The Blaze Boys have gone back to their owner. I'm going to miss them!
Last night they free-roamed in the bathroom while I was in the bath. I had the light off, and draped a towel over the edge of the bath so they could climb up to me.
It was a bit magical, waiting in the dark for their small white faces to appear, completely silently, peering at me like little pixies or fairies. They dipped their hands into the water, then crawled onto me, then flitted away again.
*Someone* placed this silk cloth near the rat cage. *Someone else* dragged the entire cloth through the bars into the cage. This is a great mystery.
(Luckily the cloth is mostly undamaged, just one or two small holes.)
This is Smokey and Stormy. I'm looking after them for a few days, for one of the other foster people. She's just literally a few minutes ago decided to adopt them herself! I watched the conversation happening on the Rat Foster WhatsApp chat.
Smokey is the one with the lighter markings. He's the more confident of the two. Stormy has a darker back. He's much shyer and more reserved. It took them about half a day to go from thinking I'm a dangerous monster to climbing all over me without a care in the world.
I'm exhausted so no photos (long complicated family day), but I'm looking after another rat foster's rats for the next few days.
They are ✨gorgeous✨ they look like little badgers, with dark patches and white blazes on their faces.
Bathroom at night works well for free roam time. I spread a blanket over the side of the bath so they have something to climb.
Twyla and Zen argue about a peanut.
The video is much better than these screenshots:
https://youtu.be/-ufyJHpeGsk?si=RZ65eGQ6HPWZky1n
I've just heard that I'll soon be fostering two baby rats called Raisin and Peanut! Watch this space...
One of the best parts of being a Rat Foster Person is the Foster Group Chat.
My phone is suddenly FULL of photos and videos of rats.
Today someone posted a picture of the two baby rats they are fostering. I can't repost the photos, but suffice to say that one of the rat babbas looked like its personal soundtrack is Queen's "We Will Rock You" and the other brother's soundtrack must surely be the "Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairies" from the Nutcracker ballet. Totally different personalities.
The last few days have been a bit cooler, so I have been taking Twyla and Zen out of their cage in the evening, and letting them cuddle inside my hoodie while I sit in an armchair and watch Critical Role.
They do some exploring, but most of the time they settle in a little warm rat-pile, sometimes even pushing under my hand for pets.
It's seriously the most cozy thing. Few things are as soft as a relaxed rat.
The woman who adopted the baby hairless rats just sent me a picture of one of them in their new home. They're settling in very well! She's renamed them Buttercup and Butterbean.
Zumbador