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19th September...
Well ive been a little remiss in my updating of my Rampaging rodent reports..
Rufus and Reuben continue to amaze me with their funny little ways, Reuben has taken a liking
to my ear at present. Its rather strange having a rattie snout shoved in your ear, and having them sniff it..
sounds like getting an obsene phone call...
Reub has come out of his shell quite a lot, now if i pick Rufs up and ask "wheres my other boy"
he comes up and wants up as well...
the other day i was laying on the couch watching NCIS and the boys were out and about in their play
box, it has been rather cold of late, so they stay in their box more than not.. but this particular day it was a little
warmer, next thing i know there is a thump under my jumper and sure enough Rufus sticks his head out the neck of the
jumper "I mama im off to play in the bedroom,:" he procedes to climb over my shoulder down my back and then is off..
It interesting how stealthful they can be.. you never notice that they have gone from one room
to the next. This particular day, Rufs was back in is usual spot of snoozing in my PJ draw...
22nd September 2005
Sept. 27th 2005
Well both boys enjoyed their 1st birthday, they got some new hammocks and play
tubes to play in, and a new play box.
The boys now have a new song "the Egg night" song.
Who wants a googie egg
Who wants a googie
rufuses and Reubie!
who wants a googie egg
who wants a googie
A Rufie and and a Reubie
Egg night is Monday night, sunday is fish night, tuesday is pasta night.
Thursday is Corn cob night, and the other nights is salads and Fruits are surved with every meal.
they are particularly fond of Melons. they will eat pear and apple, and some banana, but they are not overly keen on them.
Reuben is sure come out of his shell in the last few weeks, ive made a point
of trying to cuddle the boys several times during play time. Reubs loves hiding in my hair.
and snuggling into my neck.
Rufus is not so jealous now of Reuben when he gets mama time with me.
so thats made life a little less stressful.
Its so hard to believe that they are a year old now.. they grow up so fast.
Its coming up to christmas very quickly now, only 3 months away.. good grief where has the
time gone.
Ill have to see what i can find for the boys for their Christmas Present.
17th October
Ive just had 2 weeks off on holiday and the boys have been spoilt rotten... Ok i spoil them
rotten all the time but thats what ratties are for.
the first week of holidays was pretty much busy during most of the day so they boys even though they
did get extra play time, still were in the cage for most of the day.
But the 2nd week that i was home, I had a Veg out week, so I let them out of the cage at 8 or 9 am
depending when i got up, and left them out almost all day. thats unless i had to go out to the shops or to the library
to pick up a book i had requested.
Oh they joy of being out and rampaging around the house all day.. YIPEEE!!! was the 1st thing
the boys had to say, they got to have a sleep during the day in their play boxes, which made them all the happier, but going
back into the cage atnight was a bit of a downer for them.
the boys got extra treats through the day, they now have a favorite of a piece of celary with cream
cheese on it.. Mind you anything that has cream cheese is their favorite foods.
One day i even had a nana nap and Rufus decided he was going to come and join me in bed and have
a nap with me... He is the most restless sleeper, or maybe he was hoping for playtime and more treats. He climbed
over me, layed down and had a bit of a sleep, then changed his position, settle down and then climb up onto my shoulder
give my face a lick, climb up under my t shirt and settle down, then off to the play box, he obviously thought mama was not
going to play so maybe Reuben will.
Meanwhile all this is going on you can hear a zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz comeing from the
play box where Reuben is contentedly snoozing away.. there is a squeek of protest as Rufus tries to get Reubs into a
game of grooming and chasing...
20th October
this morning when i was waking from the bedroom to plug in my iron
to iron what i was going to wear today, both boys came rushing to the edge of the cage, '
"Hi mama, whatcha doin', you going to give us treaties,"
i dissappeared into the kitchen and peeked to see what they were
doing they looked a little dejected...
then when i appeared again back to the
cage and gave them a stick of greated cheese, OH The joy...
"Where did you go...oh there you are.... , got any treaties
, Yay!!!! TREATIES!!!!! is it play time yet. " 
I then proceded to do my usual morning thing, i dont let them out in
the morning as i dont have the time to hunt them down when i have to rush off to work half an hour later.. I went to
put their breakfast in the cage before leaving, and normaly Reuben is very sedate and curled up in either his hammock or tissue
box.. today it was a race to see if he could get out the cage door before i grabbed him .
"Hooooray its play time" 
"No Reubs mama has to go to work."
"Hooooray its play time"
"no Reubs mama said no, i have to go to work"
"Got any treaties, Hooray its play time."
"No Reuben mama has to go to work, its not play time."
Then Rufus joined in the attemped escape to the play box...
I only allow them morning and all day play time when im on holidays,
so obviously the boys are still in holiday mindset.
24th October 
I had to go out on the weekend, and it was a nice day so i thought the
boys might like an outing.
I put them in their travel cage, and there was much excitement.
"are we going some where mama"
"where are we going"
"whats that, that smells funny"
"Oh look at that over there"
"can we get out and run"
"whats that noise"
"whose that"
"Whats over there"
"are we going in the car mama"
After finishing our little trip, and getting home the boys were quite
excited, and had to go and sent mark everywhere incase someone had come in in their absence. It was quite exciting for
the boys, now that the weather is getting nicer ill have to try and take them on little car trips a little more often.
the boys then took at least an hour to settle down for their mid day
nap, once we got back, they were all very wound up and full of excitement.
31st October  
On the weekend I took Rufus and Reuben out for a bit of an airing.
we went for a bit of a pick nick by the River.
there was much excitement.. As soon as i was getting the boys
travel cage ready for the outing, putting in fresh bedding
and some dry snacks for them, attaching the water bottle, ice
pack (incase it got hot) and so forth Rufus was at the edge of his cage, watching with great excitement
as to what was going on.
"are we going somewhere mama" he seemed to be saying.
Reuben stuck his head out of the box and investigated what all the
commotion was about.
Into the travel cage the boys went, Sniff sniff here sniff sniff there...
running from one side of the travel cage to the other
I strapped them into the car seat and it was off and away, the boys
settled down next to me for the drive, I parked in an undercover car park (where it was nice and cool)
to go to the gym and the boys had a bit of a nap.
then when i got back it was off to the river for a pick nick.
There was much excitement and sniffing and prancing around
lots of new smells and sites and sounds for them to explore.
It was then time to head home and a much needed nap in their playbox..
After mama put them to bed, mama got rid of the old play box as it
was getting rather wiffy, and made up a new one for them different sections in.
fortunately for me i order the stationery at work, so when the boxes
come in from the stationery company i grab them to take home for the boys
so when i get home tonight the boys will have a new layout to get
use to, the previous one had 2 triangle areas and a rectangle area with low doors that they had to crawl under. this time
they have some to jump over and some to just go round the corner and some to crawl under. they also have some treaties
to find scatted throughout
9th November
Last night when i got home i let the boys out for their play time.
got changed from my work clothes to my rattie play clothes, got the boys their snack (peas, corn and an oat biscuit)
Set about getting my own dinner.
when it was cooked the boys were playing in their play box snacking,
so i sat down to eat my shepherds pie. next thing i feel a tapping on my leg. Looking down i see Rufus and Reuben
standing up.
"You give us peas and corn and your having shepherds pie"
Rufus Said,
"come on mama did you think you could get away with eating that by
yourself " Reuben put in.
"Come on mama hand it over" they both said
So for the next 15 minutes i had to put some mashed potato with a
bit of the mince meat on my fingers coolit of and sit there while Reuben who had perched himself on my leg and Rufus who was
not going more than two hops away from me licked, grabbed, and begged for more.. If the next offering was not cool enough
to give them i had to blow on it, and both boys were
"Come on mama more more more.... "
"Ok you two its too hot for you just now let mama cool it"
"More more more"
"mmmmmmmmmmmmmm Yummm taties.... "
After they had finished, "Or I thought they had finished they headed
off for a little rest, not more than 5 minutes later they were back...
by that time i had almost finished eating, but i put what was left
in the tray down for them, Reuben hopped in the tray and started licking the sides.
Rufus was in the play box with his head out the door beging for more
so i had to try and get some scrapings off without upsetting Reuben.
Once their little tummies were full and they were content, it was
back in the playbox to digest their evenings snack,..Every now and then Rufus or Reuben would stick their heads out of the
door to the play box and see if there was anything more on offer...
10th November
AN ODE TO MY RATTIES
There is something there scurrying across my floor
Its making its way to my bedroom door.
Oh look, there is another,
That one must be the first ones brother.
They are quite small, and I can tell
That they enjoy stopping every now and then
To sniff and smell.
One is quite squishy the other quite lean
I rub my eyes in case it’s a dream
They are realy quite stealthful, and sneeky to boot
as they make for the TV "Dang Darn and Shoot!!!"
Get off their you naughty boy
I often say,
they just look at me with eyes that melts
my heart away
Here they come again, with whiskers a twitching
The sight of them really is quite bewitching.
They scurry over and stand up to beg
Oh the first one decided to crawl up my leg.
“Have you a treat” they seem to be saying.
Their cute little front paws are held as though praying.
I hand them an oat biscuit, which they both grab and
flee
Both hopping along with the greatest of glee..
Its time for them and me to go to Bed,
Oh the first one has climbed on my head
Rufus and Reuben do as your told,
They snuggle up in their hammocks as the weather is quite cold.
“Be good boys , Mama is going to bed now” I say as I turn out the light
“Good night mama, we love you, and how” they say as they tuck into their
Dinner of fish and melon tonight.
14th November
Its 1 year this week since i picked the boys up from Brenda.. Yippeee
On the weekend one of my neighbours who has 2 girlies came
over to borrow my travel cage.. One of his girlies had a large lump on her underside just near the tail.
He said it had been there for a while, and was hoping it would
just go. .
Rufus was out on the rampage, and Reuben was curled up in a
tissue box, I got them out for him to see them, he is so use to his girlies, and when he saw the boys was in a great
shock at their bucksomness. Yes the lads are ruther big aren't they... i informed him,.. he took the cage
after putting the boys back in the play boxes
. I lent him the cage, and a few moments later he bought
his girlies for a visit. After being so use to my boys i was shocked at how small his girlies were, ive never realy seen the
full grown females in comparison up close .. .. one of the girlies(the one with the lump) also had the sneezes.
I told him i would not let the girlies in as i did not want any little surprises a few months down the track..
He agreed.. Now hopefuly as i was handling the girlies,
their sneezes are not passed onto the boys.
Later that night after having play time, i headed off to bed
to read and decided to take the boys with me for an our or so..
Both boys seem to have a toe fetish... there was much
running, fuffing and bruxing, climbing over mama, then Reuben decided curling up next
to mama would be a good place for a little rest...
Rufus being Rufus, was wanting to play, so he played with my toes, my knees and then
thought my hair would make a good play toy...
After a while he thought he woudl visit his favorite resting place, (my pajama draw) and curled up there
until he wanted to see what Reuben was up to... and What
i was reading.. he was quite facinated with the book i was reading, sniff sniff here and there... he
even went to take a nip out of it, but i told him off..
I then put them into their cage and got their dinner of fish,
cherries and pasta ready...
This morning when i got up to give them breakfast they were
still asleep in their hammock, obviously with very full tummies.. so they were not
at all interested in the cheese stick i had for them...
14TH December 2005
Well its not long at all until Christmas, Aunty Robyn sent
the boys the hammocks i ordered for their Christmas presents... and sure enough they wanted to sleep in them straight
away.
Typical!!!
Aunty Robyn and her Dapper Ratties also sent the boys a christmas
present, some Yogies.... mmmmmm oh boy were Rufus and Reuben so excited, and there was much foofing and bruxing
and grabbing trying to get them first,... they are so funny, even if im trying to give them their yogie at the same
time Reuben always things that Rufus is getting the better end of the deal and tries to grab what Rufs has...
and of course Rufus will have none of it.. so i have
to separate them and give them to them separately...
I finaly got around to cleaning under the lounge the other
day, and what should i find under there but a lot of newspaper that the boys had redistributed from their play box to make
a nice little nest for themselves to sleep on, chicken bones, lamb bones, pea and corn remains.. for some strange reason they
bite a hole in the top of the corn or pea and suck out the innards and discard the shell.. not sure why this is if you
know let me know...
For the past week or 2 ive seem to have been missing some
little plastic dishes(the ones that come with the frozen lasagne and stuff from the freezer section of the supermarkets) that
i use for the boys snacks during play time.
I usualy use the same one, and just wash it out each day and
fill it again during the next play time... several times when i went to get it to fill again,
i could not find it... Hmmmm I thought , Maybe
ive thrown it out with some news paper.. hmmmm...
So off i go to get another from my cupboard...
Well.. Last night There was a scuffle and lots
of Meeeeeeeeeping from under the lounge so i grabbed my torch so i could see what was going on, .....
What do you suppose i found stashed at the back far corner
of the couch... (where the boys have all of their stash and newspaper from their play box which they
seem to enjoy putting there to curl up on.)
5 of the containers all arranges in a nice little area, and 2 little fluffed up boys laying in them... they had obviously
been arguing as to who was sleeping in which container....
Shesh!!!!!!
the other night i was laying in bed reading, and the boys were
having fun climbing over mama and generaly having a good time.
Rufus decided it might be fun to Nightie dive and crawled up
the inside of my night shirt and made him self cozy in my arm pit... needless to say im ticklish, he must have wondered
what mama was going on about, then Reuben at the same time decided to make him self cozy under the other arm pit, occasionaly
popping his little pink wiskery nose out to see what all the fuss was about...
After they had enough of this, the decided that mamas pillow
looked rather comfy, so Rufus took up position on the left side of my head and Reuben on the right,
"Hey Look" i said, " Rattie Ear Muffs"
Just what everyone needs during winter.... They were also quite engrosed in what i was reading as well.. investigating
the book in hope that it may actualy be something that mama might like the let them eat...
but after no eats were forthcoming, Rufus decided that mamas
pajama draw was the place to be and Reuben decided that mamas feet were more interesting.
the other night i crawled into bed put the boys in for their
last half hour of free range time for a cuddle with mama
Climbing into bed to read a book and feeling something warm and
wet under your foot......
"Ok who pee'ed on mamas bed"
2 innocent little faces pop out from under the sheets as if to
say
"Who Us!!!"
Oh the joys of Rattie parenthood...
This will be the boys 2nd Christmas with me, i got them a month before last christmas so was only still very
new to the having ratties around.
they are both now 1 year and 3 months old, its soon to be time for their check up at the vets which will be
on the 29th December, just to make sure they are still healthy.
Both have had sneezes for a while so hopefuly it is not the sign of anything bad happening.
5th January 2006
Rufus and Reuben were spoilt over the holidays with lots of treats
and cuddles and extra play time, which neither of them have complained about. they have almost pollished off the Yoggi
treats that Robyn sent them as a treat... and as most of you know come begging for more.
The boys Christmas was a good one, they got lots of goodies for dinner
with some turkey, cherries and other good things that mama bought home from her christmas lunch she went to... Oooohh
did they love that turkey... they each got a piece and raced off to scoff it down..
Last week they had their annual vet check, this is only the 2nd one
they have had, the 1st one was in January this year to make sure i was looking after them properly. they were only
4 months old and i had only had them for 2 weeks, and being a nervous 1st time rattie mama i thought it would be a good idea.
Well this vet check went very well, but they were none too pleased with the temperature taking.(much meeping).
:-( they had a thorough check over , lungs clear, heart sounding good, no sight of Lumps and Temperature,
Fine.!!!
While i had the time off I allowed the boys to have most of the day
out of the cage and sleeping in their play box. BIG MISTAKE, they now expect this every day all day... so im going
to try and get up a little earlier to give them atleast a half our out time while im showering and dressing etc... THAT
WILL TEACH ME !!!
I saw the cutest thing last week, Rufus was grooming in the corner
hammock, and Reuben wanted in, but Rufs would not give way, so poor old Reubs had the front half resting on the hammock while
the back half of him was sitting on the self adjacent to the hammock.... he looked so pittiful, i was out of film so
could not get a shot of it... What a bummer.
I managed to finaly clean out under the couch, ive been meaning to
do it for ages, thats where Reuben stashes most of his goodies.... i pulled out 4 lamb chop bones, tones of pea and
corn husks, atleast half a packet of half chewd biscuts that i give the boys with a treat of cream cheese on.. they
lick off the cheese and leave the biscuits for later... but never seem to get to eat...
Can anyone tell me why when they have atleast a years worth of food
stashed in their play box or under the lounge do they still come begging for more!!!
you would think that they would just nibble on what they have, but
nope,... got to have more. Both boys have been enjoying their bed time stories before mama goes to sleep...
Rufus as usual is bouncing all over the place and Reuben is content to curl up either next to mama or one of the pillows under
the blankets.
Well thats the low down of the Rampaging Rodent Residence, Rufus
and Reuben and I would like to wish you all a very happy new year
scritches to all
18 January 2006
Just before i turn in for the night, and put the boys back in their
cage with their dinner. I have them on my bed while im reading. Occasionaly while they are either quietly curled
up under the blankets, or one of the pillows I rippe the blanket or pillow of them and call "PEEK A BOO" This
usualy results in either popcorning or a stunned look, and a Which way do i run stance.
in retalliation, the boys have this game of sneeking up on me and suddenly
either pouncing on my or my pillow, or suddenly popping up out of no where... with that cheeky little smirk that they
get, as if to say
"Ha ha we got you mama"
Occasionaly Reuben will just sneek a
little way, stop, sneek a little more, stop, sneek alittle more. Each time curling up as if to make out he has just
changed lounging possitions... Rufus seems to prefer the sneek around the out side of the pillow as close
as he can get to the pillow, jump up on the windo ledge which is just at the head of my bed, sneek across till he is possitioned
just above my head then he jumps on my pillow
"Hi mama Sneek a Boo he he he he"
then he bounces off under the blankets to begin his stalking again.!!!
Rufus occasionaly loves to investigate
the book im reading, i had a new book last night, which was just from the book shop, instead of from the library. this
one did not have other peoples smells on it and other odors you get when lending books to people etc....
"Can i have a little nibble please mama"
"no books are not for eating"
"are you sure, it smells so good".
Every now and then I will grab both boys
and put them on my chest and give them a scritching session while singing. one of their songs, sometimes they will sit there
and enjoy the scritching but other times it
"Its Play time mama have you finished
scritching yet... " some times they will make a little dash for freedom, but mama pulls them back.
on the odd occasion they will sit quite
contentedly until i tell them "Off you go" and they both go bounding under the covers.
Scritches to all.
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RUFUS AND REUBEN 
