2020 – Chinese Year of the Rat

HAPPY NEW YEAR from Ronnie and Derek…

2020 is also the Chinese Year of the Rat!

Photo of the Day, 1/4/2020

 
Today’s Photo of The Day, selected randomly from the Photos page. There’ll be another tomorrow!

Derek trying to get out of the tunnel with Ronnie on top of him, Feb 2020. (Click thumbnail to enlarge image.)

Photo of the Day, 16/4/2020

 
Today’s Photo of The Day, selected randomly from the Photos page. There’ll be another tomorrow!

Derek asleep in the shell, Apr 2019. (Click thumbnail to enlarge image.)

The 1

 
We were told Ronnie and Derek were approx. six to eight weeks old when we got them on 30 January 2019, so to set a date for their birthday, I worked backwards seven weeks from 30 January which gives 12 December.

That means Ronnie and Derek will be celebrating their 1st birthday on 12 December 2019.

This is coincidentally the day of the UK General Election – something rats are unfortunately not eligible to stand or vote in, which is a shame as a Parliament of rats would surely do a better job! The 12th also happens to be one day before my 32nd birthday.

Weight Watchers

 
I recently weighed Ronnie and Derek again using kitchen scales. It’s quite tricky to do because they inevitably don’t want to keep still – particularly Derek who kept wandering off! See the photos below.

Ronnie’s previously been a bit heavier than Derek, but now Derek is slightly heavier at about 540g (and Ronnie at 535g). The ideal weight is a bit less at about 500g, so I’ll slightly reduce the amount of food I feed them and see if it has an effect. Another good method is apparently to scatter dry food around their cage instead of placing it in a food bucket.

Exercise is obviously the best way to reduce weight though, including running up the stairs, which Ronnie and Derek like doing!

Click thumbnails to enlarge. More photos on the Photos page.

Photo of the Day, 2/4/2020

 
Today’s Photo of The Day, selected randomly from the Photos page. There’ll be another tomorrow!

Derek in the tube. (Click thumbnail to enlarge image.)

Message from Derek

 
Message from Derek:

I’ve been naughty and, while I was allowed to run around on top of the cage this evening, I nibbled the water bottle and now it’s leaking. Our water’s now being put in our backup water holder which is a tealight container. 

I’m so naughty because our humans will have to buy a new water bottle tomorrow!

Derek

Scratch ‘n’ Sniff

 
See photos below of Derek enjoying a good scratch while he and Ronnie relaxed on a chair.

Click thumbnails to enlarge. More photos on the Photos page.

Photo of the Day, 3/4/2020

 
Today’s Photo of The Day, selected randomly from the Photos page. There’ll be another tomorrow!

Ronnie sniffing blossom, Apr 2019. (Click thumbnail to enlarge image.)