life of di: my boys :)

i have 2 pet rats.

they're brothers, sheldon and prince ivan (say it like ih-vahn, like russian.) they are really utterly adorable.

ivan has one eye. he lost the other in an accident when he was a few months old.

they both love the same little joys in their ratty lives: yogurt, yogurt drops, berries, cheerios, toilet paper tubes, cardboard soda boxes, fighting and snuggling with each other, and me <3.

they seriously love yogurt. i take a spoonful and set it in front of them and they go nutz trying to take it for themselves.

they have very distinct personalities: sheldon is not a lap rat -- he loves exploring. he does not like having his tummy touched. he takes 6 whole pieces of ratty chow and takes it into his soda box, then comes back for another mouthful -- if you pick up the box a whole avalanche of food comes out. he is has distinct tastes in interior decorating (like me!), moving the fleece into the box and chewing it up to make a comfortable nest (and to hide all the food).

ivan is perfectly comfortable sitting and getting a massage. he will make a break for it if you stop petting him, but he's content to stay still while being snuggled. he eats food he wants, then if the bowl is empty and he's hungry he goes and raids his brother's stash. he sometimes wanders off if you try to give him a treat because it's on his blind side. however, both of them can hear a food bag a mile away.

they're about 1 1/2 years old now. they live about 2 years, but i'm hoping they'll be around for as long as they can.