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Pepper | Tidbit
Like Rika and Picky, my last two ratties, I adopted Pepper and Tidbit together on January 31st of 2007. They're sisters from the same litter.
Pepper is far more outgoing and social than the shyer and timid yet curious Tidbit, and they're very attached to each other.
Tidbit has come out of her shell far more than she did when I first got her, and is now nearly as social as the extremely hyperactive and overly-lovable Pepper -- around me, at least. She still refuses to leave her cage of her own free will if someone else is in the room, but will run to the cage door and demand yogies if I open it. X3
Tidby is the smallest rat of her age that I own, much like my last ratty-girl, Roxina was, although she's by far the fluffiest and longest-haired rat I've met in a good long while. Despite her tiny size, don't mistake her for one who gets picked on or anything -- quite to the contrary, she's the first to pin down her cagemates (usually the overly-rambunctious Pepper) the very moment they try to snatch her yogurt drop, pasta noodle or table scrap. :3
Pepper has absolutely become a little ball of energy. She darts around the cage, thoroughly grooming and rough-housing with any other rodent she can make contact with, and the moment I open the cage door, she's /always/ the first one to it, and doesn't only wait inside for me to give her a treat or take her out and play with her like the others.
No, Pepper will actually crawl right out and come directly to me and demand to be held and given a shoulder-ride, or make a beeline for the box of dry pasta noodles next to the cage, where she will quickly nab as many that will fit in her mouth and run right back in her house, packrat them away and come back for more.
 
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Luna | Neptune
Pepper and Tidbit acquired two new 'sisters', Luna and Neptune, two Blue Hooded fancy rats, one of which is a cute little rex, and the other, possibly a satin, though I'm not sure on her fur type.
Though I got them from a different place and over a month after I got Pepper and Tidbit, they're still the same age as the other two -- give or take a week or two -- and although they were extremely shy and skittish from poor handling, they both warmed up very quickly and really enjoy grooming and playing with their new adopted sisters.
Neptune is a slightly darker shade of Blue, and she's the one who's a rex -- note her adorable curly whiskers and poodle-ish fur. ^^
I think Luna might be a Satin, but I've only seen photos of them online and in books, so I can't be sure. Still, she's much sleeker than the other common-furred rats I've met and owned, almost as if her fur lies flatter and feels smoother than theirs.
Luna is a very active ratty, and she's extremely outgoing. She's a bit more interested in exploring than sitting around and getting cuddled like Neptune is, however. Neppy is perfectly happy with curling up against your neck and taking a nap on your shoulder after a nice ear-rub. :3
 
 
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Coal | Maya
Coal and Maya are the two newest girlies, adopted on December 24th of 2007. They're both rescues from Petco, ours of which takes none too great a care of their animals. Both babies were extremely poorly socialized with anything but their own littermates, and the result of which has made it extremely difficult to get them to stop being so hand-shy and afraid of anything larger than them that moves.
Never fear, however, I have high hopes for these two adoptees. ^^ For one, little Coalie has already begun coming to the door when I open it, and Maya is actually accepting hand-fed treats now, both of which have been accomplished in just a few short weeks. They're only around two months old, and within another month or two, they should be just as social and human-friendly as my older girls, with whom they will be placed with the moment they can no longer fit through the other cage's bars. XDDD
 
 
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Twinkle
On April 9th of 2008, yet another girly was added to our family. She's a sweet little Fawn, or possibly Champagne self Dumbo. Unlike my Petco and Petsmart rescues, Twinkie was bred by the same woman who owns the parents of Pepper and Tidbit, as well as Rika, Picky, and several of my other previous ratties. She was the only Self in a litter of seven other Hooded dumbos - she had four sisters and two brothers, one of which was a rex, though they were all Fawn/Champagne hoodeds.
Twinkle has been socialized well and enjoys riding around on my shoulder for hours -- she's so content cuddled up asleep against my neck, I've forgotten she was there upon occasion. She is currently being housed with my two other youngest girls. Although she is still used to being with her littermates, she's finding her place and it's clear that she'll have little difficulty adjusting to her new lifestyle. :3
 
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