Archer's new setup, Calimari, and rats

Archer's new set up. It's organic dirt(no icky pesticides or chemical fertilizers) with a bottom layer of yesterday's news for drainage. I don't know if the yesterday's news was necessary, If/when I make another set up like this I think I'll leave it out. Dirt is supposed to be _great_ for smell and last a long time(months)- we'll see. So far, no smell, and he loves digging arround in it. It's got a flower pot "igloo", shell/rock house, picture-frame stand thing, tunnel, rope bridge, hammock, toys and wheel. The orange line indicates where the tunnel is, and the x's are the openings(Archer made the the middle one himself). When I put him last night, it was all flat and such, complete with a little river rock path from house to water bottle. As you can see it was not up to his standards and he spent all night excavating.


In the tunnel....

Peeking out the front end
Back to the other side again

Sitting under the shell lean-to
And Calamari being handsome

Tact has a lump :( It's either a fatty tumor or a mammary one. Pretty much inevitable, but it still makes me sad. I'm pretty sure Cassy's problems(weight-loss, bulging eye, unexplained lactation, nervousness, neurotic behaviors) are cause by a pituitary tumor. Tact in his younger days


I guess the sweet black mamma-to-be rat had her babies and is doing well. I just hope she ends up as a pet and not someone's dinner.