Uh, not to rain on the parade, but it looks like he has porphyrin on his nose (look at the right side of his snout). Please, please take him to the vet or change his bedding (I recommend yesterday’s news unscented). I just had to watch a rat slowly die because of this problem. My other rat had the same initial problem (sneezing and problems breathing). This is a common problem with rats that many rat owners are unaware of but can be cured easily enough with anti-biotics.
My vet actually told me, years ago, that some rats are just prone to having a little porphyrin around their nose, and it wasn’t always cause for alarm unless the amount suddenly increased or they started getting it around their eyes. I had a couple of rats who pretty much always had red spots under their nose, and neither died of myco. Just my two cents.
And we can certainly agree that the rat is absolutely precious!
Kittens, even in their most adorable antics, are already merciless predators. Rats are explorers, tentative, inquisitive and nimble. When you see the ease with which they traverse trees and bushes it’s impossible to deny that we’re more like them than the various creatures with claws we’re more likely to keep as pets.
Aaaaw. My current excess of ratlets have been going for virtual adoption by a host of friends lately. It is fun having ratlets in the house, even if there are a half ton of them. :D
Zinnia Jones is an atheist activist, writer and videoblogger focusing on the impact of religious belief, political follies and LGBTQ rights. Since 2008, her videos have been viewed over 7 million times and her articles have been featured in the Huffington Post, The New Civil Rights Movement, and The Fight magazine in LA. Originally from Chicago, she's currently living in Florida with her partner Heather and their two children. She is still insufferably Midwestern. Her pleasures include picking apart everyone's arguments, rationality, feminism, philosophy, transhumanism and pet rats. You can reach her at [email protected] or on Twitter at @ZJemptv, and her YouTube channel is at www.zinniajones.com.
:)
13 comments
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Tigger_the_Wing
July 10, 2012 at 10:43 PM (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Aaaawwww! I looooovvvve ratties! =^_^=
Ace of Sevens
July 10, 2012 at 11:12 PM (UTC -4) Link to this comment
My rats are cuter.
Tigger_the_Wing
July 11, 2012 at 12:38 AM (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Hoodie!
I miss my ratties. I have a friend with lots of them, but I’ve been to poorly to visit for a long time. :(
Tigger_the_Wing
July 11, 2012 at 12:39 AM (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Gah. That should be ‘too poorly’.
F
July 11, 2012 at 1:18 AM (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Adorable, indeed. With the power of being able to chew its way out from the inside of an iron pipe-adorable.
Yes, Ace’s rats are sweeties, too. So are Caine’s.
fastlane
July 11, 2012 at 10:49 AM (UTC -4) Link to this comment
I’m thinking….cat food. =)
Nah, he’s cute!
Brad
July 11, 2012 at 3:09 PM (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Lol, I clicked on the title of your post thinking it was an “adorable rant“.
Very nice rodent, though. My wife hates any rodent with a tail, so she would probably not appreciate it.
bachalon
July 11, 2012 at 9:00 PM (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Uh, not to rain on the parade, but it looks like he has porphyrin on his nose (look at the right side of his snout). Please, please take him to the vet or change his bedding (I recommend yesterday’s news unscented). I just had to watch a rat slowly die because of this problem. My other rat had the same initial problem (sneezing and problems breathing). This is a common problem with rats that many rat owners are unaware of but can be cured easily enough with anti-biotics.
Other than that, cute as a button!
LJ Briar
July 11, 2012 at 10:39 PM (UTC -4) Link to this comment
My vet actually told me, years ago, that some rats are just prone to having a little porphyrin around their nose, and it wasn’t always cause for alarm unless the amount suddenly increased or they started getting it around their eyes. I had a couple of rats who pretty much always had red spots under their nose, and neither died of myco. Just my two cents.
And we can certainly agree that the rat is absolutely precious!
bachalon
July 12, 2012 at 5:57 PM (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Huh. You do learn something new every day.
bad Jim
July 12, 2012 at 2:36 AM (UTC -4) Link to this comment
This is too easy. Rats are always cute.
Kittens, even in their most adorable antics, are already merciless predators. Rats are explorers, tentative, inquisitive and nimble. When you see the ease with which they traverse trees and bushes it’s impossible to deny that we’re more like them than the various creatures with claws we’re more likely to keep as pets.
Caine, Fleur du mal
August 18, 2012 at 5:16 PM (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Aaaaw. My current excess of ratlets have been going for virtual adoption by a host of friends lately. It is fun having ratlets in the house, even if there are a half ton of them. :D
theophontes (坏蛋)
August 19, 2012 at 2:59 AM (UTC -4) Link to this comment
No,no,no. My (virtual) rattie is definitely the best: Theo