[nagdu] OH RATS!!!! and DOGS!!!

Thu Dec 18 19:03:03 UTC 2008

congrats on your new pet rat!!!
years ago, prior to becoming disabled 
i worked with a vet & also did dog grooming in my home 
for select customers from his practice...

(the dogs that went nuts and needed tranquilizers and no other  groomer would groom them)

well , I had my trimming table/groom stand set up next to my cabnet with all my tools et..
and there was a small microwave hutch i put my pet rat's aquarium on.

my rats had a large wheel (ratsize) and toys and wood chip bedding...  it was a 20 gal tank with mesh top clamped on it.

well these behavior challenged dogs were so entertained by the rats going on wheel and eating et.. that they ceased to need any
tranq's to get groomed, even the biggest nutjob "ajax" a gas station's long haired rotty who had bit several prior groomers.
He used to stand on the grooming table leaning in towards the rat's cage, and all i could do anything to him without issue, scrape teeth,
trim nails whatever... then i had to mop up the drool on the floor after he was done! LOL...

NOW - More uses for rats... I made my rats HATS!  yes i did, i went to the craft shoppe, bought some little hats made for folks to decorate to 
adorn their barbie dolls et... I added silk ribbons, flowers and all kinds of adornments to them , and of course a little bit of seamstress elastic for the chin strap!
(oh, and i made bigger hats for the 2 ferrits i was fostering at the time, did i mention im a chronic animal rescuer?)  

I had them all in hats and had a fashon show! of course i videotaped it and sent it to fla. to my 97 year old grandmother in assisted living... she showed it to all the folks there and they all 
loved it!

my mom , at the time, was battling brain cancer, and in /out of commas due to chemo, radiation and being very ill post surgery... I loaded up my fave rat (stevie nicks -a white rat) with her hats
into my handbag.. we closed the blinds on my mom's hallway window, and i put stevie down on my mom's bed, put a hat on her, and she moved up alongside my mom with this minnie pearl type hat on...
mom came out of a stone cold coma and smiled, saying "bunny you and those pets!"  it was amazing.  after that i got permission from the social worker on her floor to bring in my std poodle pups (i used to show them/raise them) and my other animals... the social worker hooked up with therapy dogs int and i was first in that hosp to have therapy dogs certified and allowed to visit.

I am always amazed at the amount of help and healing and love that pours out of the little furry four legged creatures who never speak a word, yet say volumes with their presence.

So, as for wether you should get a coat made for your new hairless rat, you decide, but definatley go for the hats! LOL...

btw, I got my power restored this am after 7 days of no power, water et... PTL!  we got hit to the tune of a certified disaster with ice storm, my property has at least 40% of its trees horizontal from the storm...
thousands of homes in s vt, ma & me were/are without power from this event, and yesterday as it warmed to melt all the ice coated branches and blades of grass the SNOW came down !!! 6" last night, tomorow 6-8" more predicted.

AH, and for the update on the Boxer boy "sugar Ray" whom i rescued from a NJ shelter on nov 19, he is doing wonderful... he shows symtoms and visable signs of serious voilent abuse and then neglect of physical injury (they broke his jaw badly with a bat or hammer and left him to heal without resetting)  - when i had to pick up a hammer to tap down a nail on the deck he cowered and shook terribly.. i was able to love and hug him talking to him about it.. then as i went from nail to nail with hammer he ended up following me wagging his big, uncropped boxer tail.  He also was cowardace at the prospect of going into the barn or garden shed, i can only imagine why (not good)  so i put him on leash with lots of assurance and close contact... now he will enter both. (this happened over days)

I will try again (had no luck before sending attatched photos here, i think the list is not set up to grab them) to put pix..

well hope all of you are warm and dry, enjoying your power and running water!!! (i sure am)
hugs,
Bunny & the pack

--Forwarded Message Attachment--From: wolfsinger.lakota at gmail.comTo: nagdu at nfbnet.orgDate: Tue, 16 Dec 2008 14:00:20 -0700Subject: [nagdu] winter coats for dogsHi every one, I was on the community pets Craig's list and came across thisperson that makes winter coats for dogs, any size. If any one is interested,her name is Stacie and her phone number is (520) -450-0381. She is inArizona, but I am sure she could send them any where they are needed. I haveacquired a new family member that the dogs are fascinated with. His name isRemington Rat and he is completely hairless. I guess maybe I should get hima coat for winter? I have to keep him away from the cats but thedogs,especially Nala, seem to enjoy watching him. She even gave him a bigwet kiss. Nala seems much happier now that she is working again. We took thedogs to the street fair and there were lots of people and several unrullydogs. Wanagi ignored all of the dogs and worked perfactly. Now that she isin harness, she is really taking her work very seriously. Have a greatday. Mardi, and Nala,semi-retired,Wanagi,gdit,and Tokala, part timeguide and part time pet.
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