This is "Oreo" (as she's known at the vet - otherwise she's known as "my little hyperactive girlie"). She and her sister were adopted in October of 2000 from a really good petstore in Grosse Pointe, MI. She's a little bundle of energy, always bouncing around and sniffing everything. This is a rare photo of her shortly after tumor remval surgery in late February. She was still groggy from the surgery - otherwise, she'd have been boucning off the laser printer or trying to climb up my desk.

The hooded girlie on the top of "Shaved Paw Girlie" is known as "My Sweet Sensitive Little Girlie" (or something equally as pathetically cute as that) She was the caretaker for both of ther older sisters before they died. Unlike Oreo, she's always been more calm and "lap puppy" like. Unfortunately, her mellowness and sweetness means that she's had a hard time with her sisters death. Her anxiety has manifested itself in overgrooming (to the point of scabs on herself) so she looks like she's a half hairless rat now. Hopefully the addition of two baby girls soon will snap her out of it. Otherwise, it's Prozac for Rats (tm).

This is one of the "Tacos" - apparently their grandma thinks that their manly musk smells like tacos and/or tortilla chips. (Sadly enough, we do agree that they do) This little (big, actually) boy is the more outgoing and active of the two. He's also always the first to steal napkins and Kleenex (he loves to pull fresh ones out of the box - he thinks we get them for free, just for his enjoyment). He really enjoys our sofa, which must feel good on his little paws - he'll rub them in a funny way for half an hour all around the sofa. Silly boy.

This is the other Taco. Also known as Nacho. He's the shyer of the two, but is still just as sweet as his brother. (If not sweeter - do not tell his brother that.) He'd prefer to curl up in his Wodent Wheel all day, coming out after he's well rested at night. He would rather his beauty sleep not be disturbed. Which, of course, is impossible when he's looking so cute. (Wonder if rats have ever killed their mommy or daddy for babying them like some kids do... Hehehe)

This is just another gratuitous picture of the shy boy - colour has been slightly lightened because the picture was unfortunately rather dark. This is him saying "No mommy, I don't want to be a model anymore today. I already cannot see and you have enough pictures to show around to everyone that'll listen."

Another gratuitous picture of the outgoing boy. He's scoping out what's tasty and what he can drag back to his house that we left out on the table. That or he's trying to look cute in the hopes that I'd give him another treat for his posing as a model. Silly spoiled little boy.