Party On, Wayne. Party On, Garth.

 

Friends, please welcome Wayne and Garth!  (Party time!  Excellent!)

Last week, after much discussion about family, commitment, and honoring Mr. Mackie's memory, we decided that we wanted to adopt more ratties.  Shelters can be a stressful place for the little guys, and with their short lifespans and incredible personalities, it felt right that we should open our home and hearts to more - not to mention that we sorely missed our playtime and cuddles with Mr. Mackie.

We contacted our local animal shelter, Seattle Animal Shelter, after reading about two young foster boys called Yukon and Jack that we found through Petfinder.  The foster coordinator and foster mom were incredibly friendly and helpful, and got us on our way to meeting the boys within a day of contacting them.  Saturday evening, we met them for the first time, and fell in love.

The boys came in to the shelter separately, but were both agitated and timid, so they were paired up in the hopes that they would bond.  They're both estimated to be about 6 months old, so they are young enough that the introduction seems to have stuck with very little aggression.

Garth (née Yukon) had been abandoned in a parking lot in a fishtank, and found the day before a big rainstorm.  If he hadn't been rescued, he likely would have drowned.  He's a polite, slightly nippy, curious little guy who has already shown an enormous talent for nervous pooping.  He bit Lumberjack's finger while I was filling out adoption paperwork, but since handling him more,  he's been much better.  He seems to be the dominant and outwardly friendly one, but he's still gentle with his cagemate, which is really sweet - especially considering that they're not littermates.

 Wayne (née Jack/Bubbles) was the cagemate of a female rat who became pregnant, and he was surrendered.  He was the more timid of the two, and when we were at the shelter, the minute that he poked his head out his plastic igloo and nuzzled my nose, I knew that they were going to be our new buddies.  He freezes up when you first try to pick him up, but once handled, he freely climbs on shoulders and is generous with his cuddles.  He's pretty clearly an introvert - albeit a very loving one! - as he likes to sleep by himself, and withdraws from playtime to hang out alone sometimes.  (I feel you there, bro.)

This morning, I pulled both of them out and they chilled in my sweater sleeve for fifteen minutes.  It's amazing to see how much they have calmed down and become affectionate since just two days ago.  I think they're going to be great companions, and I'm so happy that we found each other!

<3