Explorer Rat

Sushi was in full explorer mode today. She played on the bed while I dealt with laundry and cleaned her cage. Her sister spent the entire time napping in their hammock and had no interest in leaving their cage.

I love seeing Sushi seem more like her normal explorer self. However, this picture makes me incredibly sad:

I'm astounded at how quickly that tumor is growing. It doesn't seem to bother her at this point, although I think she's a little more unbalanced than she was previously.

Exploring

Sushi spent a while outside of her cage today. Whereas her sister spent the time buried under a blanket, Sushi was all over the place. She was clearly happy to be out of the cage, even though her breathing was a bit congested.

Explorers

Sushi had fun playing in a pile of pillows the other night.

Sushi

I was a bit surprised to see her playing on them however, because they were not in the most stable place.

The pillows made me nervous, but not Sushi.

Saké was wise enough to stay out of the way.

Saké waits off to the side.

Regardless of her choice of hang out, Sushi wins the award for adorable explorer rat.

Look at those feet!

Sushi

Sushi might be tiny but she is far more adventurous than her sister. I love how purposeful she looks in this picture:

I always feel like Saké has something up her sleeve but in Sushi's case, I think she really just wants to see the world.

Sushi the Explorer

I was laying on the bed the other day reading, while the rats were loose next to me. Saké spent most of her time hanging out in a cardboard tube, but Sushi took the opportunity to run all over. She raced from one end of the bed to the other, bouncing off the storage trunk that sits at the foot, and back onto the bed. Then I felt a bit of pressure on one of my lower legs, as Sushi used me as a trampoline to propel herself onto the dresser, about 15-18 inches away.

Once on the dresser, she happily raced around, sticking her face into every nook and cranny.

Saké seemed unimpressed with her sister's antics.

Saké

Everybody Loves Sushi

There was a fair amount of excitement when we walked into the vet clinic on Friday. We learned that Sushi has become one of their two favorite rat patients - the other being a tiny male named Billy Rubin. That might be one of the best names I've heard!

It doesn't surprise me that Sushi has become a favorite. She's quite the charmer!

Sushi needs a tiny walking stick and cap for when she goes exploring.

Contemplating a jump to the floor...