Reese and Josh are a wonderful pair of ratties who have been with us a long time. They were originally seized by the SPCA from a neglectful situation and ended up in an SPCA shelter for several weeks. Because they were very shy, we took them in to work with them so they'd have a better chance of being adopted. The staff at the shelter thought this was a pair of male rats, but when we picked them up we discovered that one was female! Luckily they didn't have any babies during their time at the shelter. We had Reese spayed ASAP so she and Josh could stay together.
After several months in foster care these two are doing very well. They are both quite friendly with other rats so they are sharing a cage with two more spayed females. Josh benefits from having a laid back cuddle friend and Reese has a younger female to chase and wrestle with. Josh and Reese are still very, very bonded with each other and must be adopted as a pair.
Reese has really come out of her shell and now acts like any other busy, curious female rat. She has hilarious quirks and can be quite cute and bratty sometimes. At dinner time Reese waits patiently at the door of her cage so I can hand her a rat block. She will stash it and then run right back so I can give her another one. She occasionally can act a bit hand shy, especially when it's time to be picked up in the cage, but she is very affectionate and interactive. During time out she loves to climb in pockets and up on my shoulders.
Josh has come a long way too. He is incredibly gentle and has the most soulful look I've ever seen in a rat. He is extremely fearful in most situations but he copes by freezing in place and staying very, very still. It is no problem to pick him up in and out of the cage. He has learned to enjoy snuggling and will even brux and boggle when I scratch behind his ears! In the cage and during playtime Josh feels most secure when he has a hiding place. He spends the vast majority of time in his hidey house, but does come out to interact with the other rats. During play time I've started setting up a bunch of boxes and tunnels on the couch and then draping a towel over the whole thing. With this setup Josh feels secure enough to come out and explore. If all is quiet and calm, Josh will leave the safety of his hideout to come visit me. He occasionally comes to the cage door to say hello too. But any potential adopter should understand that he will likely always be the kind of rat that you have to approach slowly and quietly. Despite his fear, Josh is very trusting and affectionate. It took moments for me to fall in love with him and I know it would be the same for his new family!
If you could give Reese and Josh the home they deserve so much please get in touch. These are extra special ratties!
