Too many rats...

Question
QUESTION: Dear Sandra,

You've helped me before with my rat Chloe - she became pregnant by sneaking through her cage bars and visiting my bucks cage.  Anyway she was pretty young and weak and you helped me to help her every step of the way.  All 12 babies survived and thrived!!

You had shared with me a story about how you had bought a feeder rat and she was pregnant, you kept all the babies...well, I have 17 rats now...(12 babies) three male bucks and two adult females.

Yesterday I gave two ratlets away to a friend of someone.  I can't stop thinking about those two and I want them back!  To top it all off my husband and I are fighting because of all the cages and rats and cleanings and feeding - and how "we are not normal and he's embarassed of all the rats - and how I've gone crazy of all this"

HELP!  Did your husband understand you wanting to keep all your baby rats and how do I explain this to my hubby??  It is really causing a problem for us.

Thanks,

Heidi

ANSWER: Hi Heidi

I am sorry your having problems with your husband about the rats.
We live in critterville. No, seriously....we do.  

I have not only 4 rats, but I have a bunny who is around 6 years old, 4 hermit crabs that are an age unknown but I have had them several years.  Also, we have six cats.....no wait, make that 7 including on elderly cat, Mia and of course our dog, Monroe, who is almost as big as me !

Hubby helped contribute to our brood by bringing home several homeless cats when we just had 3 and of course, when it comes to the rats, he was right there with me helping put together cages etc... he never said anything but he would get a bit nervous when the bills from the vet started to build up.
I cant even count the times he would be in bed at midnight and hear me on the phone with the vet. He would get out of bed, throw on some jeans and drive me and whichever sick rat I had to the vet at 1am on a night he had to get up at 4 to go to work early.
He is a huge huge animal lover, not even able to kill a spider thinking all animals have the right to live. He about flipped when he found out I sprayed bee spray on a hive that was in front of our front door !

Is your hubby an animal lover?

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hi Sandra,

We are both animal lovers, but I certainly take it to the next level.  I let my hubby read your response to me and that helped - A LOT!!  Sometimes I think he feels like being too mushy isn't masculine enough.  After reading all the things your guy does, he actually came around a bit.  He told me he gets jealous of them because I cook for them, but never cook special stuff for us!!! (That's true too!)

Also, I heard that the two girl baby rats that I gave away are very happy and getting time outside the cage all the time!!  I was so relieved to hear that news.

Tomorrow I am taking the mommy rat to be spayed.  I am so nervous!  I know it's the right thing to do, but I don't want anything to happen to her.  I'll be glad when that is over.  Out of her litter I still have three girls that I plan to have spayed...eeek  $$$  

I keep thinking of all the homeless ratties I could have saved if Chloe hadn't had made her midnight visit to the boys cage.  Just today I went to buy a new hammock at Petsmart and saw a little rattie girl for adoption because she has only one eye.  When I looked at her both her eyes looked crusty.  Obviously, I wanted to take her right away and bring her to my vet.  I'm still thinking about her.  That would mean another quarantine and I can't even take her to my mom - she took three of the boy babies.  What a trooper - she is so allergic to them.

Anyway, thanks so much for your kindness.  I am so thankful to know you.

Heidi

ANSWER: I am itching for babies at the moment but trying to fight the urge. I have four older boys, all with special needs. Santana with the one eye, my blind boy, Smudge, and two old grumpy boys that are pushing 3 and grumpy as heck. One has really bad skin disorder and I have to shave him and medicate his skin etc....so if I get babies it will take away the time I need to nurse and spoil the old senior boys and it wont be fair to any of them if I adopt new babies.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Not sure if this is going to help you fight the urge for babies, but when my Sassy was needing lots of care (I lost her Aug 5th)  the little babies energized me.  They were running all over - full of life...it helped me remember what Sassy was like when she was a youngster.

Keep in touch.

Heidi

Answer

Too many rats!   Nope didnt help a bit!  LOL!  I use the cardboard wall method and it kept all the rats secure and they could not get out. It was glorious sitting there letting them run all over me. I can still feel them sucking and gently nibbling my arms and hands etc...

Here is a photo of when I had TOO MANY RATS several years ago!