Daniel: King of the Rats

Nearly two weeks ago I brought home a new friend. Plum. She's a chubby little fancy rat. At the pet shop that I work at, we can only sell males, because we're a male-only store and we got her on accident so she needed to find a home. I instantly volunteered to take her home, having experience with both mice and rats. I was anxious to meet her. If she didn't like me, I wouldn't take her, that wouldn't be fair to the animal, but she took to me almost instantly. She explored, crawling up my arms and across my shoulders and sitting against my chest as I held her for the first time. I took her home that evening. I'd never adopted a rodent before, I bought my mice at a pet shop, so I wasn't sure how it would go, but it was just me filling out a form and signing it.
A girl I work with was interested in Plum as well and I didn't know what I'd have done if she got her. I probably would have fallen apart. I need something to love me. I surround myself with animals because people let me down and hurt me. Animals never have. She and I already have formed a great bond. I share some of my fresh veggies with her and unsalted sunflower seeds. She jumps up to greet me and have under her chin stroked every morning before I head out to work or as I'm returning from work. She likes to sit on my shoulder as I work and sit on my lap while I watch telly. She's a smart and warm animal. Sometimes I like to sit and watch her climb around her cage, jump down or play with my socks. She loves socks. I had a few older pairs I didn't like so I gave them to her, to see what she'd do and she made herself a nice little bed from them. She loves her new little hammock bed; it's soft and warm for long sleeps and for swinging, looking down on my dog as he looks up from her. We're in it for the long haul, all new adventures are on the horizon for us. She even likes my much smaller mouse, Chubbs :D