hear him very carefully climbing up the bookshelf. Then things went silent, and I turned around to see him sitting on the second shelf, proud as anything, giggling to himself just WAITING to be discovered. Today, he legged it from the cage and ran to the kitchen door, again pausing and giggling to himself until Simon spotted him. He’s a numpty, but a very sweet one.
Yesterday, the most adorable thing! Si called me into the front room because Mr Pig had fallen asleep on the top shelf and Gumby was looking after him! He kept bounding down to the bottom, grabbing a mouthful of newspaper-strips and then carrying them back up the stairs to where Piggy was (we have 5 shelves that form a spiral around the cage, and Gumby bounced around the cage like a little topaz whirlwind). He then carefully piled the newspaper on top of Piggy and went back down for more. He did this quite a lot. How sweet, that he was making sure Piglet was warm!
This is Pig after he woke up, a little confused as to why he was now covered in newspaper. I heart rats!
Toga used to do something similar. He would spend 10 minutes building the perfect nest, and would usher the aging Mallow into it once it was complete. Unfortunately, Dobby soon cottoned on to this and began waiting for the moment Toga went to fetch Mallow, before stealing the deluxe nest!
Next Page »
