Simply Me

I am very concerned for this ferret I was fostering for a month. It has been a few days since we had dropped him off to his new home, and I had never gotten to cleaning his cage out for the last time. I finally decided to clean it out today, and noticed these tiny, red things all over his cage. I also found one white worm-like living thing in his poop. Does anybody have any idea what these could be, and if it is something to be concerned about? I really appreciate the help!

Currently, I'm just using plain lab blocks I find at the pet store. I would find some recommended brands, but the lab blocks I use are the only ones I can find. Recently, I've been wanting to find a healthier diet for my rats. I've seen that homemade diets are used often, and I've also heard that they can be healthier for your rats, if you choose the right kind.

So, my question is, do you know any healthy homemade diet for my rats? Some links would be great. Also, could you please explain why the diet is better than others. I want only the best for my rats.

:)

So far, my way to release anger is to dig my finger nails deep into the palm of my hand. It's very, very painful, but also very, very affective. Usually, I'll end up with marks on my hand for a few days. I'm looking for some ways to relieve my anger without hurting anybody, including myself. Sometimes I have nowhere to run from whatever is bothering me (like at school). So I would really appreciate it if you can mention some methods I can do in crowds, without anybody else noticing. Some stress-relievers I can do at home are also appreciated.

Thank you all so much!

:)

Well, as most of you can tell by now, my two rats are sick. They are constantly sneezing and they both have wet noses. This has been going on for quite a while now. I just discovered a small amount of porphyrin around one of my rat's nose. I know these are signs of illness in rats.

Now, here's the problem. I am only a thirteen year old girl. My mom, the only one who can take my rats to the vet, thinks they are perfectly healthy. She doesn't realize how bad this can be if left untreated. I've tried and tried, but my mom refuses to spend money on something she thinks isn't important. Every time I bring it up, she laughs, rolls her eyes, and murmurs 'not this again'. I'm getting very frustrated now. I can't watch my rats suffer for something that can easily be treated by one trip to the vet.

So, my question is, how can I convince my mom that we need to take my rats to the vet? What can I say that has even the slightest chance of changing her mind? Anything will help. I'm getting very desperate to help my rats.

If all else fails, what are some ways I can make the money myself? If I have the money, my mom shouldn't care how I spend it. The problem is, like I said, I'm a thirteen year old girl. I can't get a job. What are some ways kids my age can make some money?

If you have any other advice, I would love to hear about it.

Thank you so much for reading! I'm really worried about my rats, and I will do anything to help them.

What are some painless ways one could blind themselves purposely?

Now, before you say anything, let me explain. I do not have any intentions to blind myself, nor am I getting this information for anybody else who does. I actually enjoy the ability to see things. This is for a story I am writing, where one of the characters purposely blinds themselves. Just a story!

Anyways, I do wish for it to be a painless (or at least little pain) method. Please, don't make anything up. I'd appreciate a realistic idea, that could work at least to some extent. Finally, I wish for it to be a permanent method, not just temporary.

Thank you so much for your help! I really appreciate it!

:)

My pet rat, Elsa, has recently been sneezing a lot. Her nose was quite wet, which I know is a sign of sickness. We haven't been able to afford a trip to the vet. A few days ago, I started using fleece as bedding instead of CareFresh, which I had used before. Today I noticed her nose is a lot drier than before. I think, though I'm not a hundred-percent sure, she is sneezing less often than before, too. I think the problem might have been from dusty bedding. Since we still can't afford a trip to the vet, I am hoping to find other ways to help Elsa's health. What else can I do to help? Thank you so much for the help. I really appreciate it.

:)

I am building a cage for my rats, since I cannot find a cheap and decent cage to buy. I would like some tips and stories of personal experience before I get started.

First, is this design rat friendly? How affective are the methods of pee proofing? Any other tips if I stick with this design?

http://www.dapper.com.au/cagebuild.htm

Also, what other ways can I pee proof the cage? I know the wood will soak up the pee and odor. Is there a way to prevent this? Or at least reduce the amount of pee that is absorbed?

Next, what are some methods to litterbox training my rats? Cleaning their cage would be a little easier without little pellets everywhere. How do/did you litterbox train your rats?

Lastly, what are some cool rat toys I can put in the cage? I really want my rats to enjoy their home when I cannot take them out. I would really appreciate some ideas and links with neat and safe rat toy ideas.

Thank you so much for your help!

:)

I have already asked this question, but I wasn't very satisfied with only one answer. So, I'll ask it again, just to see if I can get a few more different answers.

I recently decided to stop shopping at pet stores, for animals and supplies. This is because I do not wish to become a supporter of those terrible mills. I don't want my money to be used to put animals through so much pain and misery. I am having a hard time finding pet stores that do not sell any animals. Absolutely no animals. No cats, no dogs, no mice, no ferrets, no rats, no fish, no birds...no animals. Just supplies. So I was wondering if anybody here knows any pet stores that only sell supplies and no animals. Or at least pet stores that don't support these mills. Preferably pet stores that are scattered around Michigan (at least a few places here) so that I might find one we live by.

Also, as I have forgotten to mention in the previous post, I will be shopping mainly for dogs and rats. So, I would like pet stores that provide: dog food, dog toys, rat cages, rat food, rat toys, etc.

Thank you so much for your help! I really do appreciate it.

:)

Hello rat owners of Yahoo Answers! I have to finish this project for school. The topic I am using is, as you can guess, rats. I have to take a survey about you and your rat buddies.

The questions are:

1. What is your preferred gender of rat?

2. What type of rats do you like best? (ex: hairless, dumbo, etc.)

3. What part of rats do you think is the cutest? (ex: tails, ears, etc.)

4. How many rats do you currently own?

I would really appreciate the help! Thank you!

:)

I recently decided to stop shopping at pet stores, for animals and supplies. This is because I do not wish to become a supporter of those terrible mills. I don't want my money to be used to put animals through so much pain and misery. I am having a hard time finding pet stores that do not sell any animals. Absolutely no animals. No cats, no dogs, no mice, no ferrets, no rats, no fish, no birds...no animals. Just supplies. So I was wondering if anybody here knows any pet stores that only sell supplies and no animals. Or at least pet stores that don't support these mills. Preferably pet stores that are scattered around Michigan (at least a few places here) so that I might find one we live by. Any help will be very much appreciated.

Thank you!

:)

I absolutely love rats, and plan on owning many of them in my lifetime. Well, actually, I plan on the rats owning me. Anyways, I have always known that pet stores are not good places to buy healthy rats. It wasn't until recently, however, did I realize the true horrors that the animals live through. I now decided never to buy rats, or any other pets, at pet stores ever again. Now here's the problem. I have no idea where else I can get any rats. I am doing research, but I can't tell what places are reliable and take good care of their rats. Once I find somewhere that looks nice, I will ask many questions, of course. I just don't want to waste my time if the place turns out to not be so great. What are some reliable rat breeders in Michigan? I am willing to travel a few hours, but it's best I stay in Michigan.

Also, I am hoping to buy some hairless rats sometime in the future. So I would appreciate it if the breeders also have hairless rats. I would love to hear personal experiences and reviews to help me decide where I should go.

Thank you so much for you help!

:)

I am writing an argumentative paper about animals being used for scientific research and experimentation. I am having a hard time finding good information that can be used for this paper. I am only in 8th grade, so I'm not looking for information that is hard to understand. So far, the PETA website seems to be providing a lot of information that I can use for this paper. However, I have heard that PETA is not a good source of information and shouldn't be trusted. Is this true? I don't mind that it takes one side instead of looking at both point of views. That actually helps me a bit. What I am asking is whether or not the information there is true and has been proven. Can I trust the information given on the PETA website? If not, where else could I go for reliable information on this topic.

Thank you all for your help!

:)

I'm looking into some of the possibilities for play places for my rats. I want to know about your personal experience with these different kinds of rat play areas. Could every rat owner please help me? I really appreciate it.

Okay, so how many of you have a whole separate room, specifically for your rats (I'm guessing not a lot of people have a house with one extra room that is dedicated for their rats...but I've got to ask anyways). What is the size of this room? What do you put in it?

Who simply rat-proofs a room that can be used for both human and rat (like your room, the bathroom, etc.)? What do you put in the room? How do you keep rat stuff separated from human stuff?

Do you just keep a small 'rat corner' in your house for your rat to play? What do you put there? How big is this corner?

Or, do you just keep your rats in their cage or with you at all times (no place to roam free)? Why do you do this?

I would really appreciate your help. Thank you!

:)

I currently own one guinea pig, and two rats. My guinea pig is six (or seven...perhaps somewhere in between) years old. From what I can tell, her end is very near. She might have a little bit still in her, though I doubt it. I recently bought her one large (very large) bag of timothy hay. If she is to pass away sometime soon, I don't know what I would do with the hay. I am not getting a new guinea pig, that's for sure (not that I don't love them. I just don't think guinea pigs are the right pets for me). I was wondering if it is safe to use the hay for my rats. If so, what do they do with it? Do they eat it? Or do they make nests out of it? How should the hay be given to my rats if it is safe (How much? Cut to what length?)

Any help would be very appreciated. Thank you! :)

Just yesterday, I bought a new furry friend. Paris, my new rat, is about two months old. She came from Pet Smart (yes, a pet store. This is the only place we can buy rats), so she isn't very socialized. I don't expect her to bond with me overnight (I wouldn't bond with a kidnapper so easily, either), and I am willing to have patience during this process (which is a big deal, since I'm known to have no patience). I'm wondering if there are any tips and tricks to speed up this bonding. She doesn't except food easily (since she is very frightened), so that isn't an option at the moment. Also, should I just leave her alone for a while (while she's still new)? Or should I start socializing her as soon as possible? I've heard both sides, and I don't know which one is better for Paris. Lastly, I have an older pet rat named Elsa. So far, she seems anything but aggressive towards the newcomer. Of course, the aren't in the same cage already, but they have met. When should I put them together? What steps must I take before I put them together? Any ideas would be very appreciated. Thank you!

:)

Sometime soon, I'm going to get one or two more rats for my current rat (yes, I know rats cannot be alone. I didn't know that when I got my first rat. Now, I did much more research and will now be a better rat owner). One thing I need help with is naming my rats. They will be female rats (all same-sex, of course). I don't know what they will look like, but I don't care for names that describe the way animals look anyways. I like names that can work for any animal with any look. My current rat's name is Elsa. Any ideas would be appreciated. Thank you! :)

I asked a similar question a little while back, but I would like some more answers.

My current rat, Elsa, is all alone. I know how bad it is to keep a rat alone, but unfortunately my parents wouldn't let me get two. Now, I won't take 'no' for an answer. I feel terrible for my rat, who I call a little ball of fur and energy, when I see her sitting alone in her cage with nothing to do. I am desperate to have her life end surrounded with her rat friends, not alone in her cage. I would like some tips on getting a new rat.

First, if I can convince my mom, I'm thinking about buying two more rats. This means, I'll be owning three rats (this is simply because if my current rat dies, since she is getting old, I don't want to end up with another alone rat). How different is owning three rats from owning one? Do I take them out all at once when playing, or one at a time? Should I just get one more rat, or do you think I could handle three? Any other tips?

Next, I don't know what age is reasonable for my new rats. My current rat is about one year old. I was hoping to get younger rats, so that they have a long life ahead of them. Is it okay to put an older rat with younger ones? Any tips to keep the younger rat safe? Should I just get more older rats?

Lastly, names! I'm not sure if I'm going to get more rats, or even when. However, I would appreciate some name ideas now. I am terrible at coming up with names (when we got my current rat, Elsa, she remained nameless for about 5 hours after we got her). I like names that describe natural things (Elsa is the name of a moon, for example. I mostly like names that describe natural things on Earth, though). The rats would be female too, of course. I would really appreciate some name ideas!

Thank you so much for your help!

:)

Hello answerers of Yahoo Answers! I currently own one wonderful pet rat, named Elsa. She's been a great companion and lovable pet. When I bought her (July 3rd), she was only a few months old. I did the math, and guessed that her birthday would be somewhere around April 3rd. One this day, I am planning on throwing a fun first birthday party for her! They only get a few, so why not make her first birthday the best day of her life? I have some great ideas, but I would appreciate to hear any ideas you might have.

First, I'm making a birthday cake! You can't have a birthday without a cake! I would appreciate some fun recipes for Elsa. Of course I want it to be delicious, but also make sure it is rat-friendly!

I also am looking for fun games and activities I can do! I'm only thirteen, so I don't have much money (I have about $100, but I only want to spend a portion of it on this. Perhaps, $25, if necessary). Do you know any games my hyper little friend would like to play, that I could make using regular household items?

Next, I am thinking about buying another rat, as a birthday present! I have done research (unfortunately after I got Elsa), and I do know how terrible it is to keep a rat alone. My parents won't let me get her a friend at this time. But I'm sure I can get them to see how important it is, if I try. Of course, if I got another rat, it would also be female (so don't waste your time telling me about that). I need some ideas on how to safely introduce them, if I do get another friend.

Lastly, I would like to hear any other ideas you have! My only request is that your ideas are rat-friendly and doesn't involve water (my rat absolutely hates water). Please be creative! What kind of things do your rats love to do?

Thank you so much for answering! Not only do I really appreciate your answers, but Elsa will be pleased to enjoy your ideas, too!

:)

I need some help with figurative language, for homework. I am having a hard time finding some good examples.

I am looking for everyday examples for each of the following: similes, metaphors, oxymoron, onomatopoeias, assonances, hyperboles, personifications, euphemisms, and puns.

These examples could come from songs, poems, or just everyday examples. Some video links would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you so much for your help! :)

Hello Answerers of Yahoo Answers! My problem is that I'm not quite sure if this is normal. I'm thirteen years old, and overweight. Well, at my school during gym, we sometimes have to jog for only about 5 minutes around the gym. I usually only jog for about 1 minute. Then I stop and start walking, because I just can keep jogging. Every time, once I stop, I can barely breathe. I usually end up coughing and wheezing, breathing heavily and gasping for air. Because of my weight, I usually just assume this is because of my lack of exercise. However, I now have a new theory. Is it possible that my lungs are just weak? My parents smoke, about a pack a day. Also, my sister just began smoking. She smokes everyday, while driving me to school (about a 30 minute ride). I know that secondhand smokers (those who breathe in the air around a smoker) can have worse affects than the smoker themselves.

My question is: Is it normal for an overweight person to gasp for breath after exercise? Or do you think this could be related to secondhand smoking, and weak lungs? Or could it be the mix of both of these things?

Thank you so much for answering! I really appreciate it! :)