Well, I managed to sleep from about 7 to about 11:30 or so.  A horrendous wind and rain storm woke me by drenching the head of my bed, so I closed the window and then got up to see if the wind was blowing down trees or my goat shed covers.

 

So far, no to both. And the wind has died down now, fortunately.

 

That was all very exciting — and I drank a Dr. Pepper late in the day, so that is still working its way out of me. Caffeine in soda form wires me for hours, which is why I so rarely drink it, but on my way home from the eye doctor at Costco, I decided to get fast food for dinner (another rarity) and ended up getting a Dr. Pepper, too.

 

So, since I’m wired, I built another rat maze box a little while ago, a week ahead of when I’ll need it, but at least it’s here and ready for when I do. I ousted Charli, my cat. from her nighty-night place (my office chair) so I can blog for a while. She is now on the floor, folded in a breadbox configuration, wondering when I’m gonna crash again so she can get her bed back.

 

My rats like garlic

 

I had a garlic scent on my fingers and my rats went nuts over it–they all came out to take a sniff and see if I had any for them. So I looked it up, because I know garlic is deadly to most rodents.  Here’s what I found:

 

“Oddly enough, while garlic can kill many rodents, including hamsters and gerbils, it’s actually beneficial to rats. It has been known to reduce the risk of infections, heart disease, and stroke. It also may help keep your rat slim.”

So….  I got some garlic and handed it out.  For the first time in days, all nine rats came out of their maze boxes so I was able to count them.  They LOVE garlic!  Who’d a known?!   This is why I pay attention to their responses to stuff I bring to them.  I know not to bring them stuff they like that will hurt them — chocolate, soda, etc. — but I still don’t know what all they enjoy, so I am in constant discovery mode.

 

After eating the garlic, they all drank water. Now this room smells a little garlic-y. That’s better than smelling like a pet store, which it did before I swapped out the rat maze boxes this morning. They don’t always go to the bird cage to pee, and the wet foods they take into the boxes can make things smelly. That’s why I give them new digs so often.

 

I also give them new digs often because they like new adventures. I don’t want them to get bored atop their cage (which they’re never in, except briefly, whenever they want to be) and start wandering around on the floor. They haven’t wandered yet, but that’s probably because my cats come in here so often, and because Charli sleeps in here at night. (She is not at all predatory with them, nor is Patches, my oldest cat.) I keep the door closed at night because I don’t want any wild male rats getting in here (by some fat chance) and impregnating the nine females. THAT would be a disaster!!!  I am not wanting more rats. I just want these to live out their lives — as spinsters!  They live from two to three years or so, I’ve read, on average. I don’t know how old the two moms are, but the babies are less than six months old, so they’ll be around for a while.

 

Ghost Shrimp

 

I bought thirty more ghost shrimp for my 55-gallon aquarium. Most of them will be eaten by the other residents, but there will always be a few who manage to evade being made meals of, so I just add more every couple months. They’re three for a dollar where I shop. And they’re good nutrition for the other denizens. Not that I like the idea that some get eaten, but it’s the way of the world underwater. That’s why there are always so many more ghost shrimp than there are fish and frogs in the wild. It takes a fecund species to be able to survive so much predation.

 

Ghost shrimp are fascinating to watch. They can really scuttle out of the way when they need to.  They also seem to know which species of fish eat them, because they don’t act at all “worried” when the neon tetras or the female bettas swim close by, but when any of the other species do, they scuttle, or freeze in place, depending on whether they “think” the fish sees them or not. Or maybe they can even tell by their body language which fish are about to try to catch them. I’m trying to figure that out.  Sadly, I did see one get eaten by an African frog, but all of the others I watch have been able to evade capture and becoming num-nums for others.

 

It’s 1:47 a.m. Sleep is still not on my agenda, but I’m kinda out of news, so I guess I’ll give Charli back her chair and go read (or just rest in bed) until sleep overtakes me again.

 

Sweet dreams, those of you who are still asleep and dreaming!