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Marushikis rantings

Rampaging rodent reports 6

the continuing tail  (oops Tale) of 2 little ratties named Rufus and Reuben who stole my heart just over a year and a bit ago
 
it is with great sadness i must add to this site that my Rufus  who was born 22nd September 2004 Was sent to the Rainbow Bridge at 7.30 am (perth West Australia time) on the 11th June 2006

rats8.jpg

31 January 2006

Last night the boys and i were having play time on mamas bed...  i had hidden some Yogies which arrived on friday from Robyn  MANY SCRITCHES AND BRUXES FOR ROBYN AND THE DAPPER RATS

Rufus had gone off exploring the top end of the bed, and the

window sill, and Reuben was under the blankets curled up next to mama..  Mama starts scritching Reuben while she is reading, all of a sudden Rufus comes charging as fast as his little leggs will carry him, dives under the sheets and under mamas hand.

"Scritch me too scritch me too".  

so they both get a scritching, then mama stops, Reuben goes off to the foot of the bed, and Reuben continues his investigations ontop of the sheets, and around the pillows,.

Mean while Reuben is slowly sneeking back to Scritching range, and mama starts scritching Reuben Again...  Zip, Zoom, "Meeeee toooooo meeee tooooo"  Rufus comes racing from the bottom of the bed (he was on top of the blankets, dives under the sheets and takes up position to get some fo the action as well...

Obviously Reuben was making some contented noise that i could not hear but Rufus could... 

13th February

Recentley Reuben at the time when i need to go out or go to bed, likes to plant himself at the far back corner under the sofa. 

The only means of extracting him to put him back into his house is to get one of his Tubies and roll him out towards me close enough for me to grab...  for some reason he seems to enjoy this, he tucks his little legs up under him and roll roll roll..  out he comes... 

I did this last night, when i was on my way to bed, i useualy take the boys with me for a short play time, and due to having Tendonitis in my ankle have to ice my ankle several time a day...The senario went like this.   

Mama gets icebag  wrapped in a towel and placed at the foot of the bed so i can rest my ancle on it while reading to the boys. as well as placing some yogies around the pillows for the boys to hunt out

I call out   "Where is mamas boys" 

Opening the play box, there is Rufus Reaching up to me to be picked up and put on my shoulder for the ride to turn off the lights and lock the door,

"Reuben Where are you" 

I search the box, no Reuben

I kneel down and there is Reubs in his favorite spot at the back of the lounge

"Reuby come to mama, its bed time"  

"No, im happy here"  he said in reply

"Reuben come on mama has to go to bed, "   

by this time Rufus had hopped off my shoulder and was ontop of the lounge.

Mama grabs the Tubie and starts extracting Reuben from unter the lounge, roll roll roll, 

"WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE"      Reuben calls in delight

I get him close enough to grab,

"That was fun lets do it again"  he makes to race back to the far corner of the lounge..  "No"   mama says and grabs him before he can get away

"Now  Rufus where have you got to, "  Rufus was tunneling under under the pillows on the lounge.  

"Come On you two.....time to turn off the lights and lock the door"

Heading into the bedroom put the boys under the sheet, "Ok go find the yogies" 

I head off to the bathroom to put my jamies on....  on returning i always call out

"where are those ratties im going to get them"  this goes on for a few minutes i see little lumps under the sheet squirming and moving around.

I grab them and give them a brisk rubbing...  they seem to liek this.

On climbing into bed i notice that Rufus has made himself rather cozy on my icebag,.  

"No move over Rufs, mama has to use that..  I put my foot on the bag and Rufus procedes to drape himself over my foot and sits on part of the ice bag that is free"  

this goes on until i annouce din dins and fish and mango is for dinner.

15th February

Well last night was very hot and humit, and i had my ice bag out to ice my ankel yet again.

After extracting Reuben from the far underneath corner of the couch , and Rufus from the play box, i put them on the bed with their Yogies, and covered them up, put my ice bag at the foot of my bed to rest my ankle on, went into the bathroom to do my teeth and put on my jamies.
On climbing into bed and going to arrange my ice bag, both Rufus and Reuben had purched themselves on top of the ice pack..
 
"Oh so now i have to contend with the 2 of you on my ice pack do I?" i ask
    
the only responce I get is a smug look from both of them...  i try moving them so that i can get my foot on at the same time, but with 2 ample Buck rumps purched on it there is no room for my foot..  As soon as i scoot them over and get room on for my foot they scoot my foot over for room for their butts..
So in the end i gave up... and let them have the whole ice pack themselves...  When it was scritching time..  (part way throught the evening i always announce
 
"Its SCRITCHING TIME!!!" which usualy sends them in a frantic dash in different direction.... 
 
Not this time, they both stay planted on the ice pack....  so i scoop them up and plonk them on my chest for Scritch time, their feet and tails and goolies are rather cold, hmmmm now why could that be??...  and i sing their Scritching song.
 
"scritchy scritchy scritchy, mama loves the ratties scritchy scritchy  scritchy mama loves a Rufy and a Reuby scritchy scritch scritchy,  scritchy mama lave the ratties"
 
this is repeated 3 times and then i tell the boys "Ok off you go, play nice, no rumpy pumpy"  
so off they go and straight back on the ice pack....  
 
 
Only after i have put them in their cage for the night with their pasta , pea and nectarine ,  din dins, and an iced bottle wrapped in a sock do i get the ice pack for  my ankle....  
 
22nd February 2006
 
I had the boys out for their early morning play session (mama gets up at 5am to let the boys out then goes back to bed, occasionaly joined by the boys)
most of the time they like to make stright for their play box which is under the lounge..  after ive got ready for my day at work, i call out
:"Where are my boys, where are my ratties"
 
 
99% of the time i Find Rufus in the play box, and no Reuben, so i call out "Ok ive Got the Rufuses where is my Reubens"
 
I start searching the play box incase he is hiding under a fresh layer of paper, no sign of him  so i call out again, "Where is mamas Reubies "
for the last few days when i do this Reuben (who has been in his favorite spot under the lounge in the far corner) comes prancing up to me,  "Here i am mama" (where i normaly have to extract him with either a broom or one of his play tubies),
the boys get their hugs and kisses and i tell them i ahve to go to work, and that i love them and will be home as soon as i can.
 
Most of the time im rewarded with kisses on the nose , the chin or ear or arm, occasionaly the neck.  they get their breakfast as soon as i put them back into the cage.
 
Well it was a hot steamy night last night, and Rufus and Reuben at bed
time were romping around mamas bed looking for the hidden yogies.

I had the ice bag out for them, as usual both were squabling over prime
position.!!!!! after putting them to bed, i used it for icing myself
and cooling down due to it having reached 40 during the day,

The boys were back in their cage ! and chowing down on grapes, peach and
melon for dinner, with a side of oats and raw spagetti, i curled up
for my sleep and noticed that there was a wet patch,

:"Oh great they have gone and peed on the ice pack"

I was about to change the towl i used to wrap the ice pack, only to find
that the contents of the ice pack (Red Gel) was leaking all over my PJ's
and the towl

Not sure if they got their teeth into it or they got their nails into
it, but the Ice pack is no more... it now resides in the bin waiting
for the dust man to take it away.

Ill have to get another one...

24th February 2006

Rufus and Reuben have a new song for cuddle time.

Its to the tune of "La Cooka Racha" while dancing around the house
Mama Loves a Ratties Mama LOve a Ratties
 
la ta ta ta ta da dum
 
mama loves a reubie mama loves a rufie
 
la ta ta ta ta da dum
 
mama loves her rattie mama loves her ratties
 
la ta ta ta ta da dum
 
Yes i love my reubie yes i love my rufie
 
la ta ta ta ta da dum
 
if you would like to entertain your ratties...  you too can sing this but insert your ratties names where i have Rufus and Reubens...Repeat until either the ratties or you are worn out

8th March 2006

Well it certainly does not pay to do things in a rush...  Saturday i had a rather busy morning and then a wedding in the afternoon...  after finishing the morning running around i thought i would let the boys have a sleep in their play box while i was having a bit of a nap myself... 

I set the alarm to wake me up intime to shower, wash my hair and get the boys a snack and back in the cage before i went to the wedding..

I slept through the alarm, so was in a rush to shower was hair and dress, raced out completely forgetting Rufus and Reuben were out in the play box under the lounge.

It was not until the Bride was about to walk down the isle that a friend asked how Rufus and Reuben were,  DOH!!!!!  "OH NO "  i replied, "I forgot to put the boys back into their cage before leaving... 

 

Last night while sorting out my dinner Rufus came sauntering over and enquired where his and Reubens Snack was..  so i stopped with my dinner and put Rufus on my shoulder... proceeded to prepare their snack of frozen peas and corn,  all the time im trying to do this, get the peas and corn out of the freezer, open the packet and into their container, turn on the tap to help thaw them a bit.. 

Rufus is Foofing madly in my ears, going from one side to the other, trying to climb down my arms to get at the goodies, I put him back up on the shoulder, only for him to try climbing down the front of my sarong i was wearing...  normaly takes 2 minutes to do this but with Rufus helping took close to 5... Fortunate for me i only had one rattie to contend with while this was going on and Reuben was curled up in his favorite spot snoozing.  only to come out when mama anounces Pease for her ratties are now available for snacking on...   

Then this morning i woke up at 3am for some reason and thought this would be a good time to let the boys out for an early play session,  went back to sleep, and slept throough 2 alarms quickly got the boys breakfast and my lunch ands shut the cage door thinking they in there

raced out the door...... 

only dawned on me at around lunch time that DOH I did it again!!!!  my only consilation is that they have enough food stashed under the sofa and in their play box to feed 20 ratties.

Im dreading what I will find when i walk in the door this afternoon after leaving work,  Ratties on the Rampage from 3am to 6pm...  not a happy thought...  !!

10th March
 
WARNING::::  If you are currently eating or scritching and kissing your ratties right now, please wait 1/2 an hour or more before reading the rest of this email!!!!!
 
If you have a strong constitution then please continue reading while eating and scritching and kissing your fur babies.
 
 
 
 
 
Dont say i didnt warn you
 
Well yesterday started out pretty much normal, got up let the boys out for a play, got ready for work, put boy back into cage and headed off to work, had the usual crazy day at work, and decided to skip chior practice.....
 
Headed home ealier than normal for Thursday night, stopped to get the boys their Thursday evening meal of chicken and corn for dinner...  let the boys out for their evening romp... 
 
So far so good you say whats the problem.... 
 
Well!!!   Read on...
 
 
On getting ready for bed, i scooped up Rufus and Reuben and deposited them under the sheet on my bed and proceeded with turning lights off and catching the last 5 - 10 minutes of the TV show i was watching. With the occasional dash inbetween the commercials to go play "Wheres the Rattie" with the boys..  When who should appear at the door of the bedroom but Rufus.. 
 
"Oh did you miss mama"  I asked him.
 
he was sitting on his haunches and i thought he was grooming, so i went to scoop him up and give him kisses and scritches..  when i noticed a funny smell..
 
"Oh have you done a botty burp"  I asked...
 
i then heard a sound of his teeth chatting so thought as one normaly would,  "Oh how cute he is Bruxing....."..
 
Mind you at this time all the lights in the house were out except the light from the TV and one of my bedside lights turned on low.  so i could not see clearly...
the smell still was not quite right..  so i turned on the lounge room light ......
 
What should i see but the last 1/4 of a Cockroach dissapearing into Rufus's mouth...  he had caught himselff a nice fat Roach and was having a lovely time.... (this dispite all the Roach bates i have through the house, and the surface sprays sprayed outside around all the openings to the unit plus additionaly surface spray around the kitchen and bathroom cupboards....  ) 
 
On finishing his pre bed time snack he looked at me with that..
 
"Hi Mama give us a Kiss" look......
 
"Oh Rufus"....   I groaned...
 
 So i put Rufie back on the bed and went to wash off...  I was feeling rather violated..... 
 
I then proceeded to  my normal bedtime routine... only when i picked up Reuben thinking HE would be ok to kiss and cuttle did if find reminances of a
similar meal around where he was sitting...... 
 
Ive been wondering why they have not eaten their evening meals quite so hungrily....... 
 
Shesh!!!!
 
16th march 2006
 

Last night after getting home from work, i got the boys their snack, while i sat down to dinner...  then at around 7pm - 7.30 pm i usualy give them a treat of some kind, either some cream cheese on a cracker biscut or a yogie or some other thing they like...

Well last night was salmon cream cheese...  i got out the crackers the boys like, and bought the lot into the lounge...  on proceeding to remove the plastic lid of  the tub of cream cheese in a split second who should come flying out from under the lounge and try climbing up my leg...........  Rufus.... 

"have you got treaties mama,....  have you have you.... what is it tonight...   gi'me gi'me gi'me....  where is it i can smell it, come on mama"

this is the 1st time he has ever done this...  you could see the excitement in his eyes the way he pranced around and as soon as he got his share of the treat he was off like a bolt of lightning... 

normaly i have to call out "Who wants treaties" and search for him, he is usualy snoozing in the play box... this time, nope he was ready and prepaired..

Reubs was in the box snoozing, his is the more "couch potato" type of rattie.....  On opening the box and asking if he too would like a treaty, I was greated with one of those, stretching yawns  "Are you kidding lady, hand it over"  he seemed to say after he had finished his stretch...  

I proceeded to sit and have my treat of cream cheese and crackers when who should come racing out from under the lounge and fling himself ontop of the tub and start franticaly licking more.....  RUFUS.....  

Rufs and Reubs are so different in temprament...  Thankfuly... dont know if i could handle 2 like Rufs.

22nd March 2006

 

Last night i took home 2 large boxes from work that our padded envelopes had arrived in... it was well due time to make the boys a new play box, and as there were 2 very handy boxes, i thought i would go all out and make the boys 2.
 
I set about measuring the hight i needed to cut them down to to fit under the sofa...  previously before i left work i used a stanley trimmer to cut out the doors for them, its hard to do it with just scissors..  i then proceeded to cut vavous sizes of excess cardboard to make up the interior design of the boxes...  i was part way through the 2nd boxes interior workings when Rufus saunters out to see what mama is up top...  Reuben as usual was curled up at the back of the lounge snacking on his stash
 
"Oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo  new play boxes....  now lets see if they are up to my standard" 
 
 
he proceed to investigate the finished box to see if it was up to R.P.B.I.S.   that is (Rattie play box interior standard), he seemed quite satisfied with the 1st box
so proceeded to investigate the workings of the 2nd box i was in the middle of working on...   
 
"Its not quite right mama"  Rufie seemed to say "something is missing" 
 
"Im not finished yet, just be patient"
 
"Whats patient"...  he wanted to know,  "can you put a wall here, and one over her and over here and over here and ....."
 
once he was happy that he had instructed me to his satisfaction he was off to see what Reubs was doing...  only 5 minutes later he came back to see how work was progressing... 
 
he sniffed his way around both boxes,
 
"somethings missing mama"
 
"Yes i know Rufs, im in the middle of tearing up the paper now...." 
 
"Oh good".
 
He heads off into the old play box until ive finished filling up the 1st of the new boxes, and put it under the lounge, he is 1st in to investigate the handy work....
closely followed by Reuben...
 
I finish off the 2nd box and take out the old box and put in the 2nd new one, i was about to take the old one out to put in the bin, but thought..... Hmmmmm better check incase they are in there moving their stash to the new ones... 
 
sure enough Reubes had decided to have a nap in the old box one last time....  Whew!!!    that was close, i nearlty threw Reuby out... 
 
both boys frollicked in the new boxes getting use to the 2 new layouts...  the was much russling of paper and scratching and so forth comming from inside....
 
Later that night on getting ready to head off to bed, i put the boys on the bed and got into my Jamies...  Reubs was content to stay snuggled up next to mama, but Rufus was tossing up
 
"mama or the box mama or the box... " several times he burrowed under the  sheets and curled up next to me.... then he would race out and look as if he was going to jump down.... then back under the sheet, then finaly the frustration was too much he headed strait fo the new boxes..... 
 
sigh....  mama loses out to a new play box....
 
7th April 2006

My Rufus is always on the go.. ALMOST like Robyns Bug, but then no one is like Bug... but my Reuben is 90% of the time the typical couch potato male rattie....

That is until Corn on the cob, or "scritching time" are announced...

thursday nights as i get home late due to chior practice, i usualy stop off for Red Rooster chicken and corn... i leave a little of the meat for the boys and all fo the bones... i nibble most of the corn and leave enough for the boys to have a good time with.

I got home last night, called out as usual that Mama was home... there were 2 bouncing boys pacing the cage and staring at the cage door... i get them out and give them a cuddle then put them down and go and get the corn for them.. By this time Reuben is at the back corner of the sofa and Rufus is just wandering into his box.

"Look what mamas got for her boys"

 

Like a bold of lightning from 2 different directions a blur of fur comes racing and nabs one cob each and then is gone in a flash...

"Shesh!!! don't i ever feed you.... "

No reply except, slurp, munch munch slurp drool, munch lick lick lick

I rarely see Reuben move so fast, except when corn is on the offer, or during play time in mamas bed when i call out "Its Scritching time...."

then both boys dart off in different direction, its a scramble who get under the pillow and away from mama first...

after scritches the boys bounce off to where the yogies are and snack and snooze and tussle and fight, until i put them in for the dindins.

24th May 2006
 
Rufus and Reuben were having their usual play time on my bed, and as normal i was playing "Where's the rattie"  and sneeking up on them and grabbing them.

Well in retalliation they had a "scardie poo"  thats a nice slightly runny one..  and to get back at me they walked through it and  proceeded to walk around my bed leaving rattie poo foot prints on my sheets... 

 
Several times while ive been cuddling Rufus and Reuben, ill be scritching Rufus or Reuben on in their favorite scritch spot just above their tail,  they inturn will groom the other who in turn grooms me...  so if im scritching Rufus he grooms Reuben and Reuben grooms me,  or visa versa..   If i Scritch Reuben, he grooms Rufus how in turn grooms me
 
i just thought it was so cute ....
 
My boys lately, when they have play time on mamas bed, have taken a liking to both curling up between my feet... sometimes they will curl up and snooze..  Sometimes they will groom themselves  and me, othertimes it a tussle between the 2, which mama has to separate them... 
 
Reubs occasionaly likes to try and sneek up on me and poke his head out of the blankets after head butting my arm pit while im reading... 
 
then he sticks his head out with a cheeky grin  "hi mama"...  Ive started calling the boys my "Sneeky peeky little noses"  as both of them seem to like doing this to me..  occasionaly both will pop up out of now where together... 
 
On Friday last week I had the day off work..  and as it was a nice sunny day i thought i would take the boys down to the river for a picknick...  when we got there even though the sun was nice and warm the breeze was a little cool. there were lots of sea gulls around and a few Galahs (for those who dont know what a Galah is  http://www.amonline.net.au/factsheets/galah.htm    also there were some Crows around so did not take the boys out the cage.. )
 
Both Rufus and Reuben were having a lovely time sniffing everywhere, until a Sea Gull let off a Squark,...  that freeked the boys out so i ended up taking them back home..  as they were getting a little frightened by the birds noises... 
 
On arriving back home, they both had to do a full investigation of the house to see if any other ratties may have invaded their territory..    on re-marking everything in sight, they curled up in their play box for a good long sleep... 
 
After they had woken up and had their snacks..  the 3 of us curled up on the lounge for Scritch time...  I sometimes make a little TeePee for them out of the cushions and pillows on the lounge which they will curl up under, occasionaly having a tussle..  Which they get told off for..  other times they will curl up next to me for more scritches... 
 
Its so hard to believe ive had the boys for 18 months...  and they are now 20 months old...  another 4 months and they will soon be 2 years old in September. 
 
My time sure flies
 
 
29th May
 
this morning my alarm went off as usual at 5am so i could get up and get the boys their play time before i went to work.  Usualy i go back to bed while they have their playtime and get back up at 6 20 to shower and dress for work. I normaly leave at 7pm.    normaly the boys go straight under the lounge into their play boxes.. 
 
Anyhoo this morning i let them out and Reuben went straight into the play box but rufus seemed reluctant....  I went into the bathroom and on my way back to bed i hear this patter of little feet scurrying... on investigating "Oh rufus What are you doing under my bed"  Obviously he felt like a bit of a change...  lots of scurrying climbing and scrat5ching noises follow...  
 
The 2nd alarm goes off and it get up shower, dress get the boys their breakfast and put them back into their cage...  Rufus is adament he and Reuben are not going in... 
 
"come on boys mama has to go to work"
 
so i fight with him for a few minutes and get them both in...  get out to the car Start the car and the radio new presenter says "Here is the 6am news" 
 
Apparently either i (or the boys ) or a power surge put the clock forward an hour and i did not know...  the boys knew it was not their normal play time...so when i thought it was 5am, it was infact 4am,   So i went back into the house to watch tv for an hour and give the boys their normal play time....  which they did not complain about getting an extra hour out ... 
 
Just goes to show you cant fool a rattie.  They both knew what the time was... and that I was not on schedule but Way ahead of  it... 
 
June 13th 2006
 
5am Sunday morning i woke to find my precious little Rufus laying on the floor of his cage he was all floppy.. 
I packed the boys up in the travel cage wrapped in one of their hammocks for warmth as it was cold out side.
 
I got him to the vet at  7am, Sunday morning and at 7.20 am Perth, west Australia time my Rufus was helped to the rainbow bridge...
 
The vet seems to think it was a stroke, or series of strokes or possibly a tumor.... My Reuben is being a brave little soldier  for the last few nights ive had him  in his travel cage next to me at night  ive wrapped him up warm as i could... 
 
I wrote this poem for my baby...
 
Colleen and Reuben... 
 
 

MY LITTLE BOY HAS GONE

 

 

Rufus  I picked you up one November night, so small and fluffy as can be.

I bought you and your brother home so you that you could live with me

 

You were my first little ratties, I really was quite scared,

What if I sat on you while climbing into bed.

 

Tiny as you were, we had to learn together, of what a rattie Mama, had to do for her new boys

I bought you things, and I made you thing, and got you lots of toys.

 

You were so very funny, with your little antics that you did

I often was quite worried when you ran off and hid.

 

Together we learned to trust each other, and learn to have lots of fun. Those cheeky eyes looking at me

hidden deep inside the box  You were cunning and clever and sneaky, more sneaky than a fox.

 

Sometimes you would come to me for a treat or for a scritch,

Sometimes you would run, as though I was a mean and scary witch

 

Over the years together, we had many funny days, I so loved the way your wiskers

Twitched and frame you in a haze.

 

Little Rufus  You meant the world to me, so fluffy as can be.

Even though within my bed you often would poop and but mostly pee

 

Your little rattie kisses would make my heart leap about for joy,

My precious and most lovely Rufus my darling little rattie  boy

 

I loved your foofing and your bruxing, they really made me happy

You were my 1st and most precious little rattie.

 

You left me when I was not ready, but your were ready to go.

My mind says its time but my heart screams out NO!!   

 

I know too soon  Reuben Will also be joining you, Oh why oh why must you die

I wish you would stay you know Why must you make me cry

 

Oh little Rufus  you have left me now, and gone to that rainbow bridge,

With all the other Ratties, You no more will I be able to Scritch.

 

Rufus  why did you leave Its really is not fair you left me far too soon

No more will you be on my shoulder to go and look at the moon

 

Your brother Reuben  misses you, just as much as me…

But all to soon I know that he will soon be with thee

 

Don’t forget me little rattie, I will remember you, until my dieing day

Ill grieve, and cry “OH Whoa is me  My   Rufus  I have no more”..,

 

Ill sob  a while until one day another little rattie comes along that wont be lonely any more.…..

 

 

 


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