More On Rats!

Peanut

Cookie Monster

In my last post Serena commented, "... I've heard rats are very clever...but they seriously know their names?? That's so cool!"  And although I was a wee bit on the grumpy side today, thinking of this lifted my spirits a bit and I thought I'd talk a bit more about rats.

The set of sisters we had previously were Cookie and Peanut.  Each knew their own names respectively and would only come out if you called for them specifically.  One of Four would take them out each evening to watch t.v. or read with her in our big leather chair in the livingroom.  Cookie was the more curious and friendly of the two, anxious to meet any new person to visit the house.  Particularily if they didn't like rats.  This made them both even more eager to visit with the newcomer.

Cookie would stand watch on the arm of the chair.  That was her job.  Peanut was (and still is) the cuddler who just likes so soak up the love and loves to sleep curled up beside you.

Our two new rats, Squeekers and Sugar, learned their names within the first week or so of moving in.  Sugar seemed to learn hers slightly quicker than the other.  Our other two ladies were refined, friendly and quiet from day one.  Our two new rats are silly, hyper, friendly and mischievious!

These two new rats like to play games.  They love to wrestle with your hand, play tag and hide and seek.  First you grab at them while they run away, then you pull back and make scratching sounds on the surface they are on.  Kind of like you'd play with a cat if you like getting scratched up.  They run and hide then turn and pounce on your hand.  You chase again....etc....  They realize it's play and not a threat to them so they don't scratch or bite.

Rats do make a good pet if you can keep them from figuring out how to escape their cages, and they're much better company than many of the people I know.  Probably smarter too;-)

Oh Rats!

If you ever should decide that rats are a good pet for your child then remember to make sure the ones you purchase are stupid.

The ones we bought recently are two very smart rats. They are hyper, friendly and indeed very smart. Yesterday I noticed when I got home from art class that they were not in either of their cages. I'm not sure how they managed to escape, but I found purple nail polish pooled on the floor and splattered up the wall. I'm not sure what other damage may have been done as of yet other than the general disarray they caused.  . Hopefully nothing more than a scattering of rat "nuggets" around the desk on which I found them lounging. I called them each by name and they came out to greet me. Yes, they do know their own names. Thankfully One of Fours bedroom door where they are kept was closed or they may have become doggie treats or even worse, the dog may have become a rattie treat!

It's Monday.  Just thought you'd like to know.

The Dog Park

While I was walking Mr. Hunter at the dog park this morning I was trying to think of the human equivalent to this glorious place.  All the dogs happily romping through the fields, sniffing and peeing.  Excitement visible all around.  Where can humans feel such joy.  Walking up to a stranger sniffing their butts, drinking pee water from a puddle, eating poo.  Okay, maybe it's a good thing there isn't a human equivalent after all.

WooHoo! I've Been Published!

I'm so excited I could pee myself....again!


I just received two copies of "Aquarium Fish International" magazine in the mail. I stopped subscribing to this a few years ago and was puzzled. When I started flipping through I found a cartoon I had sent them a couple of years ago in hopes of getting it published. They sent me a contract to sign then I heard nothing from them and assumed they'd forgotten about me. As my moto is "If at first you don't succeed, then never try again," I only submitted the one just to test the waters.

Anyhow, it's in the April 2010 edition and it's about a clown loach in a little clown hat and that's all I'll say so I don't get sued.

I'm still waiting for the cheque.  Wonder if they forgot.

Guest Post #5 by Kurt of Other People Exist

Today I will be traveling via jet airplane from the large and famous American city where I live to a different city in another place.

Lately, whenever I fly, at some point I become convinced that the plane is crashing. The last time I flew, the plane descended rapidly from 35,000 feet to 8,000 feet while we were still an hour away from our destination city, which I've forgotten. I knew death was imminent, and if "Sully" Sullenberger has taught us anything, it's that, in a crash-type situation, there isn't an announcement until right before you die ("Brace for impact," he announced, a few seconds before he landed in a river). As it turned out, I didn't die; the captain was presumably just crazy and/or high.

Whenever I become convinced that the plane is crashing, I look to the flight attendants, and if they appear calm, I conclude that perhaps I am wrong, and perhaps we are not falling from the sky. Once, over the Pacific, our plane flew through a bad storm. We were tossed about, and water started dripping from the ceiling. The captain instructed the flight attendants to take their seats, and I noticed that one flight attendant had a look of pure terror on his face. That worried me.

Unexpectedly, I lived, and so did the flight attendant. They say you are more likely to die while horsing around with a loaded gun than while traveling by plane. While, intellectually, I understand that, I love horseplay too much to stop.