Some new arrivals

We had a few rats go off to their new homes last weekend which helped things to calm down a little here. Where we had been spilling over into the bathroom at least all the rodents are now contained within the rodent room!!

Sadly we've lost a few of the spiny mice. I don't know why really - many are doing really well and some who had bad injuries initially have healed well and gained a lot of condition. But others have died suddenly and without explanation. Maybe they were elderly, maybe it was the stress of all they have been through but it has been rather disheartening.

Still, we must be doing something right as in the last week or so we have had 7 baby spinies born here! They are incredibly cute and arrive in the world with fur and eyes open. These guys pictured here are just a few days old.

Today also saw the arrival of Erwine. If you've been visiting this site a while you'll know that we had to stop dog fostering as we had a tendency to fall in love and keep them! Which is how we ended up with six dogs.

But when we heard Erwine's story we had to come out of fostering retirement. Erwine had been kept in a brick built, windowless shed for the last eight years! Emma at Furry Friends had offered him a rescue space but then found out that he had a friend in the shed with him. We couldn't bear the idea of that poor dog - for whom Erwine had been her only company for years - being left there alone. So we said we would foster her. Then it transpired she was pregnant so we took Erwine instead. It turns out Erwine is Tara's Dad and the father of her unborn puppies!

Erwine arrived this morning filthy, emaciated, matted, dehydrated, with an eye infection and probable kennel cough. After a bath he slept most of the day but this evening has been looking a bit brighter and has had something to eat. His road to recovery will be a long one but it's obvious already that there is a very lovely dog waiting to be discovered in Erwine.

Even busier still!

Well after a busy weekend two weeks ago last weekend got even sillier.

A big rescue of spiny mice was taking place but we thought they were all placed in rescue. However when they were collected there were found to be a lot more than originally thought - about 400 altogether! So despite already being pretty full we ended up with 84 of them. Thankfully about 15 have now gone out on foster elsewhere but since most of the girls are pregnant I think those numbers will soon be replaced!!

So all week we've just been trying to keep up with all the cleaning and feeding. Eight of them went in to the vets on Friday to have tails amputated as they were badly damaged. Fraggle went in the same day to be spayed and have a lump removed from her face. She didn't react too well to the anaesthetic and was very confused and upset Friday night. She's much better now though thankfully.

Today we're anticipating the arrival of 9 rats from Birmingham so it's a very full house here right now!

This afternoon Widdle and Poop moved in with the four girl rats which was really nice. They seem to be enjoying their new home and new room mates :)