June 25 2016Dapper in his hamster ball hammock:) One of his fav sleeping spots.
Did you Know?Rats laugh. When tickled ratties will make high frequency chirping sounds that have been identified as laughing.
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Dapper DiarysSo much has happened with Dapper in the last week its hard to know where to begin. Mostly good news this time though, so thats good:)
Dapper has began to really improve socially. He climbs up and down me during playtime and generally doesn't show any fear. We are still working on liking being picked up and held, because he doesn't like that much, and bonding is going a bit slowly too.... Another good thing is Dapper finished his meds this Wednesday. He still sneezes a couple of times a day so I am watching to make sure he doesn't go downhill again, fingers crossed! I've been making quite a few new toys, so don't forget to check out the tutorials page if your interested:) |
June 15th 2016Dapper Diaries:So I found my self fighting the vet tech the last few weeks with Dappers medication, the vets is obviously no my favorite place in the world, and any money I can save is a blessing, sooo I was pretty annoyed on my first visit to the vet with Dapper (two weeks ago). After the vet prescribed him Trrimethorprim I asked if I could get it at the Publix Pharmacy. The vet tech gave me a really weird look and said she wasn't sure. She informed me (after I continued to ask about it) that I was welcome to call Publix and ask myself.
Well Publix of coarse couldn't tell me if they had the right thing without the proper dosage and I didn't know that. I found it annoying that the tech wasn't willing or comfortable to find this information out for me. Let me just say, I was willing to pay for the medication he needed of coarse, I was mostly just annoyed that the tech wasn't IN THE LEAST interested in helping me find out. I guess that's what you get for being a walk in with no appointment...... When I took Dapper back to the vet for his recheck, and he was again prescribed Trimethorprim, I asked again, (this time to a much more willing tech) who said they would give me a written prescription for the stuff. This was better, but it in the past the same vet office had called the medication in for me, so it was a little annoying, but hey, I at least had a prescription in my hand with the dosage and everything! Before I was just trying to save a couple bucks, but two weeks later matters had changed. My biggest reason for wanting the Publix version vs the pet version was since it was made for humans, I was hoping it was a bit taster that the other "supposedly" yummie medicine I had been coxing, pleading and forcing Dapper to take for the last two weeks. Did You Know?Unlike other rodents, rats don't NEED a wheel.
Now just because they don't need one doesn't mean they won't enjoy one, especially females (who are typically more hyper than males) but some rats (like Dapper so far lol) won't use one. |
DD continuedSo I was pretty excited when I gave the (slightly confused) pharmacist (I never had needed to take in a prescription before and didn't know exactly how it was done. The poor lady looked pretty confused, (and on top of that the medicine was for a rat...)) On top of the possibly yummier thing, I knew I would be saving $19 dollars that last time i payed for two weeks of medicine. I knew because my hamster Delilah had had the same medication (I thought) from Publix for free just a year before. (some antibiotics are free at Publix if you didn't know)
I was dismayed when I returned to pick it up to find the pharmacist say that they didn't have any in stock, but could get me some by the tomorrow for just a little over 30 bucks! No, no thank you dear pharmacist my vet is cheaper. The nice lady continued though, saying they had Trimethorprim with Sulfa, She said unless you animal was allergic to it, was no different than the former medication. I only had to get my vet to give me a new prescription for the Sulfa Trim (or Trim Sulfa however you like to refer to the stuff). I figure it wasn't going to work. My vet was going to say this was something bad, not pet friendly, wouldn't work or something, but alas, when I called, they said "sure its totally fine" and called it in for me. A few days later I get the medicine, free of charge, smelling strongly of cherries. "Hes so still not doing to like it" I think worriedly. I put a bit of the meds on a dish (the dish that I had been using to mix the old meds with baby food, oatmeal, yogurt and cookie dough). He licked it up in five seconds. Its only been half a week since he got these new magic meds, but its been sooo much easier for both of us and I just hope his taste buds don't change their mind for the one and a half weeks more that he has to be on the stuff...... |
June 8th 2016
A new sectionTo better document Dapper, rattie info and have some fun, I've disided to make a little section dedicated to only rats. I'm starting out with a "Dapper Diary section and a "Fun Fact" section, and maybe later adding on a health section. Hope this works out, and enjoy!
P.S this is my new fav pic of Dapper I drew a drawing of it and will post it next time (hint hint come back soon!) |
Dapper DiariesDapper Diaries Dapper went back to the vet on Monday. He is getting better but slowly, so he will be on two more weeks of Sulfa Trim (meds). Still sneezing but no longer making coughing noises, those were so scary! In the meantime he's becoming much more tame. He's coming to the front to get treats (yummy veggies carrots his fav) and climbing on the bars when he sees me:) On the flip side, he is super easy to stress! Still shaky from the vet on Monday:( Did you know?There are some funny names in the rat world. Female rats are called "Does" and males "Bucks" while you may think baby rats would thus be called "fawns" that is not the case. Babies are called "pups"
(or sometimes "kittens") |