Group four
A gorgeous trio of beautifulness... three young Merry kits, who live in the top half of a duetto.
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Who?
Shunamite Tinkerbelle tendancies (AKA Belle) - agouti dumbo out of Nezumi Merrymaker (AKA Merry) and Shunamite Meet a kindred (AKA Red). Belle is named in honour of her almost twin auntie Bella, who left us too early as a result of infection with the "London agouti" abscesses. Belle means beautiful in French and she really is my idea of a perfect tabi rat. Her personality is entirely predictable: sunny and generous, full on, in your face, attention seeking, lover of her human. J'adore. My very precious little lady.
When?
DOB
Where?
Belle was born here to Nezumi merrymaker (AKA Merry), a black dumbo and Shunamite Meet a kindred (AKA Red), an agouti.
What?
She is an agouti dumbo.
Why?
This trio of girls are my miracle babies. Merry is in my group that are affected by the London agouti abscesses, and until she and her sister Ali were mated/birthed I never equated my previous litter loss within this group with the effects of the abscesses (which to this point had seemed fairly benign recurring neck abscesses). As it turns out, affected rats are more than likely to experience a completely stillborn litter (as Ali did, and Beastie before her) and Merry was fortunate that 3 of her litter survived. To avoid the three female babies being infected they had to be separated at 5 weeks, as the route of spread is only through living closely with an infected rat over a long period of time (probably by ingestion of infected faeces). Even so I am keeping these three as a trio for the first year or so of life to be sure that there has been no transmission. Affected rats begin to show neck abscesses at around 6 months of age, but from my experience of this unique issue I am very hopeful that these girls will remain fit and well, and the problem will have come to a natural end here.
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Who?
Shunamite Who's your sister (AKA Beau) - agouti out of Nezumi Merrymaker (AKA Merry) and Shunamite Meet a kindred (AKA Red). Beau (also french for beautiful) was a little eeky over her first couple of heats, but I am delighted to have watched her blossom into a steady and confident young teenager. She's also very beautiful and quite adorable. Can you tell I am in love with these girls?
When?
DOB
Where?
Belle was born here to Nezumi merrymaker (AKA Merry), a black dumbo and Shunamite Meet a kindred (AKA Red), an agouti.
What?
She is an agouti.
Why?
These girls are the result of inbreeding on the tabi line after an outcross, and I am delighted with them. Beau, like her sisters was named and staying from a few days old. It didn't really matter who they ended up becoming... they we part of me from the moment they survived the odds being stacked massively against them. That Beau is beautiful, cheerful, outrageous and engaging is just icing on the cake.
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Who?
Shunamite heart of the house (AKA Bonita) - black dumbo out of Nezumi Merrymaker (AKA Merry) and Shunamite Meet a kindred (AKA Red). Bonita (beautiful in Spanish) was always the quieter, sunny one of the trio, but as a teenager has become a little squeaky and unpredictable; not consistantly, but on occasion. I am watching the cage dynamics to be sure that she isn't being bullied (it doesn't appear so) and to see how she evolves through adolescence. She remains cheery and uplifting in her antics.
When?
DOB
Where?
Bonita was born here to Nezumi merrymaker (AKA Merry), a black dumbo and Shunamite Meet a kindred (AKA Red), an agouti.
What?
She is a black dumbo.
Why?
Like her sister's, Bonita stayed here with the hope of continuing the tabi line. She is currently on the reserves bench until I see how the next few weeks pan out for her.
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