The Rat Marriott

We have guests at Chez Insanity! Paying guests even! I am rat sitting three girls for a week while their owner goes to Burning Man. They arrived today and dang are they cute. Below is a picture of Bibi (left) and Nakkie (right). Nakkie is so named because she's a hairless rattum. The third guest is Mousekins and she's very scared right now and hiding in her igloo. She is HUGE. Not that Bibi couldn't stand to lose a few ounces herself. These girls make mine look like babies.

They seem to be settling in alright even though I've rearranged their cage. I don't understand rat owners who stuff their cages so full that their poor ratties have no room to move around. It's no wonder these girls need the rodent version of Jenny Craig. And there are NO food bowls. Don't get me started on people who just toss food into the cage. No toys either. It's all very sad and I may have to tell their owner that all three ratties died while she was on vacation and oh I'm terribly sorry. Then I'll keep 'em. In a bigger cage too. This cage isn't nearly big enough.

There are now 19 rats in this apartment and Andy is on the verge of a nervous breakdown. He hasn't left my side all evening. He keeps trying to climb into my lap if I'm at the computer or on the couch. He's also tried a number of times to climb into the cage with the new girls. Maybe he thinks that if he pretends to be a rat I'll pay more attention to him. Poor little monkey, I think I'll go give him some treats.