New Babies!!

My roommate Carrie and I picked up our new baby rats today! One of our first projects involves teaching these little guys to run a maze. Right now they are only a couple months old and SUPER sweet.

This is Zazu. She's one of my rats. She has slightly wavy fur, curly whiskers, and a lightning bolt on her forehead. She looks like she stuck her paw in an electrical socket :)

This is Ziggy, my other rat. She's a little more mellow than Zazu. I love the line of spots down her back.

Zazu is a crazy girl. She loves exploring and climbing and trying new things, so I think she will be more enthusiastic about tackling the different obstacles in the maze. However, I'm a little concerned her independence will make her less likely to take direction. 

They are both very affectionate and are quickly bonding with me. Whenever I go up to their cage they run over to say hi and nibble my fingers. 

Zazu being a troublemaker. The black rat and the one with the brown hood are Carrie's rats - Chester and Chewy. 

Chester and Ziggy

Zazu exploring

Their super awesome big house! They're still too little to live here full time since they can slip through the bars, but within another month or so they'll be too big to do that. In the meantime, they play here under supervision and hang out in their small houses overnight and when we're not around. 

The gals cuddling in one of their smaller houses.

Closeup of Zazu's lightning bolt. Her curly whiskers don't really show up in pictures but they are pretty darn cute.

Cuddle pile.

Biiiiiiig stretch!

I am having so much fun with these guys. I haven't had small mammals as pets in a long, long time and I just love watching them and seeing how smart and social they are. It really is true what they say - rats are a lot like mini dogs. They all have such different personalities already.  My girls like to curl up in the hood of my sweatshirt, play with my hair, and nibble my ear :)

I have already decided on a whole list of things I want to teach them. Aside from their maze, I want to teach them to circle, stand up, play fetch, come to my hand on command, give kisses, use a litter box, and recognize their names.  It's going to be a fun time with these little guys!!