#ratcommunity

Ratties enjoy digging and playing in dirt! 

(Always make sure the plants are non-toxic for them first.)

Can squish into small spaces. :)

Tis the season for chunky knits :) 

Rat Yoga
#aprileileenphotography #vaphotographer #virginiaphotographer #petphotographer #petphotography #petportrait #pets #rat #rats #ratcommunity #petrats #petsofig #animals #animalsofinstagram #floral #flowers #photoshoot #photographer #photography #fredericksburgva #fredericksburgphotographer #richmondphotographer #animallover #igers #igdaily #yoga #fitness

Oh hey cutie! ❤
#aprileileenphotography #vaphotographer #virginiaphotographer #petsofig #petsofinstagram #pets #petrat #rat #ratsofig #ratties #ratcommunity #animals #animallover #petportrait #petphotographer #homestudio #photoshoot #photographer #photography

TEEFS. I love it when #ratties are so relaxed that they show their teeth! They look so silly! My rat #Toupee is the happiest when she’s cuddling up with her sisters. I swear it always looks like she’s smiling with her little chompers! I get it Toupee! I’d be smiling from ear to ear too if I could shrink into the size of a #rat and snuggle with you cutie pies! Oh Toupee, your little #teefs melt my heart! * https://www.instagram.com/p/CaxyBQPvgi1/?utm_medium=tumblr

SNAKE FOOD.
#Roux was bred to be snake food, so when I adopted her she was very skittish and afraid of everything. Often times, she would just peer out from under her tissue fort with her sweet little eyes and shake in fear. It broke my heart.

But now, with trust training and lots of patience, love and kisses … Roux has really blossomed into a brave little girl who is not only the first to greet me in the morning, but she now gleefully hops on my shoulder for kisses and will even expose her belly to me for rubs!

Don’t get me wrong, she is still a quirky little thing who runs around like a Tasmanian devil and will jump 5 feet in the air when she hears me sneeze but she has really come a long way. She knows she is safe and loved and I’m just so happy she is in my life. Love you Roux Roux!!!!!!
❤️
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https://www.instagram.com/p/Cafi1Umvwa4/?utm_medium=tumblr

PERFECT.
#Mizu was deaf, had permanent head tilt and a wonky arm from breaking it when she was young. You can see it all in this photo. She tilts her head, holds up her broken arm and squints her eye as if to say…. “What? I can’t hear you. But I love you!” 
She may have had a few ailments in life, but she never let it get in her way! She adapted and figured out her own special way of doing things. I named her Mizu for a reason. Mizu means water in Japanese. 
Water adapts, it goes with the flow, it can freeze and become a rock, it can melt and become a beautiful lake to skip stones on, it can be pulled by the moon into a powerful tidal wave or pour from the clouds and feed nature. Water is also a huge part of our bodies…so really, we all have a part of Mizu within us. This is what I like to believe. ✨⛅️ I love you Mizu! You. Are. Perfect.
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https://www.instagram.com/p/CaLEgsXvWOe/?utm_medium=tumblr

FAMILY PORTRAIT.
(Challenge: Can you name ALL the rats in the photos hanging on the wall?)
My #ratties #Roux and #Toupee got to visit their biological brothers #Bert #Beesley and #Nickels at @martymousehouse and we decided to do a fancy shmancy family portrait of all of them together!!! Look how adorable they are! The boys look so handsome and debonair and the girls look so poised and elegant! Very deceiving since we know these two girls are trouble makers! 
Since sarah and I both lost our ratties not long ago, we’re really trying to savor every moment and celebrate them any chance we get. And what better way to do that than hold a #rat party and do a family photoshoot … wearing bow ties and ribbons, lounging around a velvet sofa! This is like a Vanity Fair shoot!
A special thank you to martymousehouse for taking this amazing photo! It’s so cool that we have rattie kids who are siblings… I guess that makes us family too!
In honor of ❤️ Day, I send you all so much love, happiness and a million #rattie kisses! From our huge rattie family to yours, Happy Valentine’s Day!!!!! We love you!
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https://www.instagram.com/p/CZ-No46PJpN/?utm_medium=tumblr

SHARING IS CARING.
I wasn’t paying attention and found my sweet #Heaven eating some of my fried rice! Typically I would stop my #ratties immediately, but Heaven is a very old lady and has some health issues now, so I just let her do anything she wants! 
One of her favorite things to do is share my food with me whilst I watch tv. And then when we’re both full, she always looks up at me with her kind eyes and boggles and boggles until she falls asleep. In these moments, I take a deep breath and savor all it. She is getting arthritis in her back legs and also cataracts in both eyes, so now when I call her, she will look around for my voice and then slowly and gently walk over with her slow legs plop … plop … plop. But as soon as she smells my hands, she quickly opens her eyes widely, gives me kisses and immediately jumps on my lap for some love! And don’t get me wrong! Heaven still has a lot of sass and juice in her! Even with her old body, every day you will find her playing with her sisters, squeaking at them if they are irritating her and stealing their treats any chance she gets! In fact sometimes when I think she’s slowed down, I’ll hear a bunch of rustling… and it’s Heaven running around making her tissue fort! I love you my gentle Heaven!!! You truly live up to your name! She is LOVE. ⛅️
PS- photo by @martymousehouse thank you for capturing this precious moment of Heaven! Pssst…. you know you’re her favorite.
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https://www.instagram.com/p/CZ2NBq4PaIp/?utm_medium=tumblr

GUESS WHAT!!!!!
#Roux & #Toupee are turning ONE and we are having a BIRTHDAY extravaganza! 
Not only are the girls going to be reunited with their biological brothers Bert, Beesley and Nickles from @martymousehouse - but all of them are dressing up in bow ties and ribbons and modeling together in a #rat family portrait! I can’t wait for you guys to see how it all comes together! Sarah (mom of #MartyMouseHouse ) is baking a rat cake and we’re making rat cookies together, so it’s going to be an all out RAT themed partyyyyyyy! 
We all know, the one bad thing about having #rats is they don’t live very long. :( SO, we decided to truly savor our special time with our #ratties and celebrate them whenever we can! More pics and videos to come! Happy Birthday Roux, Toupee, Bert, Beesely and Nickels!!!!!! We love you so much! Now…it’s time to PARTY!!!!!!! ✨
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https://www.instagram.com/p/CZFF0lOpSm7/?utm_medium=tumblr

LITTLE LITTLE POTATO.
Look at #Potato when she was a baby! I was going through some photos and came across this one. I’d never had a #DwarfRat before and wasn’t sure what to expect. All I knew about Potato was she was super small and was super speedy! She would zoom across the room lightning fast like Sonic the Hedgehog! 
However, that changed pretty quickly….when she grew into her Potato-ness …. and eventually became a true couch potato! 
For those who don’t know, dwarf #rats are just like regular rats, just smaller, with little tails, little hands and little bodies! I mean look at Potato’s perfect teeny faceI I want to gobble her up! Oh Potato! I miss you so much! ✨✨✨Happy #RATurday my #rat family!
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https://www.instagram.com/p/CZC6RL9vYIw/?utm_medium=tumblr

CHRISTMAS LOVE.
Welp. #Heaven fell asleep during our photoshoot again! She cracks me up so much! Look how silly and adorable she looks! I love her to infinity. Unfortunately, #Mizu is under the weather, so she didn’t feel like taking photos, so for Xmas she was quite happy just to stay on my lap, get kisses and eat lots of delicious snacks. I feel so lucky to have Mizu and Heaven for #Christmas this year. Since they are old ladies, I never know how long they will stay with me so I savor each and every moment.
As for their little sisters #Roux and #Toupee - this is their first Xmas and they are LOVING it!
I think they wish it was Christmas every day! Happy Holidays everyone! ✨
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#ratshavefeelingstoo #rhft #rat #rats #cuterats #dumborat #babyrats #mouse #petrats #ratties #ratlove #animallover #ratlover #christmaspet #ratcommunity
https://www.instagram.com/p/CX6_srfvCrW/?utm_medium=tumblr

CAMERA HOG!
#Toupee likes being the center of attention! This photo was supposed to be of Toupee and her sister #Roux - but every time the flash would go off, Toupee would quickly stand in front of Roux! 
Mom brings out the camera. Toupee runs up and poses.
TOUPEE: Oh! Look at me! Cheeeeeeeeese!
ROUX: Hey! What am I? Chopped liver?
These two crack me up! 
If you’re wondering why Toupee looks so little here, it’s because Roux is large for a female #rat and Toupee is smaller than the average girl #rattie . She’s so petite! But don’t let her small figure fool you. Toupee is one sassy, spicy, adorable, troublemaker! Love you my little attention monster!!! ⚡️
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https://www.instagram.com/p/CW842b0vzZI/?utm_medium=tumblr

ONE….TWO…. TOUPEE’S COMING FOR YOU! ❣️ I love the film #NightmareOnElmStreet so I couldn’t resist dressing #Toupee up as #FreddyKrueger for #Halloween !!! I told her to make a really SCARY face for the photo, but as you can see, she was not successful. Look at her sweet, innocent face! I don’t think toupee will be haunting anyone in their dreams looking like this!
#HappyHalloween my #rat family! Hope your spooky night is filled with laughter, silly costumes and lots and lots of yummy candy! * https://www.instagram.com/p/CVtVT6uvFC1/?utm_medium=tumblr

PURE BLISS.
I suffer from anxiety and there are days it can feel overwhelming. But when my body trembles and I need a soft place to fall, my beautiful #ratties have been there to remind me to connect, focus on love and be present in the moment.
My #heart rat #Mizu is the most affectionate and chillest #rat I’ve ever had. When I’m with her, I can feel my heart slow down and my lungs fill with air. I mean…. look at her SMILE in this video! She is just pure love and bliss! I hope when you watch this video, you can take a deep breath and tap back into love and joy… just like Mizu! We love you!
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#ratshavefeelingstoo #rhft #rats #petvideo #ratvideo #mouse #dumborat #ratlove #animallover #cuterat #rattie #petlove #rodentlove #ratcommunity #cutepets
https://www.instagram.com/p/CU8Gt3flqwy/?utm_medium=tumblr

PURE BLISS.
I suffer from anxiety and there are days it can feel overwhelming. But when my body trembles and I need a soft place to fall, my beautiful #ratties have been there to remind me to connect, focus on love and be present in the moment.
My #heart rat #Mizu is the most affectionate and chillest #rat I’ve ever had. When I’m with her, I can feel my heart slow down and my lungs fill with air. I mean…. look at her SMILE in this video! She is just pure love and bliss! I hope when you watch this video, you can take a deep breath and tap back into love and joy… just like Mizu! We love you!
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#ratshavefeelingstoo #rhft #rats #petvideo #ratvideo #mouse #dumborat #ratlove #animallover #cuterat #rattie #petlove #rodentlove #ratcommunity #cutepets
https://www.instagram.com/p/CU8Gt3flqwy/?utm_medium=tumblr

SURGERY DAY!
Today #Roux and #Toupee go into surgery to get spayed. I’ve been anxious about it all week, but I’ve been trying to surrender to it all. Please send some good energy their way! These two babies are very bonded and scare easily, so I’m pretty sure they might be nervous right now, but they have each other which makes me feel better. And can we look at Roux’s whisker game? She is part Rex, so she has those signature curly #whiskers !!! I love these two babies so much! Be brave girls! You’ll be home soon! ✨✨✨
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https://www.instagram.com/p/CUOKYMYvnyb/?utm_medium=tumblr

TROUBLE MAKER.
Do not be deceived! #Toupee has this amazing ability to look sooooo sweet and innocent whilst doing naughty things! She will pounce on her sisters when they’re peacefully sleeping, steal their valuables, push them over on their backs as they cry for her to stop and then run away to rip apart everything in her path! All whilst looking so damn cute! 
And god forbid, should anyone do the same thing back to her…. she cries and screams so loudly, you’d think she was being attacked by a bear! 
Sometimes I lightly scold her when she gets too crazy, but then she looks up at me with that face and I end up just giving her a lot of kisses! Toupee is a lot of fun and definitely keeps things colorful in this house! She may be small for her age (the same size as Potato) but her personality is HUGE! “Nobody puts baby Toupee in the corner!” Dirty Dancing reference for you youngins’. 
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https://www.instagram.com/p/CT-WSP2onQI/?utm_medium=tumblr

POTATO BANANA CHIP.
#Potato puts on weight easily, so I have to limit her treats. But Auntie Sarah from @martymousehouse gave her a yummy delicious banana chip and Potato was forever changed! She was like, “What is this crispy banana thingy? It’s so much better than broccoli!!!!!!” Oh my little tater tot, you are wayyyyyy more delicious than a banana chip! I just want to gobble you up! Happy tater tot Thursday everyone!
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#ratshavefeelingstoo #rhft #rat #rats #petrat #dumborat #dwarfrat #mouse #vegan #vegans #cutepet #animallover #ratlover #cuterats #babyrats #ratcommunity #rodents #rodentlove
https://www.instagram.com/p/CT48fYQplUl/?utm_medium=tumblr

POTATO HAMMOCK!
I’ve purchased more #rattie hammocks than I can count … yet Potato’s favorite place to take her naps is in my shirt! I think she likes it in there because it’s close to my heart, it’s warm and she gets first dibs on snacks when I eat! Whenever she smells my food, she’ll pop her teeny head out, grab the yummy morsel and hide back in my shirt. It’s so adorable!
#Potato NEVER wins when it comes to rattie food wars. Often, when she sees her sisters approaching, Potato bears down and holds her food tightly in her teeth. But unfortunately she isn’t very strong, so within seconds her sisters rip the food out of Potato’s mouth, leaving her squeaking and crying without her treat! It’s the saddest thing to witness! I really have a soft spot for this girl! 
So I’m happy to give Potato the VIP treatment and let her stay in my shirt for first dibs! It’s like having my own little baby kangaroo … she’s my PotatoRoo! Love you so much Pots!
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