* Chico found his forever home with lovely people! *

Chico was brought into Hamilton Animal Control when he was found outside near the mountain brown in Hamilton. He was extremely thin and covered in scabs when he arrived at HAC. We’ll never know how long Chico had been out on his own, but he is lucky that someone recognized that he was a domestic rat, and cared enough to bring him to safety.
In the few weeks Chico spent at HAC, staff there did a great job of getting some weight onto him. They also bathed him and treated him for mites. He’s feeling much better now!
After we rescued Chico from HAC, he had a vet visit and got a clean bill of health, other than his teeth are a little out of alignment. They don’t require surgery, but Chico should be offered softer food as well as the mixed rat food that contains seeds, and his adopter will need to keep an eye on his teeth and get him to a rat savvy vet if required. Some of Chico’s favourites include banana, baked beans, tofu, boiled potato and broccoli.
Chico is a friendly guy. He’s easily handled and really likes to have the top of his head stroked. He’s a really sweet rat who deserves a great forever home!

Please adopt Chico!

 

Sadly, Chico’s situation before he came to us seems to be yet another case of an owner releasing their pet into the wild, thinking the animal can survive on their own. Domestic rabbits, rats, guinea pigs, hamsters, gerbils and other small animals do not have the genetic traits to survive without human care. They cannot find food on their own, and because of their colouring and lack of “wild animal” instincts, they easily fall prey to predators. If for whatever reason you cannot keep your pet and are considering releasing him/her into the wild, please don’t. Their chances of survival are very slim, and their life until that point may be one of constant suffering…

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Ladybird recommends Critter Nation cages. They are hands down the most spacious, and best quality enclosure for small animals on the market. They come in single and double sizes, and can be modified and customized to create enrichment and provide comfort. Critter Nation cages are available (or can be ordered) at most local pet supply stores.

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Can’t adopt but want to help?
Monetary donations are always needed, but if you’d like to donate something specifically for the rats in our care, donations of rat food and small pet blankets (used for cage lining) are very much appreciated!

Visit this page of our website to see all the ways to donate.