While not official, highly likely...

So, I haven't been able to find Daisy. 

That text that I sent last night in the wee hours of the morning had several reply texts when I crawled out of bed:

Me (last night):  Hey when you were here the other day and opened up that chin cage, did one of the chins get out or get dropped?  Cause there were two chins in that cage and now there's only one ... and the door was completely latched

Him (today):  No it did not but the kid who gave me a ride was just some kid that lives by me that I needed a ride from and I gave him gas money.  And we're not really friends because him and his gf are drug users so I do not associate with them.  But they were acting really weird and hurried to drop me off.  And I remember his girlfriend holding onto her purse the whole time and they were like "we gotta take you home."  I thought they were feining for drug money maybe but I dunno what coulda happened I don't think it would hop out and run away.  I will definitely get ahold of the girl first then her boyfriend."

Me:  Odd.  Well see if you find anything out.

Now, I honestly think this guy had nothing to do with this and was completely in the dark.  Looking back at this, we get the whole "hindsight is 20/20 thing" -- which I could totally see.  If someone was driving me somewhere and was like ok, we gotta go... I'd just think ok maybe they had somewhere to be, not that they probably stole something and needed to get out of there.

And come to think of it, I do think I remember the girl holding her purse out in front of her like in front of her chest... which was kind of an awkward look, but again, just pushed it aside thinking nothing of it.

So, I go down in the basement, check several times with the flashlight around every nook and corner, and I cannot find Daisy.  I still have not told her adoptive home.  And it is typical, TYPICAL that this would happen with a chin that's on hold for one of our adoptive homes.  This couldn't happen with a chin that's just sitting here waiting to be adopted, no.  Has to be one that I'm going to have to break the news to the people... but haven't gotten around to that yet.

So, while I'd have loved to have spent the day looking for Daisy, with the pending likelihood that she wasn't even down there, I put together a chin order that was from weeks ago (I'm sure the person is wondering where it is -- I will have to get it mailed out tomorrow with an apology). 

Took a drive to the vet (just went to Munster, I like Dr. Foster) took in Jessie (our chin) and Juno (one of our rescue rats).  Well Jessie's been having some eye issues for quite some time now, and Dr. Foster's been seeing her.  Well, he gave her more eye drops, Tobramycin I believe, as well as TMS as an oral antiobiotic.  So, hopefully targeting this from all angles.  He said her eyes look swollen (poor thing!).

Onto Juno... one of our (rat) adoptive homes, Jim and his wife, they were here the day that the boys were here and took Daisy (they were here at the same time actually, that's what kept me from having my attention fully on the boys), Jim/wife noticed that Juno had some sort of cyst or scab sort thing on his back.  So, since we have so many rats and I sure as heck can't afford to treat them all, he went into the vet.  Looks like one of the cysts (or whatever?) actually had broken open by the time I got to the vet.   Poor Juno.  So, Dr. Foster said that it's clearly a bacterial skin infection and he gave me some clavamox to give.  Said to put some neosporin on the actual wounds.  But... basically Dr. Foster said that the problem isn't the bacterial skin infection, it's what caused it.  He said this could be due to a compromised immune system from something else.... and if these meds don't fix it, we can try another thing or two, but then we're looking at putting him down, partly for the sake of the other rats (the idea being that if it's taking us too long to figure this out, it could be contagious and we could infect the whole rat colony to try to save one rat).  So, fingers crossed (as well as fingers crossed of the receptionists who wanted to know what the Dr said) that the clavamox and neosporin helps Juno.  He's a very sweet rat and he would do awesome if Jim and his wife adopted him, he would have the lap of luxury, so I hope he pulls through this.

Well, and I hope Jessie pulls through her eye infection too... still not at Baytril, but I suppose that would be the next strongest.  TMS is good, it's a little less problematic as far as side effects, so it's preferred, but we'll see how it works for her.  Maybe this'll be it.

So, I currently have that side table covered with the new GP cage, but I'm thinking I'm going to have to move it and move the sick rat and the chin over there.  The doctor asked about them being on shavings and I replied that I can use shredded paper bedding, and he said try that in case we have a respiratory infection going on in Jessie.  Can't change her cage over yet, cause it's late at night, but first thing in the morning.

Oh, on that note, I should explain.  Jim was the one that donated four cages last time he was here, and he told me about this place by him that has loads of shredded paper, and I remember telling him that would be awesome to get that and use in some of the cages.  Well, but he never like told me the name of the place or anything, and really, shavings aren't expensive, so I didn't think much of it.  Until he showed up the other day to look at Juno and Buddy with three HUGE bags of shredded paper.  AWESOME.  Love him.

So currently, our GP's are on the shredded paper, Lola & Ally's cage has been changed over to shredded paper, Buddy was put in a cage with shredded paper (so Juno could go in the cage that's already "contaminated" with his stuff and Buddy could go in a "sterile" cage).  It looks nice.  We'll see what I think once it starts getting wet.

So, had someone call about putting in an order for some shelves and stuff.  Told her I would check on S&H and get back to her... haven't had a chance yet.  Should put that on my to-do list.  Ok, done.

So then, found this stacked birdcage on craigslist for make-an-offer.  Offered, and went out to Roselle, IL today to get it.  The lady was amused that I'd drive quite that far (it's like 102 miles round trip) to get the stack cage, but dude I'd been looking for one forever.  I told her every time I'd see one, I'd email and the people would either have already sold it, or they'd want like $200 for it.  And it's like dude, if I can get one new that's either the same size or slightly bigger for $240... why would I want to pay $200 for it used?   I mean it would have to be like never-used condition for me to pay $200.  Even my used cages are discounted more than that.  Anyway, but this one was reasonable.  The drive out to Roselle... not so much.  I left the house at 5... with the traffic and delays... I wasn't home until like 8:15-8:30.  Holy hell.  And I did talk with the lady, she was very nice, but it's not like we talked for an hour! 

So, here's the picture of the cage I was going off of.  It's actually a stack of three bird cages with a stand.  The cages are 24 x 16 x 16.  Would have preferred the larger 30 x 18 x 18, but can't be picky when buying things used off craiglist.  Seeing it, I'm happy with it and with what I paid.

It is actually on casters, one of which is ready to fall out, so I think I'm going to lay the whole thing down and hammer the one part a bit to make the fit a little tighter.  Very happy it's on casters, don't have to make a wheeled stand for it like I thought I might have to.

So, for anyone who's like, surely that's too small for a chin -- yes, it definitely is.  Well, I take that back.   It would be ok as a "quarantine" cage or to separate a sick chin... except that these are bird cages so they have bird-cage sized doors, so getting a chin out might be difficult.  Though, if anyone wants to donate a stack of bass equipment's stacked rabbit cages with doors that open outward (I know, I'm picky, right? lol) so I can have a stack of quarantine chin cages, I would not object.  Haha. 

But no, these are for the rats.  In case anyone has noticed, we have had rats take over three of our tables right now and that's a LOT of space that is not being able to be used for chins.  So, these cages are going to be cleaned up, have hammocks strung in them, other goodies put in them, and they're going to hold some of our rats.  After, of course, I take white cable ties and cable tie the cages to the stand.  I'm just too iffy about that kinda thing and I'm not the most graceful person at times, so better they all be held together.

So some of the rats will be getting new homes in a few days.  And my mom wanted some bags for her vacuum cleaner from Amazon, so I ordered some rat goodies to push the order over $25 and get us all free shipping.

So, having finally gotten home from Roselle, I texted the rat guy again. 

Me:  Any luck?  Find out anything?

Him:  Neither of them responded to my text when I brought it up and then they didn't answer my calls either.  So I dunno, I need to get a hold of them somehow.

Me:  Ok, sounds suspicious on their part.  Thanks for trying.

Him:  Yeah the only way I know the guy is because he sells marijuana to my little brother and I desperately asked him for a ride, then later on he was interested in a rat and then didn't seem interested in buying him and then just starts saying lets go.  He said his mom wanted him home.  I can try to find out the full names for you.

Me:  I'm not sure if that'd do any good, but it can't hurt.

Ok, I would say that definitely sounds suspicious that they're not responding to his texts or phone calls.  Right?  So... I'm thinking I'm going to have to email that adoptive home... who is surely not going to be thrilled with the situation... but what can I do?

Oh, and we had like four people email us today about rabbits.  Course, everyone wants the same few, and no one was interested in Carney.  The first person was interested in Fuzzball, the second wanted Fuzzball and Thumper.  Well, I told the second that Fuzzball was on hold, so only Thumper was available at the moment, and she said she wanted a bonded pair.  So I told her, well Thumper and Carney are like best buds, they always sleep together and everything, and I asked her if she might be interested in that pair... no response.  Go figure.  Anyway, third person was interested in Thumper, and the second person wanted him, so.... everyone's playing a waiting game right now.

Well, I think that's it for the day.  Gotta go give the critters their evening meds and go get some neosporin (or whatever look-alike I have) for poor Juno and then take some crap downstairs and all.  Been organizing down there a bit.  Still want to re-do the cage setup, but I have to have all the FN's ready and done for that, and that hasn't happened yet.  And Jim was telling me he found a place to powder coat his FN pans for $10/each, so I may have to ask him about that.... but that's it for today.