Camera Happy

Okay, so I promise that this isn't going to be one of those pet-obsessed blogs, but it's the only thing that's been happening to me the past few days, so I'm going to write about it.

I think I'm going to go with Oggie and Oden for their names. I tried using a few others, including some suggestions, and I think I've just gotten used to their names already. Although both of my parents suggested Ben and Jerry, which was funny. Other suggestions I liked were Jesus and Jesus (as in Geezus and Hey Zeus) and Gary and Templeton after the old Cardinal's shortstop. I'm actually digging Templeton. Hard to shorten, unless you just go with T. But I do like it. And Gary's good too. Maybe my next two rats will be Gary and Templeton. By the way, that was a joke. My boys take up enough of my time already. I couldn't imagine any more.

Here they are, sharing a drink over intelligent conversation.



This I snapped tonight, hence the horrible flash. When I'm futzing around in their cage–putting in veggies, picking up poo pellets, or rearranging the cage–they'll stop what they're doing, ask me for treats, then get back to their business which usually involves sitting on top of each other or one using the other as a springboard for a gymnastics routine. Occasionally, they'll play fight, but they stayed like this for a good five minutes.



And here they are, smiling for the camera. They get so excited when I put the camera in their cage. They come up to it, sniff it, strike a few poses. And if they're in their igloo, they'll both rearrange themselves so that they're heads are sticking out the entrance.



Even though it has only been a few days, I've learned just how amazingly different they are. Oggie is bolder and more comfortable with me handling him than Oden. He even fell asleep on me yesterday when I had him in my arms and was petting him behind his ears. Oden, on the other hand, absolutely hates being still in my hands. He's fine with exploring, but he'll do anything to get out of my hands and can be easily spooked. Oggie LOVES these yogurt drops I bought them. I have to crush them up into little pieces so he doesn't get fat. Oden is okay with the drops, but he's more fond of candied pineapple (from a trail mix pack I got). This might be the key to socializing and training him. Oggie wouldn't even touch the pineapple I offered him. One thing they have in common, though, is that neither of them has figured out how to use the wheel in their cage. One day, maybe.

Today, during our playtime, I managed to get both of them to walk out of their cages willingly and jump up on my lap to get treats. Oggie figured out the trick quickly, and so he would come up and get treats about every minute or so. Oden is a teensy bit slower, and much more hesitant, not easily bribed by treats. I don't think he got the connection at all. I'm hoping Oggie gives him a few pointers.

I'm okay with being the owner of morbidly obese rats, as long as they're happy.

EDIT: I checked out some pictures of rats at different ages and I believe my rats are somewhere between 6 and 12 weeks. I may just compromise and say that they're 2 months old, which, from the day I got them, means that their birthdays fell on Sunday, July 6, 2008. It's a good reference because then I'll have an idea about when they're full-grown (at 8 months).