The rats from the recent hoarding case would like to thank each and every person who donated baby food!
Not only is baby food useful for getting rats to take their lifesaving medications, but it is also a quick and easy way to get extra nutrients without having to spend hours cooking and chopping vegetables and fruits!
With over 70 rats on the brink of starvation, desperately needing to put on weight, baby food has been incredibly important for their recovery. ❤️🩹
Wisconsin Lab Rats
In the midst of the madness surrounding the hoarding case, we welcomed 15 beautiful retired lab rats to Headquarters on Monday evening! 🧪🐀 This is Liam aka Pillow, the biggest rat we have ever laid eyes on. 😰 Weighing in at a solid 832g on intake, Pillow is going to need a home that will help him get much-needed exercise! Pillow is going to see his new friend, Dr. Ernesto at Lucks Lane Veterinary Clinic and we will report back what we learn about why he is so chonky!
Pillow immediately felt at home at Headquarters, laying down in his soft bedding, munching on peach baby puffs, and boggling in a matter of minutes.🥹🥰 There is no better sound in the world!
Welcome to the Wisconsin rats. We are so glad you are here. ❤❤❤
Goal achieved
WE DID IT! 🥳
In less than 24 hours, this amazing community donated enough money to secure transportation for 15 lab rats to come halfway across the country! We are constantly amazed by this community and your support for our mission. We were fully expecting to be fundraising right until their transport in October!
Now that we can confidently cover the cost of their freedom ride, any other donations that come in for these rats will go towards the cost of their care once they're here! We know that one will likely need to see a veterinarian as she has been battling a nasty case of bumblefoot, and we will need to spoil these babies with lots of enrichment items like wood chews, foraging toys, and Whimzees. Not to mention, at least one of these rats weighs between 800-900g so we know they are going to EAT.
We truly can't thank you enough for your support. Without you, we could not make life-changing transfers like this one. Animal rescue takes a village, and rat people have shown up time and time again to make sure we know that when we need help, you will band together to make it happen. 💕
We will continue to keep you posted on the Wisconsin Lab Rats, but in the meantime, know that your generosity changes lives of rats all across the country. 🥰
Medina County Rats
The Medina County hoarding case rats wanted to say a huge "Thank You!" to Valerie, who has sent them baby puffs, chew toys, and cleaning supplies that are making their stay with us more comfortable! Thank you, Valerie!
Going home!
Frank is making sure that he looks his best because he is going HOME! The first group of The Joyous Eighteen have left the building, with several more groups adopted and waiting to be picked up. There are only a couple more groups who are still available for adoption, so if you have been considering applying for TJE now is the time! You don't want to miss out on these sweet boys and this amazing opportunity!
Benny Update
Important update on Benny's CT scan:
Unfortunately, Benny has not been feeling well this morning and had a seizure on the way to the vet. The doctor examined him and we discussed whether or not to proceed with the scan today. Ultimately we decided that it is in Benny's best interest to reschedule the scan for a couple weeks from now.
We will continue to keep you posted on Benny's journey! If you would like to donate to his CT scan fundraiser, you can do so at PayPal (www.paypal.me/secondchancerats) or Venmo (@secondchancerats). Thank you all for your love and support for our sweet Benny Boy!
The Joyous Eighteen
Calling all scientists👩🔬, science enthusiasts 🔬, and rat lovers who want to get involved in science! 🧬
Please join us in welcoming The Joyous Eighteen! These boys came to us from a laboratory where they were used in research looking at 🌈 JOY 🤩 and they are now ready to find their forever homes.
But that’s not all!
These boys are part of a ⭐️ Citizen Science Project ⭐️ meaning that their adopters are going to help us learn about the long-term effects of joy over the course of The Joyous Eighteen’s lives. Adopters will play a crucial part in this research, providing regular updates on their Joyous rats, including weight, health, and temperament. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity! Have we piqued your interest?
Here’s what you need to know about The Joyous Eighteen:
🐭 They are males born February 2nd of this year with no known health issues
🐭 They are very well socialized and comfortable with handling
🐭 They are coming from a laboratory environment, so they are still trying to get a grasp on “how to rat”
🐭 The adopters of these rats will be required to send regular updates to the research team - but these are low-effort-required type updates, things like weight, and whether they have developed any health or behavior issues, etc.
🐭 They will be adopted in groups of 3
🐭 They will be RANDOMLY ASSIGNED to their adopters (but don’t worry, they are ALL precious sweethearts!)
🐭 We want you to treat your Joyous rats like you would any of your other rats! Aside from regular updates to the research team, these are your beloved family members and can live with your other rats, have regular play time, and fit into your routines!
If you are interested in participating in this citizen science project, please fill out the adoption application linked below and be sure to include “The Joyous Eighteen” when asked what rats you are interested in! If you have any questions about participating in this special o
Dot's girls
Are your days noticeably devoid of ratty kisses? Dot's daughters, Mini and Iota are happy to oblige! These little eight week old firecrackers are waiting for you!
ADOPTION PENDING:
Cardamom and Ginger are the last of our New York girlies still looking for their forever home! Cardamom was a mama who arrived with several of her kiddos. Ginger, a black and white beauty, is likely her niece. They are really special ladies who have traveled across the coast just to find their perfect family! Cardamom is a young mother, at only about 7 months old, and Ginger is still a baby at just about 4months!
They love their free roam time best of all, and are currently living with their foster sisters. They would LOVE to go to a home with other ladies (or neutered males) to keep them company. They have been through so much in a short amount of time: a less than ideal home, mange that tore up their ears, a trip to the shelter, several vet visits, AND a 9 hour drive to Virginia, and it's safe to say they are ready to settle down. You can apply to adopt these cuties here: https://form.jotform.com/223004657598058
ADOPTION PENDING
Remember our sick friend, Cupid? 💘🐁 He had his LAST recheck with the vet this morning and he is looking amazing! He has gained almost 100g in the two weeks since his arrival, and fought like hell to come back from pneumonia. 💪 He and his brother are being treated for mites, and then they will be ready for adoption. 💕 Watch Cupid's road to recovery and share in our celebration of his victory over illness and a new life! ❤️🩹
Cupid’s Recovery
Cupid the day after arriving at SCH vs one week into treatment! Cupid had been put on Clavamox at the shelter, which is generally not strong enough for URI’s and definitely not strong enough to combat pneumonia. He is now on Baytril and Doxycycline orally, with Gentamicin and Acetylcysteine in his nebulizer twice a day. He also had a short course of prednisone for a few days. This aggressive treatment plan has almost certainly saved his life. A huge thank you to Dr. Rice at Oasis for getting him in so quickly and throwing absolutely everything at him for the best chance of pulling through. As you can see, Cupid is feeling significantly better! He’s got another week on all his meds, and hopefully that will knock this pneumonia down and out at last so he can start the rest of his life feeling better than ever before!
Cupid is a great example of why you should always take upper respiratory infections seriously and get them treated ASAP, as they can turn to pneumonia quickly, and not all rats are able to overcome pneumonia when it is as severe as Cupid’s was when he first arrived. Remember, rats will hide signs of illness until they CAN’T anymore, so by the time they are looking sick, things have been brewing for quite a long time. We will continue to update you on Cupid’s progress, but for now we are celebrating just how much better he is feeling. ❤️🩹🐀💪
Sugar, Sweet Thang, and Darling
❤️ADOPTED🎄:
Sugar, Sweet Thang, and Darling are looking for their forever home!
Sugar, a Siamese, LOVES people. Like, she is obsessed with people. Everyone who meets her falls in love instantly. She will climb up your jacket sleeve or up your arm to sit on your shoulder. She has a big head tilt and a habit of running in circles which our vet does believe may be neurological, but she has a long life ahead of her full of love and fun!
Sweet Thang, a completely deaf fawn Rex, sleeps simultaneously like a rock and a potato. She has the softest coat we’ve ever felt and a head tilt even bigger than Sugar’s as a result of an ear infection that went untreated. She is in good health but looks a little wonky. She is also a big time people-rat and loves to be with you!
Darling is the most reserved of the three, and she’s really not that reserved at all. She just doesn’t love to be pet or handled much but that doesn’t mean she doesn’t want to hang out with you!
These girlies have been at SCH for two major holidays and would love to find their forever home before Christmas. They are ready to settle down and have a family of their own! Is it you they have been looking for?
Rochester & Morticia
The happy couple are enjoying a relaxing honeymoon. They asked us to pass along their gratitude for all the donations made to Second Chance Heroes in honor of their marriage!
Giving Tuesday: Rochester's Wedding
It is a tail of true love.
We are pleased to invite you to attend the wedding of Rochester and his one true love. ❤ The bride and groom tried on their outfits, but ultimately opted for more "true to them" wedding attire - nudity!
In lieu of wedding gifts, the happy couple have requested that donations be made to Second Chance Heroes, where they met and fell in love.
https://second-chance-heroes-rat-adoptions.square.site/
paypal.me/secondchancerats
https://venmo.com/u/secondchancerats
And a special thanks to Minglewood Bake Shop for making the wedding cake of the bride's dreams! 😍
Giving Tuesday Head Tilt Girls
We often have rats behind the scenes who are not available for adoption yet because they are undergoing medical care, waiting for surgery, or going through behavior modification.
Darling, Sugar, and Sweet Thang came from a shelter partner where they were surrendered with head tilts. Since they arrived at SCH, they have gone through a couple rounds of antibiotics, and we are now trying out medications to help with the dizzies. The current thinking is that they HAD ear infections in their previous home that went untreated, which caused permanent damage. Sweet Thang (fawn rex) lost her hearing entirely. These girls have not been made available yet, as we are still trying to figure out if there is anything else that can be done to make them more comfortable before sending them off to their new homes.
Sugar, Sweet Thang, and Darling came by their names earnestly. They are beyond sweet and just adore people. They have never met a stranger and will be an excellent addition to any home once they are ready!
