Mobitz and Joules

So let me start by saying, I have adopted two buck rats from Pocket Angels Rattie Rescue in Bedford, Texas. Initially, I wanted to adopt them to keep Rizzo company and more active (as said in my previous post). Well now I have these two new baby rats, and boy!, are they young and small. At the moment I can't introduce them to Rizzo yet just because they are just too small. Rizzo is curious of them, a little too interested, that I'm afraid his play fighting alpha male will be to rough for the little guys. In the meantime, I have their homes near each other to get a smell from one another until I feel comfortable that the newbies are big enough to be around Rizzo. I mean these boys would still able to squeeze themselves through Rizzo's cage bars.

Anyways just some quick introductions:

Mobitz         &       Joules

Mobitz is the youngest out of the two, he was around 9-10 weeks old when I first got him. He loves to play like any baby rat, but amazingly when I pick him up to hold him Mobitz would completely relax and not put up a fight. He has this very small faded black spot at the center of his belly that's irresistible to poke or kiss. He is also the bravest of the two. Mobitz is the first to come out of the cage in a new area, the first willing to take new food, and the first to actually try the new food. In addition, I don't know if it's a baby thing, but whenever it's free range time Mobitz seems to do his exploring and then come straight to me to "hang out" and hand play.

Joules was about 12-13 weeks when I met him. Trying to pick out all which two rats in the beginning, Joules was the first one who I felt was comfortable with my presence and me handling him. Now with him being the older out of the two, it's funny to see him be more cautious compared to Mobitz. Anytime I would present something new (such as a toy or pea fishing) Joules would go toward it, but wait for his little brother to try it out first and then follow. I would hand hims a treat and even though he takes it from me, Joules would nibble on it and then just drop it as if saying "Oh well that's interesting, what's next?" Don't get me wrong, he is still a very hyper baby rat. Out of the two, I would hand play/rough house with him the most and he would run in a big circle and before I knew it he would jump toward the opposite side of me from where we just played.

Mobitz   &   Joules

Now I bet many are wondering how I got their names. Well since I've started my passion in EMS I've always wanted to name my future pets something medically related. I named Mobitz (aka Moby) after what is called a Type II Mobitz Heart Block. Basically when I first got him, Mobitz kept going and going and then he just dropped. He fell asleep in the corner and whenever I reached my hand to pet him as he slept, he would quickly move to the opposite corner of the cage and flop back down. Also as you see the picture above, his tail seems to have a prolonged pick streak to the end of his tail. And to be in relation, Joules got his name due to him having these two kissing spots inside of his thighs, almost symmetrical - like paddles.

They are fantastic boys, and I am still learning something new about them every time we play and hangout. Sorry about the haziness of the pictures and the lack of, but they are too quick for the camera. I'll keep trying to photograph them more, but for now I think video taping them will hold better results.

So how's Rizzo doing?

Three days before Oscar's vet appointment (it was just suppose to be a normal follow-up) I have been at work of my last day of 72 hours. My friend who was watching my boys back home called me at the hospital, in tears, trying to explain to me in layman's terms - Oscar isn't doing to well, what should I do? I did the best to comfort her with Oscar and was lucky enough to go home that morning and spend time with Oscar and Rizzo together.

Oscar (on the left) passed away a little over a week ago - I don't make mental death date notes, for the reason it's too depressing - having to euthanize him due to what the veterinarian believe was a metastasizing cancer mass. Oscar was 2.5 years old, loved and respected until the very end. Yet I have to share that something odd and special happened whenever Oscar passed away that I wasn't prepared for compared to the past rats I had owned.

Whenever I am pulling long shifts my boys are either being watched at my boss's home where I can visit them in the evening from work, at the EMS station with me, or I have a good friend/EMS buddy who actually goes to my place and let the boys out to play. So Oscar and Rizzo have been not only been cared for, loved, shared, and watched over by me - but really with a whole swell of people. Oscar and Rizzo has been my PR (positive report) on rats since working in EMS. My boss and many others never thought of pet rats, but until they met mine and how Oscar and Rizzo's personality were totally different. My boss and like many others, were as sad and remorseful like I was whenever Oscar died. It should have occurred to me that while they played, fed, and watched my boys as I worked that the sitters would become attached. Well I guess I was aware really, whenever Oscar and Rizzo would travel with me I would say to them, "So who wants to visit Aunt/Uncle/Brother/Grandma or pa so and so...?" But it really didn't hit me until Oscar's death with me having to share the news to so many people, and to have the same concern of - So how's Rizzo doing?

Of all the warm sympathies and comfort over Oscar, what hit me the most was the worry of Rizzo's well-being. Well overall since Oscar's death, Rizzo has not changed in food intake or behavior. I have noticed though that he has been less active once put back in his cage after playtime. I can just tell that he misses his old buddy, not knowing what to do with himself alone. I trying to mimic rat stitching by my hand on him, and poor guy freaked out! He pushed down my hand and re-cleaned the spot I just stitched as if saying, "NO No no, you're doing all wrong. Now I have to fix it. Thanks for the effort, but humans can't do it right."

I recently went to Fort Worth and picked up two young male rats from a rescue - PocketAngels. I will update more later, I really hope the three will become good pals.