 | Poor Zed is a little sore after getting neutered on Tuesday. The veterinarians were absolutely wonderful and I could not have asked for better treatment for my little man. They had me hold Zed in my arms while he was anesthetised to make the experience as stress-free as possible for him, and I laid him on the operation table once he was asleep. After awakening from his surgery, Zed was elated to be on his way back to the comfort of his home. He has been recovering well and, like a typical coati, is living life to the fullest. :)  |
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Happy Thanksgiving to all of our fellow Canadian fans! We hope you all have a wonderful holiday. ~ Nana, Kaiser, Zed, Shorty, Famous, Suki, Cash, Mortimer, London, Britain, Saoirse, and Arrow :)  Time for a riddle. What do you get when you take a Border Collie...  ...a Bengal cat...  ...a coatimundi...  ...an opossum...  ...and a troop of rats...  ...and bring them to a playground?  The answer? Lots of fun and some awesome pictures!  Nana, Kaiser, and Shorty hanging out together for a picture.  "Giddy up, Kai! Let's go!"  "Look out, everyone! I own this playground!"  "Actually, Nana, I believe I own the playground!"  "Say what you want, guys, but we all know that this playground is my domain. You're welcome for enlightening you."  "Is the coast clear, Kai?"   "Good, 'cause I'm coming dooooooowwwn...."  "Come on Kai, move! I wanna use the slide again!"  "Well, clearly you have forgotten; I own the slide."  "Not if I come down right now and push you off. Hehe."  This is what six rats bickering over a flight of stairs looks like. The step that the other rats are on is always more exciting than the step on which the rat is currently stationed. Arrow, Saoirse, Mortimer, Cash, Famous, and Suki  Of course, leave it to the impish and inquisitive Saoirse to entertain herself with this activity. She poked her head through each hole on the step's surface in case, by chance, there may have been one hole she could fit through.  And leave it to the equally impish and inquisitive Zed to attempt to copy her, despite his head being far too big. Goofy boy. :)  Nana posing for an embarrassing photo with Shorty.    Zed taking in the view from the top of his -- ahem -- Kaiser's tower.  Suki (left) and Arrow (right) playing Peek-a-boo.  Cash (left) and Arrow (right) exploring the playground.  "Who wants a swing ride?"  "We do!" Mortimer (left) and Famous (right)  Now it's time to sleep it off.
 After struggling with severe depression and off-and-on anorexia following the passing of Shadow, Raven finally lost her will to continue on and passed the afternoon of August 26th. She scarcely ate during her final days, exercised very little, and her positive response to the arrival of a new companion for her was unfortunately short-lived. Raven collapsed in her enclosure on August 7, after which I immediately separated her from the other rats and hand fed/watered her until she passed peacefully nearly three weeks later. She is now finally reunited with the only one who could have liberated her from the depression and grief which tragically took her life: Shadow, who passed away back in March. Never have I witnessed such devotion, loyalty, and grief in an animal for another that passed on before them. Rats are such incredibly emotional and sensitive animals, and I don't believe any rat has proved this better than Raven. It pains me deeper than words can say to have lost two of my beautiful girls before their time; Shadow passed away back in March after reacting negatively to the anesthetic used during her surgery to remove a mammary tumour, and Raven due to the grief of losing Shadow. I miss those two girls beyond measure, and I wish more than anything to have them back. Below is a handful of photos of Raven taken throughout her life, which was by far the best life she could have ever lived. She was cherished, heavily pampered, and adored for everything she was... mischievous, rowdy, bossy, audacious, and adventurous among many other things. Raven has left a void in my broken heart that only she could fill, and it is not the same around here without her running about causing the mischief she was known for. Raven, know that you are dearly loved and you will be missed until we meet again. I love you, my precious baby girl.
Raven at six weeks old.
Hanging out on the farm equipment.  One of my favourite pictures. Left to right: Raven, Famous, and Suki  Raven exploring the Bobcat.
Raven loved to climb trees almost more than any other activity... almost.
Raven's favourite activity (next to causing mischief in the house) was learning and performing tricks. Here, she demonstrates her "jump" trick, where she would leap high into the air like a kangaroo.
And in the evenings, Raven was always down for a wrestling match.
All of the rats love to compete with each other over who gets to eat the treats hidden in the bucket of the wishing well, and of course Raven enjoyed participating in the competition.  In the evenings, the ratties are given their pureed fruits & veggies. Here, Raven (left) shares a dish with Shadow (right).
 Raven snuggles with Shadow, Famous, and Suki underneath Famous' outdoor skateboard ramp.  "Where are we going, Mom?"  Taken roughly two months prior to her passing. This photo shows Raven chilling on the cooling stone in the rats' enclosure, with Famous by her side.  In her final days, Raven spent virtually all of her time in this hut stationed on the window-shelf of the rats' enclosure (this photo is taken from the room outside the enclosure looking inside). Mortimer (pictured) stayed by her side grooming her and bringing her food right until the day she collapsed.  One of the last pictures taken of Raven. Aged 2 years, 7 months. Welcome to the new Amazing Animal Tricks blog, the first and fastest way to find quick and frequent news updates, photos, and videos on Nana the Border Collie & Friends. Check with us frequently, as we will be updating our wonderful fans on The Gang regularly! See you in the next update! ~ Nana, Kaiser, Zed, Shorty, Famous, Suki, Raven, Cash, Mortimer, London, Britain, Saoirse, and Arrow :)  |
Amazing Animal Tricks BlogThe latest news, adventures, photos, and videos of Nana the Border Collie, Kaiser the Bengal cat, Zed the coati, Shorty the opossum, and my Talented Rats. Past News
December 2015
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