About poisons and wildlife…

…This coyote survived and miraculously was able to be released back into the wild. Most victims of secondary poisoning are not as lucky. The poisoning of any animal is cruel, and although these poisons are legal and readily available in lawn and garden shops across the country, they wreak havoc on native wildlife.
People who use these products to eliminate rodent problems are causing sustained suffering and can inadvertently kill the very animals that would help control their rodent population. If predators such as coyotes were allowed to do their jobs, rodent populations everywhere would be dramatically reduced.

Read the full story at the link above.

Strange, new, and incredibly threatened creature alert

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7791989.stm

This story with pictures and video is of a rat-like creature – more shrew-like anyway – with a long nose and a “dental delivery system” for venom. They have only ever caught one.

Where is it? The Dominican Republic and Haiti.

Does anyone know this person?

Theme Park rats in Ontario need your help.

I need to find her and tell her about a cage someone has volunteered to give her.

Happy New Year to all you rat-lovers out there.

There is still another month or so left of the Year of the Rat. I wonder what the combination of 2009 and the Rat will bring?

Christmas reading

I found this on Little Mischief’s website: http://www.littlemischiefrescue.org/ratsocialization.html

I learned a few new tricks this way.

While there, go up to their main page and visit their Advent calendar. It is very well done and the pictures and stories are heart-warming.

Have a happy rest of your holidays!

Ho ho ho!

Radar and Scope – two boys at the Montreal SPCA

These two boys, and two other boys, are waiting for homes at the SPCA. More pics are available but really what are you waiting for? Go adopt them now!

In Ontario for Thanksgiving

I’m in Ontario for Thanksgiving, and not being home means, inevitably, I get more done and more leisure time too. So I’m blogging.

I have delivered 4 boxes of Lab Diet to Toronto Animal Services for their four locations, one box to the Toronto Humane Society, and one box to the Newmarket OSPCA. There, I saw the tiniest little baby rat – no more than 6-7 weeks old – who is beginning to have congested sounds in her chest. All alone and removed from her mom too young, I’m adopting her to integrate with my girls. Even though they are all 2 years old and I have to rehome them for what is likely the rest of their lives, while I go to Denmark and Europe for one year.

I’ve got two old ladies with me this holiday – one is (shortly) dying of old age and poor health, and her sister is a little depressed from being away from home this weekend. She will be rehomed in November to a good home with at least two friends. I need to find another home who will take my other girls, including this new little one, or I will be splitting them into groups of 3 and 3 and 3. There is even a small chance, if I find a Danish foster home to look after them until I find my own place, that I would take 3 of them with me. Ideas, though impractical ones, to keep the seniors with me.

As I have about 38 or so boxes of Lab Diet in my garage, I will be sending another shipment to Ontario, and I am looking for people in the US who can help redistribute what remains to shelters in New England. Lastly if Sicero and her daughters go to Fredericton as planned, I’ll take the last 5 – 10 boxes or so back east for my colleagues there.

So I bet you’re wondering…

What has happened to these massive site changes I was promising?

Major life sidetracking, that’s what.

However, I have renewed energy and reason to get back onto this project in the coming month. I am looking forward to working on major improvements. And, if I have any fellow bloggers who know of widgets and neat, relevant things I can add to the blog or to the site please let me know.

In other news, I have an almost-one-year-old male PEW rat named CousCous available for permanent adoption. He is a gentle, friendly, energetic explorer. He lets you know when he wants to get out, but sometimes he comes back to his cage of his own volition. He has the range of the whole house, so he would need to have similar conditions at your home if you want to adopt him. Sometimes he also makes a stop to visit for a little cuddle. He loves getting his ears rubbed. He also likes to sit on your feet, especially if you are at rest. He’s not the only rat I’ve seen do this.

Free rat food in Montreal, too. Contact me for details!

Four days left before the Rat Train leaves

You can still adopt rats from Angel’s Heart Rat Rescue and also Sunshine Rat Rescue in the Maritimes. Clark is arriving in Montreal on Thursday night, and rats bound for Ontario will arrive there on Saturday afternoon. Of Clark’s rats, only one boy and eight girls remain to be adopted. Our PetFinder listings have some of them – new ones for Sunshine Rat Rescue have also appeared who are not listed yet. Please inquire through my e-mail below or through the e-mail on our PetFinder listings.

Bonus: all rats who get adopted come with a supply of Lab Diet 5002, generously donated by Charles River Labs. There is also a raffle being run (don’t know where the link is, but it is on http://www.jorats.com in the forums) to support this massive volunteer effort.

Three litters of babies in Montreal

I know of three separate litters available for adoption.

One is from a poor PEW girl who was found outside in very rough shape, had to be nursed back to health. She had a litter of babies not long after. The boys have been separated and they are all ready to go at 5 weeks old

Two others are from pairs of pet store rats incorrectly sexed – some of each sex still available. One litter was originally destined as snake food but thankfully the owner has been talked out of that.

Please e-mail me for more details, while I wait for pictures!