Posts tagged Rats

What I Wore: Rat Fan

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Have you ever found an item of clothing that is just so perfect it could’ve been made with you in mind? Well for me, this t shirt is one of those items. I love rats, I love Batman, I love black clothing, so what better than a black ‘Rat Fan’, Batman-style t shirt?!

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ratsratsrats Rat Fan T Shirt / Primark Long Black Cardigan / Blue Rags Black Ornate Embroidered Trousers / Dr Martens Lauren Boots

I bought this t shirt for £14.99 from an online store called ratsratsrats, which specialises in rat-themed clothing, accessories and gifts.  I’ve ordered a couple of t shirts from them now and I’m always really impressed with the quality.  The fabric is really soft and comfortable, the fit is great and the print is always high quality.  I also like the length of ratsratsrats tees as they sit below the hip, which I prefer.

I teamed the t shirt with my favourite winter cardigan, and a pair of Blue Rags black embroidered trousers, which are so warm and comfy.  They’re also patterned with a beautiful embroidery-style damask, which you can see clearer on the red pair I styled here.  My Dr Martens Lauren Boots make an appearance too, of course.

This outfit is pretty much my go-to outfit for cosy, lazy weekend days, and is perfect for nipping out to the shops, or slouching around the house in.

Naomi x

Pumpkin, Pingu and Bramble

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A couple of weeks ago Charles and I added a few more members to our family – three more baby rats!  We originally wanted two more to live with Mabel and Heather, as the intro between them and Miggley just wasn’t working, but when we found out that the breeder we use had three females left, we decided to get them all.

The three new girls are called Pumpkin, Pingu and Bramble, and they’re currently ten weeks old, and incredibly cute!  Here they all are…

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Pumpkin is an Agouti Berkshire and is a little feisty thing.  She’s very confident and keeps play fighting with Mabel, which is always fun to watch.

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Pingu (so-called because she’s black with a white belly!) is my little shy girl.  She’s smaller than the other two, and quite timid, but she’s so loving.  She reminds me a lot of Mog in her demeanour and appearance.

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Bramble is an Agouti Hooded Dumbo – my first ever dumbo rat!  Just look at those gorgeous ears.  She’s feisty like Pumpkin, and also likes picking play fights with her big sisters.

The three new girls have the same dad as Mabel and Heather, which I think made the introduction process a lot easier.  After a week of quarantine we let all the girls meet each other on neutral territory, and they got on straight away.  Nobody showed any signs of aggression, and after two intros they were ready to live together!

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Charles and I also invested in a Savic Royale Suite cage, which is a top-of-the-range piece of kit.  It can fit about twelve rats, but we’re sticking to five for now, so they’re very lucky in terms of space!  The five rats have now been living together since Monday, and we’ve had no trouble.  In fact, they’re all like best of friends!  Every morning I find them squished into one bed together asleep – so cute!

Naomi x

Introducing Heather and Mabel

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A couple of weeks ago I had to say goodbye to my beautiful heart rat Mog.  She’d been suffering with a pituitary tumour for a little while, and though we tried every treatment available, it unfortunately got too much for her and she had to be put to sleep.  I was absolutely heartbroken and I still miss her like mad, as does her sister Miggley, who was left alone.

Rats are very sociable animals and aren’t supposed to live singly, which left us with no choice but to get her some cagemates!  After contacting many breeders all over the Midlands, I eventually managed to find two young females from Destiny Rats.  After a week of waiting, last weekend we finally got to collect our new babies, and here they are…

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Heather is a Russian Blue Berkshire, and Mabel is a Buff Berkshire, and they are both now nine weeks old, and so, so soft and cute!  As they were handled from a very young age by the breeder and her family, they are both incredibly friendly and loving, and we get mobbed every time we go up to their cage.

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We have only just started the introduction process with the two girls and Miggley, so they haven’t met properly yet, but they are very curious about each other from afar.  They will gradually be introduced over the next couple of weeks, and eventually they will all be living together in one big cage.  Hopefully they’ll all get along fine!

I plan on blogging about how the introduction goes, so check back soon for an update.

Naomi x

P.S. Miggley says “kmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm8ppppppppppppo[pyu”

What I Wore: Rat Face

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The weather is finally starting to get warmer, which means my winter knits are gradually being replaced with t-shirts.  I love to throw on a baggy t-shirt on a lazy sunny day, and a recent addition to my collection is this awesome rat face tee from Tam’s Treasures, which retails for £21.99.

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The Mountain Big Face White Rat T-Shirt / Primark Dark Grey Skinny Jeans / Clarks Liberty Chorus Voice Shoes

There’s a somewhat ironic trend at the minute for big face animal t-shirts, and though I perhaps wouldn’t wear the clichéd wolf or tiger, this rat tee is just my thing.  I adore rats and like to think that I’m on a little campaign to clear their name, and thanks to Tam’s I can now do so loud and proud!  Also, the rat on this shirt looks just like my first rat, Crumble, which makes it that little bit more special.

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The t-shirt is by an American brand called The Mountain, and is from their Big Face Animals Collection.  It’s made from 100% cotton so is incredibly comfortable, and is prewashed and preshrunk so it’s already nice and soft and unlikely to shrink any further.  The colour is a lot more earthy than I usually go for, but I actually quite like it, especially as it’s tie-dyed by hand with water based inks.  It goes perfectly with my Liberty Chorus Voice shoes from Clarks!  The quality of the screen print is also very good, and looks and feels like it will stay put for a good while.

And of course, here’s the obligatory photo with one of my rats, as is the norm with my rat-based fashion!  This time, the model is Mog (excuse my odd face)…

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Tam’s stocks a HUGE range of unisex t-shirts from The Mountain (over 600 designs I do believe), as well as gifts and greeting cards, so there’s something (or several) for everyone.  As the shirts are made in America the sizing runs slightly larger than that in the UK and Europe, so it’s best to order down or check the measurements before ordering.  I went for a small, which is the smallest adult size (about a 10-12), and it fits perfectly.

To browse the full range at Tam’s Treasures, click here.  Delivery is free within the UK, and if you ‘like’ their Facebook page you can get an extra 10% off!

Which design would you choose?

Naomi x

*This Big Face White Rat T-Shirt was sent to me by Tam’s Treasures for review purposes.  All opinions expressed are honest and my own.*

The Furry Friend Tag

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It’s been quite a while since I last posted a tag post, but when I saw Claire had shared this Furry Friend Tag on her blog, I just had to do it.  After all, I never pass up the chance to talk about my beloved ratties!  Plus it means I get to add a few recent photos that I’ve been meaning to share with you all.

So, without further ado, here are my two female rats, who are now over one year old, and have lived with me for eleven months!

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1. What are your pets’ names?

My two rats are called Miggley and Mog.

2. When did you get Miggley and Mog?

I got Miggley and Mog on 27th April 2013, when they were just seven weeks old.

3. What is something that Miggley and Mog do that annoys you?

I’ve had quite a few rats in my time and out of all of them, Miggley and Mog are definitely the most adventurous.  Especially Miggley, who likes to escape onto the floor and hide under my bed!  Her antics used to annoy me a little bit, but they don’t any more.  I just think it’s cute… rats will be rats!  But what does annoy me is when she fights with Mog.  Rats love to play fight, but Miggley can get quite rough and aggressive and sometimes hurts her sister, so I have to separate them for a while :(

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4. What type of breeds are Miggley and Mog?

Miggley is a brown and white hooded rat, and Mog is a black silvered Berkshire, but she has rusted a bit over time so she now looks brown.  Both have top ears, black eyes and standard coats.

5. Has Miggley or Mog ever had a near death experience?

No, I don’t think so – and I hope it stays that way!

6. Do Miggley and Mog know any tricks?

Both of them will chase paper and string, and they also know how to run an assault course around the living room.  They even jump across the gap between the armchair and the sofa.

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7. Do Miggley and Mog like to snuggle?

Miggley prefers to run around on the bed or the floor and get up to mischief, whilst Mog will happily sit inside my sleeve or cardigan.  Both of them like to snuggle at night though, and they both sleep inside my dressing gown for a few hours before I go to bed.

8. Where did you get Miggley and Mog?

I wanted to buy from a reputable breeder but I couldn’t find one nearby, so I settled for a local independent pet shop instead.  Luckily they are both healthy and have nice temperaments, but in the future I’ll definitely look again for a breeder.  I hope to breed rats myself one day too.

9. Do Miggley and Mog get along with other rats?

Well they get along with each other, and they were housed with two other rats when I bought them, so yes.  Once I have my own house I hope to get them a couple of friends.

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10. Do Miggley and Mog get along with strangers? 

Yes!  They both love it when my family visit or there are new people in the house.  They like to show off and perform their tricks, and will always accept fuss and treats from strangers.

11. How much do Miggley and Mog weigh?

I weighed them a few days ago and Miggley weighs 345g, and Mog weighs 330g.  Mog used to weigh more than Miggley but she’s overtaken her now.  They’re both a healthy weight though.

12. Do you ever dress Miggley and Mog up?

No, never.

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13. Have Miggley and Mog ever tried to run away?

Whenever they’re on my bed they’re constantly trying to get onto the floor, especially Miggley, but I don’t think they’d ever genuinely run away.  They don’t even escape when I leave their cage door open.

14. How did you come up with their names?

My dad used to tell me made up bedtime stories when I was a child about a frog called Miggley Mog.  I have fond memories of those stories and wanted to carry on the name!

15. How much do Miggley and Mog mean to you on a scale of 1-10?

10!  Without a doubt.

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Feel free to carry on the tag if you wish!  Please let me know if you do as I’d love to read about your lovely pets.

Naomi x

Mr Nutcase Personalised Phone Case

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Earlier this week I received a very special item in the post from Mr Nutcase…  A phone case for my Samsung Galaxy S3 Mini, personalised with my favourite photo of my two gorgeous rats!

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Mr Nutcase specialise in creating personalised cases for a wide range of mobile phones and tablets, and provide a really excellent service.  The ordering process is simple – you just choose your device and the type of case you want, upload your photo(s), decide on the layout (you can use more than one photo), pay, and wait for it to be delivered!  You can also choose from a range of set designs featuring some really great artwork.  The whole process only took me a few minutes, and the case was dispatched the next day, and arrived the day after that, which isn’t bad considering postage is free.

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For my particular phone there were two cases to choose from – a leather-style flip case for £19.95, and an ultra light weight slimline case for £14.95, which is the one I went for.  The quality of the printing on the case is very high, and the picture is perfectly clear and evenly printed.  The case itself is made of light, thin plastic, so it isn’t annoyingly chunky, and it’s also very durable and protects the phone well (trust me, I drop mine a lot), which is just what you want from a phone case really!

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I love the fact that I can have my rats with me in some form at all times, and it’s always fun to have something a bit different and personal to you.  If you want to design your own Mr Nutcase phone or tablet case, you can visit the site here.

Happy designing!

Naomi x

*This personalised phone case was sent to me by Mr Nutcase for review purposes.  All opinions expressed are honest and my own.*

My Week on Instagram #3

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Last week I forgot to write a My Week on Instagram post, so this edit features my favourite Instagram photos from the last two weeks.

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Mog eating biscuits in her hammock / AngelEye jacket, styled here / Miggley sleeping in my dressing gown / Leicester Christmas lights switch on / Pink orchid I found in the street / Queens of the Stone Age live at the NIA, 21/11/13 / Leicester Vegan Fair / Jennifer Hope waistcoat, styled here / Making the Christmas pudding

If you’d like to follow me on Instagram and see more of my photos, my username is bewitchery_.  Please comment on this post with your usernames too as I’m always looking for new accounts to follow, especially fashion and beauty ones!

Naomi x

My Week on Instagram #2

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This week was a rather relaxed week for me, as I had a week off work and decided to do as little as possible.  I let myself have some much needed me time, with nice food, a bit of retail therapy, and quality time spent with my fiancé and pets.  Here are just a few photos of my week taken from Instagram.

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Dopper Water Bottles for my GIVEAWAY / A mini shopping haul from my Christmas shopping trip on Wednesday / Homemade Tempura Vegetables with noodles and sweet chilli dip / Miggley and Mog in their cuddle pouch / New nail varnish from Asda, which I reviewed and swatched here / Kisses with Mog the Rat / Snibston Discovery Museum in Coalville, where my fiancé and I spent the day on Friday / My new leather look leggings with heeled Dr Martens / Dad’s new Crested Gecko, Ylno Tixe.  He’s lovely!

If you’d like to follow me on Instagram and see more of my photos, my username is bewitchery_.  Please comment on this post with your usernames too as I’m always looking for new accounts to follow, especially fashion and beauty ones!

Naomi x

Meet Miggley and Mog!

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On 27th of April I brought home a couple of new additions to the family – two baby rats who I have named Miggley and Mog!  At the time they were just 7 weeks old, very small and very shy, but in just over a week I managed to gain their trust (which took a lot of patience!), and they are now happy, lively, very quick and very lovely.  And here they are…

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Miggley

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Mog

Aren’t they gorgeous?  We used to keep a lot of rats as a family when I was younger, but these two are all mine and it amazes me just how much of a bond I have with them already.  They love to sit in the bonding pouch that my mum made for me to carry them in, and they’re currently getting used to playing in the play pen pictured above.  Ratties need free range time!

Here are a few of my favourite pictures of the pair…

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Miggley and Mog are extremely adventurous, so expect more posts in the future all about their escapades!  I’m determined to teach them how to swim so we’ll see how that goes.

Would you ever have a rat as a pet?

Naomi x

Elusiveness: Explained!

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Evening all!

As some of you may have noticed, I have been rather elusive on the blog front this week.  So firstly, allow me to apologise!  I have a lot of exciting blog posts and reviews planned, yet things keep getting in the way, but I hope to be back and blogging properly as of tomorrow.

My absence was mainly caused by one thing in particular – work!  All kinds of work.  I work at a university, and after three weeks off over Easter I started back on Monday, and needless to say it got very busy, very quickly.  On top of that, I have been planning an essay for my postgraduate degree, and of course I have also been researching for my dreaded dissertation!  As I’m sure you can imagine, that takes a lot of effort and can cause a lot of stress, and has been taking up a lot of my time.  However, amongst all the work, I managed to find the time to be more social than usual this week.  I ended up going out for drinks one night, to a pub quiz another and out for a meal and a catch-up with some friends, all within four days.

Perhaps the biggest development comes in the shape of my bedroom.  Since starting my blog it has got gradually more and more cluttered with beauty and fashion products, so I decided it would be appropriate to give it a complete overhaul – why I chose this week I’ll never know!  I’ve ended up chucking a lot of old clothes away to make room for new stuff, I have brand spanking new storage for all my make up and toiletries (YAY), and my walls are being redecorated with a gorgeous floral print wallpaper.  One of the main reasons for this change though is that I have decided to start keeping rats again.  I used to have rats when I was younger, but over the past few years I have been sans rodents, and to be honest I missed them!  So, when everything is sorted (hopefully next weekend) I will be bringing home two new little girl rats, and I am VERY excited.  Expect a photo heavy post when my mission is complete!

There you go – my elusiveness explained, and hopefully that will be the end of it!  Keep an eye out for a new review coming tomorrow.

Naomi x

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