Merlins tale is a story of freedom and unknown history but all the same concludes with a happy ending.
PRRR received a call from a family that was renting a home, their kids had been seen playing with a rat on the back patio for days but they had no idea where this animal had come from. These people mentioned that they were not sure if the rat was male or female but the animal was very friendly with the children, especially their 5 year old. They had been feeding the rat the best they could and had worked out that he was hanging out behind their shed and decided that although they would love to keep the rat they knew that the real estate agent would not allow it so they contacted us to see if we could collect the animal.
When I heard this story I was a little concerned that this could have been a wild rat and that if this was indeed the case I would not be able to bring the animal to our home because of diseases etc. When I asked what colour the animal was I was told that it was black and white.
I send hubby to the address as he was headed that way anyway. It was a horrible day of cold wind and heavy rain so I felt that this animal needed to be picked up ASAP. Hubby arrived at the address and went in search for this animal knowing full well that although we had been told that the animal was not aggressive it would not have been the first time that we had been lied to. The rat has disappeared and could not be found so hubby left the premises but left the cage and things just in case the animal returned.
I received another phone call at approx 4pm to say that the little one had come when the kids called to it, sneaky bugger was behind the shed. So the kids picked the rat up and placed him into the cage with food and water. Needless to say I sent hubby out to collect the rat so I could stay home and prepare a suitable cage etc for when they got back.
Hubby arrived home with this little one in the small carry cage. We soon found out that this little one was a male (good thing because then we were sure that no accidental babies would arrive unannounced). I decided to call the little guy Merlin as he was like Merlin the Magician with his disappearing and reappearing acts.
I estimated Merlin’s age to be approx 4 months old since he was fairly small and very loving towards all of the family members. As we had our plates full at the time of Merlin’s arrival we decided to send him to a foster home so that he could continue to be monitored for any extreme behavior before he was offered for adoption.
Merlin was very popular and had a few families wishing to adopt him including us if we had the space. Unfortunately Merlin started displaying hormonal aggression while in foster care and required surgery to be neutered before his aggression sky rocketed. We spoke to all the families who were interested in adopting this little guy about the hormonal aggression and what would need to be done, since some of the families already had males they were not sure that Merlin was the best choice considering his behavior and decided not to adopt him. One family in particular ran with the chance of adopting this normally sweet guy and opted to pay for the neuter and adopt him once he was healed.
Merlin is one very special guy who has left a mark on anyone and everyone that has ever met him.
Today he is a happy, healthy, hormone free little guy who has been introduced successfully with 2 girls and another 2 are being added as we speak. What a man he will be with 4 girls fighting for his affection. My husband was very taken with Merlin and I can honestly say that of all the animals we have personally owned or rescued Merlin is the only one that my husband has fallen head over heals for. Merlin can do no wrong as far as Quentin is concerned and he will always have a home here especially if Quentin can smuggle him away from Peta, Dave, Rella, Amy, Inca & Bliss.
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Merlin - Adopted 05 July 2008
I was lucky enough to be offered the adoption of Merlin and how glad am I that I was!
Poor Merlin had a few hormonal issues developing whilst in the care of PRRR and it became apparent that he needed to have his hormonal overload removed, despite the funny image left in my head by Lynne that Merlin became very protective over her pot plants and bared his teeth at her in doing so.
So PRRR were kind enough to give me the option to have him neutered and adopted and I jumped at the chance.
PRRR kindly kept Merlin for the surgery recovery period and a week after his neutering, I collected Merlin and Rella together.
Merlin melted my heart the first time I saw him. He came to PRRR with a special, but strange, little story and it has always left me wondering ‘where did you come from?’.
It was hard to believe that the squishy, cuddly little boy I took home that week, was the same little ‘hormone-surge’ that I heard him to be, prior to that.
Merlin loves his sleep and still loves his plants!! He will always be the ‘rugged outdoor type’ and has the most adorable little face on him.
He and Rella have become best of friends, which is truly lovely to see. He is such a sweet little boy who has now become very squishy and full of affection.
When he is not asleep, he is bolting around wanting to play with anything and anybody. He is always acting the clown and has such a wonderful and humorous personality.
He has put on a fair bit of weight since he has been living with us and now weighs 374gms and shows no signs of slowing down! I’m not sure how much longer his hammock will be able to take his weight.
He has been the best remedy for Rella and somehow seems to connect with her. Maybe, just maybe, he knows what Rella has been through and he seems to have become her ‘protector’ and ‘snuggle buddy’.
Merlin is full of energy and loves to play games with you. At times, he has been caught wagging his tail while playing with Rella and having cuddle time with his ‘mum’.
He voluntarily rolls on his back when you play with him and he has brought so much joy to me and, definitely to Miss Rella Rat.
When he gets so excited at playtime, he starts to wiggle his little ears back and forth and I must say, he loves to watch TV!!
He has done so well in settling in and he is a very happy and healthy little boy and I cannot imagine being without him, nor having him there for Rella.
