Yo Adrian

Believe it or not, I have no scarf pictures today. So instead I'll tell you about Adrian. Rats and yarn, that's all this blog seems to be about these days. Maybe tomorrow we'll have a book or movie review but I'm not really good at writing those kinds of things so rats it is.

Adrian came to me at the end of March this year as a foster rattie. With his two brothers Richard and Murray. In the picture above, we have Richard in front, Adrian in the middle, and Murray bringing up the rear. Which was a pretty accurate representation of their socialization levels at the time. They were only two months at the time and had barely been handled. They were SCARED. Trying to socialize babies SUCKS. Why? Because rattie baby fur is slick which makes them very hard to hold. I imagine that comes in handy when you're trying to escape a predator but I am not a predator. Plus, when rats are frightened they have a tendency to poop. And pee. I guess that's why they're so dang cute.

Richard and Murray were adopted by a wonderful family at their very first adoption fair despite still being a little under socialized. I didn't want Adrian to be alone but I had no one he could live with at the time. So I gave him to my boyfriend because he had space in one of his cages. Adrian looks very much like a wild rat and the b/f thought that was "cool." I told him quite sternly that he needed to keep up with Adrian's socialization or eventually we'd reach the point of no return with that.

Apparently I was not stern enough. Adrian is now back with me. Rats enjoy the company of humans but not when they're terrified of them. The argument, "But he should be able to just be himself" does not apply to rats in my world. Case in point: Adrian flies down the ramp in his cage when I get to within two feet of him. How is that a happy life for a rat? So I'm back to square one with my pal, Adrian. At least his fur isn't slick any more.