Weekly Rat Facts: Play Time

*Hades sleeping with a rubber ducky*

Even thought rats may live in cages they also need time out of their cages to play and bond with their human. I take my boys out at least 30 minutes 3 times a day. Sometimes more especially when others are taking them out to play. Ken loves to take them out and when my daughter comes over she'll sometimes take them out and let them run around too. They love coming out to play. You can tell they want to because they'll be running back and forth or hopping on the bars at the front of the cage and will crawl right onto your hands when you open the cage. 

Sometimes when they get older they'll still want to come out but instead of running around playing, they just want to be held and cuddled. I had a few rats that would fall asleep on my shoulder, my lap or even in my shirt. 

That was Romi and she slept like that on me all the time. A few of the others liked that place to sleep as well and I never minded. 

I always tell people who are adopting rats for the first time that if you don't have the time they need for play time you should really think about getting an animal that doesn't require your time, like a gold fish. 

Freebie Friday!

Welcome to another edition of Freebie Friday, where I tell you what free samples and full sized products I received in the mail and how you can get them too.

This week I found links to these freebies on Freebie Shark and Hey It's Free. 

So what did I get?

Puffs Fresh Faces sample

Boogie Wipes Sample

Centrum flavor bursts sample

Frizzease shampoo and conditioner sample

Strange Time Of Year For Me

This is always a strange time of year for me because back on this date when I was 12 years old...my mom's boyfriend Larry Falzone killed himself in front of me in my kitchen.

After my mom and dad divorced when I was 12, she started dating this guy and he turned out to be a real winner let me tell you. He hit her all the time and was an incredibly mean drunk.

That day however we were all at my grandfather's weld shop and he had started yelling at me for some little stupid reason and I yelled back at him this time. * I didn't do that often because he took it out on my mom* My grandpa came outside and told me to get in his truck that he would take me home *We lived with him at the time* and my mom, little brother and Larry all went in my mom's van. They left a few minutes before us.

My grandpa talked to me on the way home and told me to just try and ignore him as much as possible so I was going to and when we pulled up at his apartment I got the door keys from grandpa and ran up the stairs *he was older and slower so he always gave me the keys to open the door*

When I got inside, the tv and radio were turned up really loud and Larry was sitting at the kitchen table with a bottle of peppermint schnapps and my moms gun in his hand. He held the gun up and for a few moments I thought he was going to shoot me and I couldn't move or talk but he just downed the liquor and pointed the gun at me and said, "This is all your fault" then he turned the gun on himself and shot himself in the head.

I was shocked, completely and utterly shocked and didn't move for what seemed like hours. But my grandpa came up the stairs, grabbed me and pushed me outside. I ran down the stairs and over to my mom's van where my mom and little brother were at and told her that Larry had hurt himself. She ran up the stairs and started pounding on the door but my grandpa wouldn't let her in and he yelled at me to get her down stairs so I went back up and tried but she turned around and pushed me down the stairs.

The police came and so did my grandmother *I'm guessing that grandpa called them* a little while later my grandparents took me to a corner and asked me what happened when I went upstairs. I told them and they both told me not to tell anyone what I saw. I was told to tell police and everyone else that when I got upstairs he had already shot himself and I didn't see anything.

I didn't understand why they wanted me to say that but I did what I was told and we never spoke of it again... my grandpa died a year later from cancer and my grandmother had a a heart attack after open heart surgery which caused her to have brain damage and she died a year later when I was 19.

When I was 18 I had a bit of a mental break down and tried to commit suicide by taking several handfulls of my grandmothers medications. I died for 3 minutes and was unconscious for 7 days. That's when it came out to my psychiatrists that I'd been living with what happened when I was 12 for so long. I never told anyone for 6 years and couldn't ask my grandparents anything because they weren't around anymore.

I was diagnosed with PTSD and a slew of other things including depression. I think that what Larry did and what I saw really had an impact on me, more than I even realized at the time.

The things that happen to us as kids really do impact how we will be and react once we are adults, I know it has for me.

So that's why today is a strange sort of day for me.

You Know It's Time To Leave A FB Group When...

*I posted this on my personal fb page but wanted to share it here as well*

I'm sad, aggravated and upset after learning that a woman I looked up to, that a lot of my fellow ratty lovers have looked up to admitted that she does surgery on her rats herself using Isoflurane as the anesthesia, which only a licensed vet is supposed to be using. Now this in itself is not the big deal..the big deal is she is not a veterinarian, has had no veterinarian schooling and sees nothing wrong in performing surgeries on her own rats as well as other people's rat when they bring them to her.

What really upset me and made my mind up to leave her group, The Rat Fan Club is the fact she said as long as the rat wasn't feeling any pain she saw nothing wrong with operating on a rat without pain meds. Now tell me, how can you tell if a rat is in pain? Just by them squeaking, moving ect..? Rats are hearty animals and hide their pain so this does not always show and anyone with as much experience as she says she has, would know that.

The last straw for me was when Debbie Ducommon (The Rat Lady) gave advice to a lady who had a rat with a broken leg and the advice she gave her was to let the broken leg heal on its own..with no pain meds. I'm appalled.. Subsequently, the next day the poor rat passed away. I'm not sure that would have been the outcome had the lady taken the rat to an emergency vet the night before.

Yes, we ratty parents can do minor cut care, minor health inspections and even administer medications to our rats but that's after seeing a certified veterinarian and finding out what medications and at what doses we should be giving them.

The problem I've found with the rat lady and her group is that if you question her abilities, what she's admitted to doing (ie..surgery on her own rats) the posts get deleted right away and you face getting banned just for questioning her methods.

I've even seen Debbie give people advise that goes against what their own vet has told them to do with regards to clearing up UTI's and URI's. She might have years of experience raising rats but she's NOT a trained veterinarian and I now consider a lot of what she's told others to do and what she does herself...to be unethical. Frankly, it's downright abusive to tell a rat owner to just let a rats broken leg 'heal on its own with no pain meds and no vet visit'

The bottom line is if your rat needs surgery to have a tumor removed, you take them to a licensed veterinarian...not someone who operates in her home under who knows what kind of conditions and doesn't have any schooling to do so. A person who thinks "I've seen surgeries performed so therefore I think I am qualified to do them now" is deluding herself if she thinks this is ok.

Just because you CAN do something, doesn't mean you SHOULD!

-End of rant

Here are screen shots of the conversation as proof... *If you can't read them, just click on them to make the pictures larger*

Now I don't know if it's legal for anyone to be getting anesthesia from their vet and using it at home for surgeries on their animals, but even with the more than 15 years of experience I have with small animals I would not do this without getting schooling for it. I don't understand how anyone would. 

I've written many articles about small animal care and most of the things I've written about are things you learn by having rats, hamsters and other small animals that you pass along to people who are just starting out with those animals. 

I don't care how many surgeries I have or haven't seen, just watching the surgery does not qualify you to perform them, it's ridiculous to think it does. 

My last thought on this subject is if you are looking for a rat group to join on Facebook, try Rats Are Awesome or Network For All Rat Lovers... before you join Rat Fan Club. 

Dark Lycan and Dark Wolf by Christine Feehan and Styxx By Sherrilyn Kenyon

My two all time favorite series both have books coming out soon. If you haven't read either of these series and you like PNR (Paranormal Romance) you are really missing out on two seriously great series. While I was looking into Dark Lycan I saw that another book in the series, Dark Wolf is coming out in January! I could not be happier.

Book Description
“The erotic, gripping series that has defined an entire genre” (J. R. Ward) continues as #1 New York Times bestselling author Christine Feehan links the fates of two strangers bound by a secret in the shadows of the Carpathian Mountains…

Tatijana of the Dragonseekers spent centuries encased in ice with her sister, trapped in limbo between life and death, never speaking to a soul other than those who tormented her. Now, she has been freed from her frozen prison by an unknown descendent. Awakened in human form, Tatijana yearns to explore the modern world in which she now lives—a world with more mysteries than she is prepared for.

Fenris Dalka has returned to the Carpathian Mountains after a long absence to be with his brother. He is scarred by centuries of battle, and every hard-won victory. But the real reason for his return home could prove deadly if discovered by the wrong man—or woman. Upon his arrival, he is compelled by a beautiful and enigmatic stranger who carries the scent of fresh earth, of forest, of the night itself.

In time Tatijana and Fenris will discover all that unites them—their secrets and pasts, their predators, and the hot flush of passion that stirs their souls. Yet just as surely, seduced into the silvery darkness of a full-moon night, they’ll also discover everything ancient and evil that exists to destroy them.

Book Description

Sherrilyn Kenyon's most highly-anticipated novel in the Dark-Hunter series since Acheron is here—the unforgettable story of Styxx, Acheron's twin brother and one of the most powerful beings on earth

Just when you thought doomsday was over . . .

Centuries ago Acheron saved the human race by imprisoning an ancient evil bent on absolute destruction. Now that evil has been unleashed and it is out for revenge.

As the twin to Acheron, Styxx hasn’t always been on his brother’s side. They’ve spent more centuries going at each other’s throats than protecting their backs. Now Styxx has a chance to prove his loyalty to his brother, but only if he’s willing to trade his life and future for Acheron’s.

The Atlantean goddess of Wrath and Misery, Bethany was born to right wrongs. But it was never a task she relished. Until now.

She owes Acheron a debt that she vows to repay, no matter what it takes. He will join their fellow gods in hell and nothing is going to stop her. But things are never what they seem, and Acheron is no longer the last of his line. Styxx and Acheron must put aside their past and learn to trust each other or more will suffer.

Yet it’s hard to risk your own life for someone who once tried to take yours, even when it's your own twin, and when loyalties are skewed and no one can be trusted, not even yourself, how do you find a way back from the darkness that wants to consume the entire world? One that wants to start by devouring your very soul?

Book Description

WHERE DARK LYCAN ENDED, DARK WOLF BEGINS...

BOOK NUMBER 25 IN CHRISTINE FEEHAN'S ACCLAIMED CARPATHIAN SERIES

#1 New York Times bestselling author Christine Feehan now delivers her most eagerly awaited novel of all—ten years in the making—in the “the erotic, gripping series that has defined an entire genre” (J. R. Ward).

In Dark Lycan, Christine Feehan journeyed into the heart of the Carpathians, and into the souls of two lifemates stirred by the flush of passion and the threat of annihilation. In Dark Wolf, the breathtaking story continues as the bonds of family are imperiled, and the fate of two lovers lies hidden in the seductive shadows between life and death.

Skyler Daratrazanoff always recognized the miracle that was Dimitri Tirunul, a man beyond any dream that had ever engaged her nights. But she was human. Vulnerable. He was Carpathian. Nearly immortal. She was nineteen. He was an ancient. Yet she held half his soul, the light to his darkness. Without her, he would not survive. Caught between the two warring species, Dimitri has spent centuries hunting the undead to keep his people free, and humans safe. He had survived honorably when others had chosen to give up their souls. But now, marked for extermination by the Lycans, Dimitri found himself alone, and fearing for his life. But salvation was coming…

No Lycan would ever suspect someone like Skyler to dare mount a secret rescue operation. A teenage girl. A human of untested abilities. But she had something no one else had. She was predestined for Dimitri—as he was for her. And there was nothing stronger for Skyler than her desire to see her life-dream come true. Whatever the risk.

Printing Pictures with Shutterfly

I have a printer, a pretty good printer but I didn't really want to spend the $20 a piece for a cartridge of black and a cartridge of color ink just so I could print out a few pictures. So I asked my family and friends what they use to print out pictures on the internet if they want just a few prints and two people told me about Shutterfly.

So I made an account, uploaded a couple of digital pictures and had them printed for just a couple of dollars, as a test run. They came out really good, were fast to ship and I had no problem at all with their service.

Then I got a coupon for 101 free 4x6 prints and all I had to do was pay for shipping which was less than $8, now that's pretty good.

So I received my pictures in the mail the other day and was happy with the service they provided for me. So if you're looking for a place to have digital pictures printed for you, visit Shutterfly.

Good vs Evil

So what word did you see first in the above picture?

Good or evil?

Funny how our minds work, eh?

Weekly Rat Facts: Daily Health Checks

You might not think that you need to worry too much about your rat if they seem fine when you do a daily poop patrol in their cage each morning. But the fact is most rats won't show any signs of being in pain, having a medical problem or other health problems until they are in a lot of pain or their health is so bad that they need a visit to the vet's office. 

The one important thing you can do every single day is to check your rat over for any little health problems they may be having. 

Teeth

Rats need their teeth in order to eat. If they can't eat, they will lose weight and can die of starvation. A rats teeth keep growing so they gnaw on things in their cage to keep them trimmed down. They will also gnash their teeth together grinding them together which will also grind them down.

You should check your rats teeth to make sure they aren't over growing. Some rats have teeth that grow faster than they can grind them down which will cause problems for them when trying to eat and they can grow into their jaws which is incredibly painful and can make for a costly vet visit when they have to sedate your rat and trim their teeth. 

You can make sure your rats teeth are normal and not broken or in need of a trim by holding your rat and pulling back their lips and looking at their teeth. They should not be over grown and they should be yellow. Yellow teeth are healthy teeth for rats. If your rats teeth are over grown you will have to take them to a vets office and have the vet trim them and show you how to trim them. 

Genital Area

You wouldn't think that you would have to worry about your rats genital area but especially in male rats when they get overweight or older they might not clean themselves properly and get penis plugs. You can tell if your male rat has a penis plug by a foul smell coming from that area or if their genital area looks like there's a lump under the skin/fur.

Lumps and Bumps

You should be handling your rat everyday. That's the best way to trust train them to trust you, bond with you and get them used to humans touching them. Most rats love to be petted, cuddled, picked up and played with but some rats are more shy and stand offish. I have a rat who really doesn't like to be picked up but once out will crawl on you and cuddle with you.

You should be feeling around your rats body each day for small lumps and bumps. Right now I have a rat who has a small lump on his side and I'm watching it closely because it's either an abscess or a tumor. An abscess will most times be a little squishy in the middle which this one is and as it gets bigger it will pop on its own and all I'll have to do is clean it off each day and maybe put some neosporin on it. If however a lump grown massively and is hard, you should take your rat to the vets office to have the lump removed or if the abscess won't pop open and drain on its own you can have it lanced and drained at the vets office. 

But if you aren't checking each day or every other day for small lumps and bumps you won't know how fast it's growing or it it's hurting them until it's big and you have to take your rat in for emergency surgery. 

Claws

Always check your rats claws to make sure none of the nails are bleeding or too long to where you have to clip them. You don't want your rat to be in pain.

You should be handling your rats everyday. It's the easiest way to get them used to you and the best way to check them out and make sure they aren't hurt in some way.

Freebie Friday!

Welcome to another edition of Freebie Friday, where I tell you what free samples and full sized products I received in the mail and how you can get them too.

This week I won 2 books a pin and swag (bookmarks) from I Smell Sheep. 

I received a free sample of Purina Dog Chow and a sample tube of Smashbox Foundation primer. I found the links for both of those freebies at Freebieshark. 

No More Lost Keys

My daughter and her boyfriend Josh just moved into a new apartment and now they have more keys to keep track of. They kept losing the key chains so Ken decided to make them a key ring holder something like we have. He started out with just a small piece of wood, painted it, put the lettering on and drilled holes for the little hooks and screws to attach it to the wall.

I think it came out pretty good. You can't really tell from the lighting but it's painted a light green and the lettering is a darker green with little yellow stars around the letters. 

Our daughter liked it and now they have somewhere to hang their keys. 

Drama Causers

I just want to throw this out there today for personal reasons.

The people who say they want no more drama in their lives are usually the ones causing all the drama in others lives but it's never their fault when the other person retaliates. 

How's the for strange logic?


I just love how some people will say over and over that their side of the street is clean and they've not had anything to do with the people or persons who won't leave them alone but over and over again it gets proven that they are the ones who can't leave well enough alone either by posting more blog posts calling out a person BY NAME or by making sarcastic Twitter, fb or other social media posts that they think others won't understand. 

These people are called Psychopaths/Sociopaths. They have no morals, no empathy, complete disregard for the feelings of others, lack of conscience, extremely manipulative, lack of guilt and is often accompanied by cruelty to animals as well as a failure to accept responsibility for his own actions. 

Therefore they are not worth your time. They are not worth the time it would take to prosecute them for spreading rumors about you, using your name or email address in an open forum or spreading lies about you. Because the most they would get is a slap on the wrist because the laws aren't set up for internet harassment of this sort. 

Review: Love With Food

So about a month ago I saw a post on Fb about Love With Food and checked it out. A friend of mine had just signed up to receive a box of food samples and the 1st box was only going to cost a $2 shipping and handling fee. 

If she liked the box and wanted more, all she had to to was not cancel the order and another box would come every month for $14. 

So I figured, what the heck. A box of at least 7 different samples of food for $2. That's a pretty good deal for the first box and I can cancel it afterwards if I don't like it. I like trying new foods and I love little samples and these were darn near free *just $2* and I love that too. 

So imagine my surprise when my introductory box arrived and in it I found...

All Natural Spice Rub from Dizzy Pig

Sea Salt Potato Crisps from Good Boy Organics

All Natural Salsa from El Pinto

Original Creamy Pralines from Aunt Sally

… More Amsterdam Waffle Cookie from Rip van Wafels

Snapea Crisps from Haverst Snaps

Sugar-free Fresh Mints from Project7

Crunchers from Sahale Snacks

So Ken and I started opening tiny packs of food and trying them. I opened the Waffle cookie and broke it in half and we stood there tasting it. Both of us were making faces and both said, "yeah, not good." 

The Ken opened the sea salt crisps and he liked them, I on the other hand thought they had a really bad flavor. 

We ended up trying a couple more things and I found that the only thing I really liked were the mints. We ended up giving our daughter a few of the things and are saving the spice rub for the next time we grill something on the bbq.

Now let me tell you, if I had paid $14 for this box of samples I would be a bit more than irritated. I'm not a health nut or anything and some of these things tasted really, really awful. The only thing in this box I actually liked was the mints. So of course I canceled my membership to make sure I wouldn't be charged for any more boxes. I don't mind the $2 I paid for this box, it's really not bad. But $14 for another box of similar things..I don't think so. 

So if you've been thinking of giving this a try...I'd pass. 

Dog Sitting

I think I've mentioned a few times that Ken *hubby* goes to California a few times a year to dog/house sit for his sister. Well, meet the dogs that Ken gets to go play with while he's there.
Bowie, Carly, and Fergie. 

Bowie is the light colored boy laying on the floor, Carly is the reddish girl sitting next to him and Fergie is the girl sitting in the chair.

Carly giving kisses.

Fergie in her digging hole in the back yard.

She looks pretty relaxed. It's a dogs life for sure.

Bowie getting ready to take a nap.

I've never had a dog as a pet as an adult but I did have a dog when I was a kid. They always give you those, *pet me* looks. lol 

Like this one..

She looks pretty comfortable. 

So those are the dogs that Ken gets to play with while he's gone for a week or two. So next time I mention Ken is dog sitting, you'll know what I'm talking about. He's actually going to dog sit for a weekend at the end of this month. lol 

Not What I Was Expecting

I was just googling different words to see if I could find some interesting websites for blog posts. I was going to do another post on the Living Dead Dolls but came across a page called RealDolls and clicked on it. Imagine my amazement when instead of finding baby dolls for kids, I see X-rated dolls for adults.

I blocked out the *ahem* exposed parts on these dolls. 

I had no idea that these kinds of dolls were available. And hey, if you have an extra $5000 or $6000 laying around, you too can have one. o.O

Who buys these types of thing?  smh

Weekly Rats Facts: Trimming Toe Nails

It can sometimes be necessary to trim your rats toe nails but instead of trying to hold him and do it with clippers, you can get things like Lava Ledges or bricks and put in their cage. When they run, jump, and climb on these things, it trims their nails down automatically. 

I have these Lava Ledges in both rat cages and all my boys climb on them which helps to keep their nails trimmed. They also chew on it which is good for their teeth. 

You can get a brick and put it under the water bottle so that when they go to get a drink they step on it and that will help trim their nails. 

Freebie Friday!

Welcome to another edition of Freebie Friday, where I tell you what free samples and full sized products I received in the mail and how you can get them too.

This week I received 3 sample packs of Metamucil from Vocalpoint.

And a sample size bottle of Febreeze Sleep Serenity spray and I found the link to sign up for this freebie at freebieshark. 

Review: Open Door Invitation by Dee Carney

So you all know I have a Kindle now and I said I would be downloading some free books found on Amazon. While most of the books I've found and read have been meh, at best..I did manage to find one last night that was wonderful and wanted to let you know about it because as I said right now on Amazon, it's Free! 

And we all love free. 

Not only is it free, but if you like a little mysterious male action tossed with a little paranormal bite *pun intended*, you're definitely going to love this one. 

I loved Lucien and may have to leave my door open just to see if he comes for a visit. 

Book Description
Every single woman knows at least a few basic safety rules. First, don’t talk the strangers. Second, don’t invite strangers into your home. Sometimes, however, a lonely woman gets comfortable and after darkness falls, lets those rules slide. But with the darkness, if one believes in such things, might come creatures of the night. Throw an open door invitation into the mix, and anything can happen…

This short story is approximately 3900 words. Now includes bonus content from Hunger Aroused by Dee Carney

You can find this delicious little read on Amazon at this link. 

The Torture Game

Every once in a while I a come across a person that makes my inner serial killer want to come out and play. So instead of going bat shit crazy and spending the rest of my life in prison (I hear the food there is horrible) I just play The Torture Game. 

The picture I posted is tame compare to what I could have posted. My favorite weapon happens to be the saw there, but there's also nails, spikes, razors and guns you can use to beat this fake human to death. It gets bloody and calms my inner serial killer down for a while. 

Wanna play?

The Torture Game

What weird games have you played lately?

I'm A Great-Aunt!

My niece and nephew had their first child this month. Here is Sophia Liliygrace Kirkland. She's a tiny little thing, she weighed 5 lbs 14 ounces and was 18 inches long. 

Newborns are so cute. Hi Sophia. 

My nephew Billy, with his newborn daughter. 

I have A Kindle...

I have a Kindle. I bet you never thought you'd hear me say those words now did you? LOL

A few months ago Ken's sister gave him her older Kindle when she upgraded to a newer one. But he hasn't used it so I thought I would check it out. 

First off...I could not for the life of me figure out how to register this damn thing without a wifi connection, so thankfully my daughter and he boyfriend came over with one and I was able to register it. Then came the fun part...Reading the instructions. 

Ken's sister was nice enough to print out the entire user's guide and send it along with the Kindle. But it's huge!

It's more than 100 pages long!

I just wanted to know how to download ebooks from my computer using the USB cable. So I finally get to that section and try to follow the instructions...and nothing. I couldn't figure it out to save my life. So what do I do?

I Google the question. And ask a friend how to do it and she was able to simply explain how to save the book to the computer and drag and drop it into the Kindle documents folder. 

There were no words about dragging and dropping in this user's guide. I really don't have a lot of patience and I was getting reading to throw this thing across the room and smash it into a bazillion tiny pieces. Good thing I didn't. lol 

But I've now read through the entire user's guide and think I have the hang of this Kindle thingie. I even downloaded a couple of free ebooks from Amazon onto it. 

So what ebooks did I get, you may be asking yourselves?

A Bit of Bite by Cynthia Eden

 Bewitching the Werewolf by Caroline Hanson 

 Claimed (The Circulate Series) by K.R. Smith

 Ten Shades of Sexy by Shelly Thacker (Author), Kathryn Shay (Author), Patricia Ryan (Author), Julie Ortolon (Author), Patricia McLinn (Author), Julianne MacLean (Author), Wendy Lindstrom (Author), Allyson James (Author), Emma Holly (Author), Lori Devoti (Author) 

I'm still not an ebook lover and I still don't see myself buying ebooks, not when I can buy a paperback book for just a little more and have the actual book in my hands. But we were given the Kindle and there are free ebooks available, so I see no reason not to take advantage of that. 

Weekly Rat Facts: Bathing

Most rats do not need to be bathed. I've been asked this question several times and I give the same answer every time. If they smell bad it's probably time to clean the cage instead of giving them a bath, a dirty cage will make them stinky. But sometimes a rat may need to be cleaned and some rats like water and some do not. It's not a good idea to force your rat into water if it's scaring them. But sometimes it is necessary to clean them and I'll give you tips on how to do this while not stressing your rat out. 

Rats only need to be cleaned or bathed if they get into something sticky, smelly or they are getting so old they stop cleaning themselves, which does happen to older rats. In which case you will need to help clean your rat. 

You will need:

A small bowl with warm water

2 medium size towel

A wash cloth

Unscented Baby wipes

Q Tips

Small Animal Shampoo

The small animal shampoo I've used is called Squeaky Clean and you can find it at most pet stores but you can also use Baby Shampoo or Dawn Dish soap. 

To begin you should give your rat a treat like a yogi drop and sit somewhere they are comfortable. I do this on the couch because they are very comfortable there. 

Put one of the towels on the couch next to you and put your rat on it. This is so your couch doesn't get wet. 

For small areas to clean like a spot in the fur, a dirty tail or just cleaning the genital area for older rats. You can use just the baby wipes and wipe your rat down and clean them off. 

For tougher more serious smells, a really dirty rat, just dip the wash cloth in the bowl of water, wring it out and wipe your rat with a wet wash cloth. use a tiny bit of soap and keep dipping the wet wash cloth into the water until your rat is clean. Giving them a treat while you do this will keep them distracted long enough for you to finish. 

If your rat has hind leg degeneration, you may also have to clean their ears out for them. To do this just hold your rats head under his jaw in one hand and pet him, once he is relaxed gently pull the ear slightly back and gently wipe the inside of the ear canal with the Q tip. Do not insert the Q tip into the ear canal without a veterinarian's assistance as you can hurt your rat if you go to far. 

After you're done, wrap your rat in the other towel and pat them dry as much as possible. Some rats will curl up in the towel and let you hold them until they dry. But most will start cleaning themselves right away and will keep cleaning until they are dry.

Freebie Friday!

Welcome to another edition of Freebie Friday, where I tell you what free samples and full sized products I received in the mail and how you can get them too.

This week I received a full size tube of John Freida Brilliant Brunette. All you have to do to get free samples from them is sign up for an account on their website. 

I was sent a coupon for a free jar of Best Foods Mayonnaise from Smith's Grocery store. 

I received a sample of Bounty Duratowel. 

And I received a BzzKit from BzzAgent containing a free full size Cottonelle Fresh Care Flushable wipes and a coupon for a free 4 pack of Cottonelle bath tissue. 

How To Make A Clickable Link on Blogger

Rats 101: What is Buck Grease

Are you just starting out on Blogger and wondering how to make a clickable link?

Well, I'm going to show you how. First make sure you are on 'compose' and not HTML. 

Just click on "compose" in the upper left hand side of the screen.  

Now to make a clickable link you have to write the words you want people to click on like I did for a link to my article. Once you've done that, click and hold the right mouse button and drag it across the words until they are highlighted and then let go of the button.

Now open another window or tab and pull up the page you want to make a clickable link to and copy the URL. You do this by clicking on the URL and when it is highlighted right click your mouse and click on 'copy'.

Now go back to your blogger page and make sure the words on the page are still highlighted and click on 'link' on the blogger tool bar.

A window will pop up and this is where you 'paste' the URL you just copied. All you do is put your cursor in the box and right click the mouse, when the box pops up click on 'paste' and that will paste the URL into that box. Then click on "ok" on this box. 

Your link is now clickable.