Our Story: Barry & Charlie
Hi everyone!
In the last post I said it would be a good idea to start this blog off by "introducing ourselves and our furry beasts".
So here we are...
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| Me & Charlie |
Myself
I'm Barry, aged 26, born and bred in Southport which is a seaside town about a 45 minute train ride away from Liverpool city centre.
These past few years have been difficult for me. After graduating from Edge Hill University with a degree in Business & Management in 2012, I went on to do a fast-track personal training course at the end of that year. Unfortunately, just a few weeks after starting my new job at LA Fitness, I was taken into hospital with severe leg pains. That was then followed by a bad bout of gastroenteritis. Just a month later I was diagnosed with M.E./CFS. The signs went back a long way but I wouldn't want to bore you with my life story...
Since then it's been all about trying to get myself well and despite many relapses over the past 5 years I've been gradually heading in the right direction!
Charlie
During this time I became very attached to my fancy rats. On August 29th 2015 I had an oops litter which I decided to keep. I had over 20 at one point all from different backgrounds and they've really helped me through difficult times. Having Asperger Syndrome too has made social activities difficult for me so in a way the rats were the perfect substitute! I started showing my rats at shows and made many friends. One of these friends had a Gambian Pouched Rat...
I was intrigued as I knew nothing about them, each time I went up to Scotland for a fancy rat show I would ask to see my friends "giant rat". I'd give him bits of fruit but touching him was too risky.
Last summer I heard that my friend in Scotland was looking for a new home for her Gambian Rat as she just didn't have the time to work with him anymore. His name was Charlie. We had a long chat about him and I decided that I wanted to take on the challenge of trying to tame this wild beast! So on the 16th September 2017, Charlie travelled down to Southport.
I did some research and became a member of the National Pouched Rat Society who were all very interested in Charlie. I was Charlie's 4th owner so understandably he had trust issues. He was also born on 15th July 2015 so he wasn't the youngest rat though his species lifespan is around 7-9 years. I knew consistency would be key so I got him out every evening, and even those evenings I didn't get him out I would stroke him. It wasn't long before he started coming out of his shell and he was letting me cuddle him for short amounts of time. It was during this period that his catchphrase "Oh Charlie" was created. I wanted him to feel comfortable in my room so I'd give him lots of free range, he took advantage of this and started making his own beds around my room using ripped carpet and plastic wallets!
Around Christmas 2017 Charlie started to become quieter, I put this down to the fact it was winter and it wasn't uncommon for pouchies to sleep more in the colder weather. Though a few days after Christmas he started limping and started refusing to eat. Charlie went to the vet for an x-ray and I was gobsmacked by the amount of things the vet had found.
- 2 broken teeth
- infected pouches
- gas in tummy
- slipped disc in lower back
- slidey kneecaps
The first vet did a great job though Charlie needed to be passed on to someone more experienced. A possible ear infection, skull infection and kidney problems have also come to light on top of likely blindness. The picture on the right was during his first visit to his current vet.
Many of you reading this will know a lot of Charlie's story and the support he's received is incredible. Inevitably his vet bills are mounting up and again he's received incredible support on his just giving page.
Charlie is still a long way from making a full recovery but he's come so far and he's such a fighter! My bond with him has increased significantly and one thing is for sure, I will never give up on him. Charlie deserves a happy life after all his struggles and that's what he will get! 💗
Thank you to those who have made it this far! If you would like to write a post like this about you and your pouchie then please get in touch! 😀
Barry x
Twitter: @nprssoc
Facebook: National Pouched Rat Society
Youtube: National Pouched Rat Society
Website: nprs.org.uk
E-mail: contact@nprs.org.uk
Thank you, Barry, for sharing your and Charlie's stories.. before they were the same and now as you go on together! I've followed you for a long time with your girls and now with Charlie.. thank you!
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