Making Quick Hammocks

I got tired of spending a lot of time sewing hammocks that would be chewed within five minutes of setting up in the cage. I also did not want to spend $8+ to buy hammocks from sellers on Etsy. So I came up with a solution!

1. Check out Wal-Mart, Big Lots, Target, or Publix for cheap fleece throws. If you are a Jo-Anns shopper and have signed up for their coupons, use that for fleece! (Anti-pill fleece is the cheapest, but they always have stuff on sale.). I get my throws for $3 at Big Lots.

2. Cut out the size you want for your hammocks. I measure four across and cut double layered. I get 8 hammocks.

3. In each corner, I cut a small hole. This saves me time having to sew two parts together and then sewing hooks on each corner.

4. I use tie straps through the holes that I hook to the cage. You can use yarn or even shower curtain hooks. Sometimes I use baby chain sections since they are harder to chew down.

5. Cut down or un-hook your hammocks to throw in the wash when they are dirty. You have seven more to replace that one with! And if your ungrateful critters destroy your hammock, hey, you only spent $3!

 

 

 

Deep Cleaning of the Rattery

So once a month I make sure to do a deep cleaning. Here is the process!

1. I pack up all the rats in various travel cages/totes and put them in the kitchen.

 2. All items and cages are moved outside to be scrubbed and hosed.
 

 3. I take all the water bottle and rinse with hot soapy water. Then they soak in bleach water. Then they have a third rinsing and air dry.

 4. Blankets and hammocks are washed in a vinager and home-made soap mix so there are no allergies or strong smells for the rats.

5. Back in the rat room the concrete floor is mopped with a bleach water solution. The window panels are opened to be aired out (AC unit is turned off at this point) so there is no bleach smell once the rats return. The back wall is also sanitized since the cages back up to this wall.

 6. All clean!

                                                                                                                                                                                    

2014 Records

Rattery Income from Adoptions and Supplies

12/20/14-$2280

 Adult Adoptions

 2/05/14-PEW rescue boy went home with Greg
2/15/14-Simon and Arthur went home with Samantha
2/15/14-Zero, Appa, and Epitaph went home with Jazmin
4/12/14- Faerie, Ayortha, and Cryptic went home with Jess and Charity.
4/15/14-Quicksilver and Zeus went home with Leslie
5/04/14-Rose, Darla, and 3 babies went home with Amber
5/05/14-Smegle rescue hairless boy with home with Haily
5/08/14-Mable, Ayortha, and Faerie went home with Danielle
5/09/14-Zero and Epitaph went home with Asia 6/07/14-Lotus went home with Natalie
7/03/14-Blossom and Daisy went home with Jade
7/15/14-Smegle went home with Michael
July-Cryptic with home with Jess and Allison
7/15/14-Jazmine and Jhudora went home with Savanna
7/15/14-Wendy went home with Beth
9/10/14-Michonne and Violet went home with Moki
9/19/14 Raven the rescue went home with Colleen
10/03/14-Phantom went with Taylor 
11/28/14-Phantom went home with Sarah
12/20/14- Wendy went home with Sam

________________________

Purchases 

 Jan
Martin cage: $187
Fleece: $6
Food: $20
-----$113
Feb
Ruud cage and conversion kits: $350
Toys: $7
Block: $25
Food mix: $17
2 baby rats from Sarah: $40
----$552
March
Food-$25
Bedding: $5
Cages-$150
----$732
April
New rats-$80
Water bottles-$30
Cages from Teresa-$80
Martin cage from CL: $65
-------$987
May
Toys-$10
Food-$20
Food-$10
Cage-$10
Rat block-$25
Oxbow-$14
Rat mix: $20
------$1096
June
Food-$25
New rats-$50
Food-$50
------$1221
July
Food- $17
Cages-$80
Food- $20
----$1338
August
Doxy-$60
Food: $40
-----$1438
September
Oxbow-$40
Oats-$25
Petsitting-$75
-------$1578
October
Food-$35
Food-$20
Bedding-$18
--------$1651
November
Food-$25
December
Toys-$50
Toys-$50
Food-$50
Blankets-$10

Health and Happenings

1/03/14-Gave everyone rosehip tea to boost immunity in this sudden cold and dry weather. Breeding pair Mable and Arthur are getting along. Simon, Zeus, and 3 young bucklings are getting along. Simon is the boss and he lets them know it. The 7 girls are getting along wonderfully after introductions.
2/05/14-Everyone has been doing well. Naberous is showing his age. He is almost 3! Pretty good for a feeder bin boy. Mable's litter did not make it as Mable did not produce any milk. Currently we have Ayortha and Rose waiting to give birth. We took about 4 rescues from an abusive adopters and they are doing well! One has already been adopted. The Ruud cage has been purchased for the boys. This means the Critter Nation cages will no longer be used. Huzzah!
2/11/14-Epitaph sounded a bit sneezy so he got medicated. The rescue boys are doing much better. I recently took back one of my older rats (Appa) and he's going to be adopted next weekend. We should have babies this week!
2/18/14-Everyone is doing well. Babies should be here soon. I heard that Simon's toes are healing well from being bitten. Our little feeder rescue boy did not make it. He passed away on 2/16/14.
4/08/14-Everyone is doing great. We got some new arrivals from a breeder friend. Introductions will start today. Stepped On and Pendulum turn two today. Dart has been a little wheezy from the trips he's made in the last month, and has been put on meds. The babies are getting big. Most of them have been adopted. Darla continues to be a great auntie to babies. I put two of the new ones with her and she is so gentle and patient.
4/18/14-Cages are all clean! All 9 of the girls are getting along just fine. Two older boys were adopted, leaving five boys in the Skyscraper. Dart is all better now.
5/08/14-Found Nikita dead today. No sign of sickness or injury, so I have no idea what happened :(
6/09/14-ALP Francis was found dead on Friday. No idea. I have not heard from his breeder on her input if there was any family issues. He was in fine health. Young.  He will be dearly missed. Otherwise health is fine. A slight sneeze developed with the girls. I feel it may be from the bedding so I'm looking into a new brand. They've been medicated. There are only a couple more rescues left to adopt out. Currently under 30 squeakers! A record (haha).
6/24/14- Everyone's been doing well. Voodoo had a slight sneeze, so has been on amoxy. He's also being treated for mites. ALP Bash has been acting a bit odd...not sure what his issue is yet.
7/28/14-Stepped On passed away last week. He was 2 years and 4 months. I think he may have fallen as he had been in perfect health. Rougarou has been introduced to the trio of boys in my room and has been getting along great. Scar has come out of his shell. The new rats are coming along and we had our hairless litter born today..congrats daddy Rougs!
8/18/14-We merdged all of the girls and babies together in one cage. It's going very well! The 5 younger boys are together in the living room now and doing well with the newest baby.
12/02/14-Grrr! Facebook is so bad. I write on there when I should write on here because this is a good way to keep notes in one place and not have to scroll for hours. In 2015 I will be sure to update this FIRST and than my facebook. Today's health check: Tansy does not seem to be taking to any of the males I've put her with. I may pethome her. Rougarou has a nasty abscess on his belly that I am treating. Everyone else is growing well and staying healthy. There is a bit of extra sneezing in the baby girl cage so I will be attending to that concern.
12/24/14-Rougarou passed away today :(