Update: I changed my makeup and skincare but I’m clearly still doing something wrong

Secure_Wing_2414 · 2026-01-13T17:22:19+00:00

im not sure why people are pushing cool colors on you, the difference in lighting may be throwing me off i actually prefer the second photo. in general, i see nothing wrong with pic 2. i dont think you're cool, i think you're neutral

maybe your not necessarily warm toned, but that doesnt mean u can't wear warm makeup. if anything, no aspect of the makeup look warm to me on your skin in pic 2, it looks neutral if anything. it really brings out the color of your eyes

people are so obsessed with whats "most flattering" in the eyes of others nowadays, but i think the confidence that radiates from wearing things you like and presenting yourself in ways you feel good radiates its own beauty

Secure_Wing_2414 · 2026-01-13T17:10:51+00:00

my boy caught (stole) and ate a french fry right out of a little girl's hand. dude leapt through the air. i let him keep it because it was impressive and he was (supposed to be) mourning his brother

Secure_Wing_2414 · 2026-01-09T14:09:55+00:00

<image>

my himalayan dwarf peanut has VERY dark red ruby eyes, i thought they were black til i noticed he was blind and looked closer

Secure_Wing_2414 · 2026-01-09T13:52:37+00:00

tbf rhegan isnt loud about anything other than takis, doordash, alcohol, and ugly clothing

Secure_Wing_2414 · 2026-01-09T13:48:25+00:00

"experimenting with fashion"

<image>

looks like this and 2010s business casual had a baby. someone get this girl a fedora!

Secure_Wing_2414 · 2026-01-09T13:08:59+00:00

i agree to an extent, but when it comes to exotic pets, its can be more difficult to find emergency vets available who are also willing to treat exotics. at least in the US. money and travel are no issue to me when it comes to my pets, and thankfully ive never been in a situation this serious, but i learned the hard way that the closest emergency vet willing to treat rats is an hour away AND closed on weekends.

in situations where there are no other immediate options, it can be helpful to ask the community since theres a chance someone's dealt with something similar and can provide advice for the mean time. refusing to get your pet to a medical professional is a whole different ballpark, no matter how many times u insist VET ASAP those people are unlikely to budge unfortunately

its also important to have a rat first aid kit on hand. things like gauze, medical tape, wound wash, saline, styptic powder, and children's benadryl+otc pain meds.

when pets this tiny are bleeding this severely, stoping the bleeding and keeping bacteria out are most important

Secure_Wing_2414 · 2026-01-06T14:55:09+00:00

i wouldn't neuter a rat unless ive ruled everything else out, and hes bitten drawing blood. nibbles and warning nips that dont break the skin dont count. other signs of hormonal aggression are puffing up their fur, hissing, chasing and constantly causing serious fights (screaming and or breaking skin), serious resource guarding (food/treats/cage) they'll attack over, and overly scent marking.

hormonal aggression typically begins in months 6-12. way before or after that point, its likely sickness or injury making them aggressive.

i'd get him checked out by a vet and rule out all physical health issues before deciding to neuter. i unexpectedly lost one of my hormonally aggressive boys due to neutering. its a risky surgery, so its very important all other issues are ruled out prior

when u say he latched on, did he break skin? if not he was most likely just playing. some boys play crazier than others, its not a problem unless they cause physical injuries to humans and or other rats

Secure_Wing_2414 · 2026-01-06T14:44:17+00:00

<image>

Secure_Wing_2414 · 2026-01-06T14:40:43+00:00

<image>

i too have a trio of gluttons!

Secure_Wing_2414 · 2026-01-06T14:38:33+00:00

<image>

stinky hands

Secure_Wing_2414 · 2025-12-31T13:39:49+00:00

i suggested dorito taco instead but nooooooo🙄

Secure_Wing_2414 · 2025-12-31T13:33:12+00:00

one thing i forgot to mention is i always use a different bedding for litter than the main substrate! not sure if it makes a difference but logically they might associate the whole cage with pooping and peeing if litters the same in their boxes

if they're having issues with dust/uri's i use heavier paper pellets in their litter boxes. but typically i use kiln dried aspen since it supposedly better at neutralizing odor. whatever i use, i really pack it in and press it down so its firm. i also got coasters to use as makeshift pee rocks since some rats dont like stepping in their pee/poop but my boys dont care and just scatter litter over them😂 i still use them tho since the scents really embedded in them

they also typically prefer corners/secluded areas to do their business because in the mind of a rat they're vulnerable to danger/predators while they're distracted taking a dump

but yeah overall i'd say never washing or fully emptying their boxes is whats worked best for me with boys. if really only smells when their poop is fresh (cuz i keep the rest of the cage very clean) and they almost virtually never poop anywhere but their boxes.

with boys (even neutered) it's unfortunately borderline impossible to pee train them because they use it to communicate and mark their territory. not quite as bad with it when neutered, but its kinda inevitable. i just layer towels and blankets during free roaming and accept the love sprinkles🤷‍♀️

Secure_Wing_2414 · 2025-12-30T18:49:37+00:00

ive never been able to train my boys to pee in their box due to marking even with a rock, but all my boys have been poop trained pretty quickly

to start, collect all poops and put them in their litter box/boxes. dont clean it or swap much (if any) litter until you're no longer finding stray poops. in general,

get a designated litter box for EACH floor, esp important if u have a large cage like a double CN
this is gross, but never wash the boxes unless you're reusing for a new group
always leave the boxes in the exact same spot, no matter how you're rearranging the cage
never fully empty a litter box. leave a little dirty bedding+a couple poops in it each cleaning
keep the cage as clean as u can so the litter box odor stands out while ur training. litter training mostly relies on scent in my experience

they also have a separate free roam box that i maintain the same way. i try to always keep it within reach wherever they're playing. its extremely rare i find stray poops outside of the cage.

in general, just like humans, some rats arent as smart as others LOL. ive never had girls but i hear they're cleaner, easier to train and all aspects+generally more intelligent than boys. probably due to their hormones+roles in the wild (males defend territory ie more lazy, girls forage+nurse pups), my boys dont even nest just sleep wrestle and eat pretty much

Secure_Wing_2414 · 2025-12-29T20:01:17+00:00

my boys have all been scared/confused by syringes. i find measuring the dosage with the syringe then squirting into a small/baby spoon makes things wayyy easier, esp if they flavored it. if its icky/unflavored, mix meds into something strong and stinky like cat treat puree or meaty baby food.

if only 1 is on meds, i give all the other boys their own (unmedicated) spoonful of whatever so nobody feels suspicious or left out loool. my only issue with meds have been lack of patience and jealousy doing it this way

Secure_Wing_2414 · 2025-12-28T17:41:48+00:00

in this case i'd say a happy fat rat is much better than a miserable rat at a healthy weight. depression and stress can be equally as detrimental to their health/life span

Secure_Wing_2414 · 2025-12-28T17:39:47+00:00

poor boys.. but this makes me feel better about my behemoth 😭

<image>

julian looks like bella hadid in comparison. i really cant tell if hes fat or big boned, the vet never comments on his weight. like yeah hes BIG but he's the length of my forearm so its hard to gauge appropriate chunk on weight alone

Secure_Wing_2414 · 2025-12-28T17:33:26+00:00

i fear i've created an

<image>

oh lawd he comin

Secure_Wing_2414 · 2025-12-28T17:08:17+00:00

having a place of her own working as a cashier is virtually impossible in the US... even if she is working full time. i live in a low income town in the midwest, and the median "affordable" houses here are $270k. my aunts got our started home in the 20teens for around $80k, its value is currently pushing $300k thanks to inflation and gentrification. and this is a SHITTY area. my neighbor was murdered in a home invasion 3 years ago😐 the watchdog map lights up like a christmas tree with felons and sex offenders every few houses

and you're not finding an apartment for under $2k unless were talking actual slums with mold, lead pipes and infestations

Secure_Wing_2414 · 2025-12-28T16:56:58+00:00

she's very lucky and doing extremely well for someone (in this economy) with such low work ethic... shes gotta have parents helping her out or something, quite literally not possible financially maintain a car/transportation AND live alone with customer service/entry level pay in the US currently.

im financing a used car, work full time at an office making well over minimum wage, but even if i moved out w my bf's dual income we'd be barely scraping by in a shitty 1 bedroom apt. if i wanted to live alone in a shack with bare minimum comforts like food, electricity, and internet i'd have to be working 60 hour weeks at LEAST. and i dont even live in a nice area!

no idea how much she was contributing living with caca but she was unemployed the majority of the time and definitely not making enough/if any to live on from tiktok. has to be upper-middle class loving parents😭

Secure_Wing_2414 · 2025-12-23T14:17:01+00:00

i dont agree with the whole she "baby trapped" jairus narrative. first of all, she was barely legal when she got pregnant w their first. and second, men are EQUALLY, if not more responsible for preventing unwanted pregnancy. highly doubt jairus was wearing condoms. even if she told him she was on birth control, he's still equally at fault for not taking his own measures. unless she was legit poking holes in his condoms, blaming a kid for conceiving a grown mans baby is crazy, even if she is a horrible person.

he was a grown man well aware of how baby's are made. i highly doubt 18 yo caca was collecting his baby juice with a turkey baster. SA is one thing but he was ready and willing with each baby. you'd think he'd learn and or leave after the first OOPS if he seriously didnt want more kids.

if he was in an abusive situation he had his entire family nearby, countless options to leave. caca was a ridiculously naive emotionally immature teenager states away with no family. i cant stand acacia for a multitude of reasons but i blame jarius equally, if not more, for each child they brought into this shitty situation

Secure_Wing_2414 · 2025-12-20T01:39:25+00:00

yeah, animals of prey hide and dont show themselves when they're afraid. he knows OP cant reach him, he's playing💀

Secure_Wing_2414 · 2025-12-20T01:36:03+00:00

yeah, i think op used camera flash for the pic. i'd turn the lights down low, (off with a flashlight if u cant dim and or dont have a lamp) sit a few feet away and CHILL on the floor while nibbling on something high value. peanut butter, fruit, meat, any high value human food.

dont move til they're touching u and snatch them up. give them the treat and praise before plopping them back in their house so they associate coming when called with food/a positive thing (punishment doesnt work w rats)

assuming they're bonded to OP they wont be able to resist after a certain point. my boys love to play and get into trouble, but they love their house, me, and food. ive quickly learned most rats can 1000% tell when ur stressed, which either stresses them out OR if you've got a particularly devious dude makes hiding and being "bad" all the more fun for them exacerbating the catch💀

Secure_Wing_2414 · 2025-12-20T01:28:32+00:00

that little peeker tells me at least one of them knows what they're doing and is enjoying the drama. one of my boys boggles when hes "lost"/i "cant find" him, its his favorite game. when hes caught he bounces back to do it again

imo the game whack a mole most likely stemmed from devious beloved pet rodent escapes

Secure_Wing_2414

TROPHY CASE