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Welcome the Newest Alabama Ghost Boys

4K views 30 replies 7 participants last post by  Storyseeker 
#1 · (Edited)
Zmei and Black Pete are now home. What a day! These two boys are going to be extra special, I can tell. 7 hour day trip behind my husband and I, and the kids are settling in.

Zmei is a black eyed seal point satin Siamese. He's right at 9 weeks old. My gosh he's so great. He was the first I pulled out of the big giant pile of ratty babies the breeder had in the playpen.

When I first held him, he was lick lick licking me and when I scritched his head, he leaned into my fingers, then started to brux and boggle like it was an Olympic sport. OMG!

I've never held a satin rat before. You can really tell a satin mouse by looks alone. They are so glossy. But a rat, I never could tell in the pictures. Boy you can tell when you pet them. It's like stroking baby rabbit fur, it's so downy. I'm in luv!


Next we had to select a little black boy of our own. There were 4 or 5 from which to choose. I held them all in my arms while they swarmed over me. I really couldn't decide.

My long suffering husband is NOT a rat fan. He is physically kind to them, but is pretty indifferent. He also occasionally makes the socially unacceptable anti-rat quip, which I've come to just roll my eyes and tolerate since it's all bark and no bite. I asked him to come on this trip to meet my favorite rat breeder, and to have a day to ourselves with out the kids. I confess my ulterior motive was to hopefully turn him on to rats.

So, since I couldn't decide which black boy I wanted, I asked him to help me pick. With his usual eye for detail, he picked the one little black boy who wasn't swarming, but sitting calmly in my hands. He then took him from me while I put the rest of the kids back.

Pete was now chosen and named. But I couldn't get my hands on him. My curmudgeon husband was petting him and baby talking him while Pete cleaned himself and started bruxing.

Baby Black Pete. He has made a conquest in my husband who has claimed him for his own. Five minutes home and he's currently sitting in Hubby's hand eating a lab block while hubby surfs the web. He won't let me hold Pete and said (in baby talk voice) "If you are going to have a houseful of rats, then I at least get one that's all for me."


Black Pete is barely 5 weeks old and so tiny; so brave. He also has teeny little white socks on his front paws. They look like sleeve cuffs.


Zmei exploring his new home.


Black Pete making himself at home.
 
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#2 ·
OH MY GOSH!!!!! SQUEEEEEE!!!!! They are so adorable!!!!!!!!!! And I'm so happy that your husband now has his *own* rat!!!!! Oh, congratulations so much on the new additions to your household! I've been anxiously awaiting this thread, and I'm so happy that you got some photos of them already, too. YAY!!!!!
:yipee: :elmo: :elephant: :woohoo: :hapdance:
 
#4 ·
These guys are flooring me. I hear stories about licky people bonded ratties. Jeffrey and Tucker are my big fat squishy smuggums, and I thought they'd developed nicely into some friendly rats, but man, these new kids are raising the bar on my big manrats.

Zmei can't get enough of me. I tried to leave the kids alone for a day to settle in, but he is desperate for some people time. I opened the cage, and he's all over me, begging for luvin' and play, licking me like crazy and boggling boggling boggling.

Pete has taken his cue from Zmei and even though his little black/chocolate line of rats are apparently more reserved by nature (exhibit Jeffrey and Tucker as proof), he's proving to be the exception. He is comfortable enough to sit and eat in our laps and hang out for 20 minutes at a time. He's definitely bonding with my husband. He has already started grooming my husband's beard and is cool as a cucumber hanging out with him.
 
#8 ·
Woo hoo!!! Congrats!! What a great post, and the cutest little guys ever! They are adorable, Storyseeker! I felt the same way as Breyer when you said your hubby had "claimed" Black Pete for his own, that is awesome! Sounds like your husband finally melted for a baby, eh! Yay!!! These boys are off to a roaring start. They love you both already!! Can you tell I am excited? Ha ha. :D
 
#9 ·
P.S. I would ALSO love to see a pic of Pete grooming your husband's beard. That would be soooo awesome!
 
#10 ·
The rats are bonding well with the whole family. I don't think Zmei knows a stranger. Pete spent a couple of hours today just hanging out in my bra.

Jeffrey and Tucker knew there were strangers in their turf though. They've spent the day bowing up and slinking everywhere, sniffing like mad in a search and destroy mission against the interlopers. It's been funny to watch, though of course it's kind of sad that I realize they probably won't accept the new kids. I could try neutering them, but have been told that that their particular line has always had problems accepting new males. Their father and grandfather both are/were loners once they outlived their bond mate.
 
#12 ·
I'll try when the babies get a little older, but like I said, I don't have high hopes. That's fine though. I've got the cage space for two groups.
 
#14 ·
I've been working with the two boys, getting them settled and accustomed to us. I also don't want to lose any ground they'd already gained with socialization.

I wore them in my 'rat shirt' yesterday morning. We'd had a small incident in the morning when hubby claimed Pete from me and tried laying down on the couch for a snuggle, but didn't take into account a baby's popcorning and zippy nature and lost him under the couch in the blink of an eye. He then had me checking on Pete all day worried that he'd been hurt in the recapture ruckus. "Is he okay? Check on him. Make sure."



Last night I went to take them out after the kids were asleep, and my husband came walking through. He literally shooed me away from Pete saying /he'd/ do it. It reminded me of my toddler son who would push me away when he wanted to dress himself. "I can do it mommy!"

When he started walking back down to the couch I suggested it might be wise to pick a place Pete where wouldn't get hurt or lost, especially during this more unpredictable baby stage. I went to take Zmei with me into one of our bathrooms, and hubby came up a few minutes later asking if the bathroom would be a safe place. I said yes, but hubby kept questioning me about hidden hazards. I assured him he would be fine.

Then, THEN, my husband lay down on the frikkin bathroom floor for an hour with the kids.

Pete spent most of the time running laps inside our shirts. Zmei was more adventurous, and we discovered he /luved/ hand wrestling. He'd chase hubby's hand around the floor and then hubby'd spiderclaw him and give him a tickle. Zmei would go into spastic little fits and 'rat'-handle the 'claw', then popcorn away only to come back for more.

He did this for 20 minutes. We were laughing so hard we had tears in our eyes. Even the dread pirate Black Pete got into the action, trying to figure out how to subdue a finger or three, which was as big as he was.

I am so going to have to catch these wrestle sessions on film. ROTFL
 
#17 ·
Mo' pics. They are making their presence indispensable around my house.


Pete coming for attention.


Say it with me. Awwwww!


Ohai! Can we come out to play?


Random young human being seduced by the furry side.


Zmei: I found boy. Can keep to take homes?


Zmei: I loves boy, and kiss boy, and call him Georges.
 
#18 ·
Ah, I love it!! That sounded like such a FUN bathroom playtime for everyone! Major bonding going on for sure eh? I am with Breyer, I would LOVE to see video of the boys playing with Dad and Mom. I am so glad to hear your hubby has totally fallen in love with his special Black Pete, that is awesome!:thumbsup:
 
#19 ·
Darn, I posted something about your awesome bathroom wrestling family time with Zmei and Pete but I don't see it here! (hmm, where did my dang post go?)

I would LOVE to see video of these bathroom sessions! Sounds so fun and full of bonding!
 
#20 ·
LOL, I just saw my first post. It WAS there after all! Sheesh, okay, three posts in three minutes. :rolleyes:
 
#21 ·
Awww, I just now saw the new pictures! They are adorable! Zmei looks like he is smiling so big next to his buddy Pete in their hammock! My favorite pic. :)
 
#22 ·
Hahaha I thought I was the only one who lost posts.

And yeah, I love the hammock pic. They're so cute together, especially with their big size difference. I feel like I have the 'four bears' in my house. Baby Bear Pete, Middle sized 'momma' bear Zmei, and their two big giant bear uncles Tucker and Jeffrey. They're all going to be huge in the end though.
 
#23 ·
Yep, you definitely have a full house of very handsome boys there! You are a lucky lady and your boys are very lucky to have you too.

Enjoy!
 
#28 ·
Yep, you definitely have a full house of very handsome boys there! You are a lucky lady and your boys are very lucky to have you too.

Enjoy!
I know I'm super lucky. These are really cute kids. I'm awaiting the day when I can play with them all at once. :)

I love those pictures----especially the one with the boys in the hammock!!!! SOOOOO CUTE!!!!!!
Love the Hammock pic! But you know, I just noticed something about the "Ohai" pic...the light pattern from the camera in Zmei's eyes make him look a little reptilian. Would not be a big thing except...Zmei's name means 'snake'. Things that make me go hmmmm.

congrats on the new boys they are so cute. Sorry was gone for so long so much to catch up on lol. they are adorable an so are the pics. Jealous you have cute satins lol but congrats any ways. :) very cute.
I so want to see the hand wrestling they do that sounds so cute. Mine all do that even the girls they all have to hand wrestle me know when they are in the cage or out lol its the best. My other half when we 1st got a rats was like um rats???? he was just a mouse person. lol but know he has his favorites that its like a deadly sin if I get out and cuddle he is like quite trying to steel my rat its my rat and takes them and walks away to play lol. (when he is asleep he dont realized I take over and they tell me all his secrets lol) Rats definitely rule. I hope that eventually they will all get along as I always say rats are full of surprises.
So nice to have you back! I hope things are doing better for you now. :) I never touched a satin before. It's like petting a baby rat in a full grown body. I felt like it was my birthday when his breeder said she wanted me to have him, because he wasn't supposed to go to anyone but breeders. He really is breeding material too. He's physically exceptional, smart, and his temperament has to be experienced to be believed. Maybe she'll ask for him to be loaned back to her for a litter? LOL

oh my gosh, i just saw the pictures now!!! SO CUTE!
lucky you to have little babies at home!!
I was so nervous the first time around with Tucker and Jeffrey (and Windham) that I found myself wishing they were bigger so I wouldn't worry about breaking them. Now that I'm more experienced I can actually /enjoy/ their babyness.

those pics are soooo awesome! i'm coming over just to play with your ratties!
They says sure! :) Bring friends!
 
#25 ·
congrates on the new boys they are so cute. Sorry was gone for so long so much to catch up on lol. they are adorbale an so are the pics. Jelose you have cute satains lol but congrates any ways. :) very cute.
I so want to see the hand wresoling they do that sounds so cute. Mine all do that even the grils they all have to hand wreasol me know when they are in the cage or out lol its the best. My other half when we 1st got a rats was like um rats???? he was just a mouse person. lol but know he has his favorits that its like a deadly sin if I get out and cuddel he is like quite trying to steel my rat its my rat and takes them and walks away to play lol. (when he is asleep he dont relized I take over and they tell me all his secrets lol) Rats deffenitly rule. I hope that eventually they will all get along as I always say rats are full of suprises.
 
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