I've had two socialisation sessions with Thelma since my post yesterday. One was last night, right after the post in question.

I'll admit that a lot of the issues come from myself. I'm a first time rat owner and I'm nervous when it comes to handling because I'm scared that a) Thelma will run away and forever disappear down one of the nooks and crannies in my bedroom or b) I'll accidentally hurt her while picking her up.

I think I just need to trust myself as well as her, though. During both sessions, neither were an issue.

The first one, last night, I took the top off her cage and balanced it so that it was half on, half off, if you get what I mean. This meant Thelma could emerge and explore my bed if she wanted, but she also had the comforts of home if she got too scared. I'd also stick my hand in and near her, offer her treats and make clicking noises at her so she could get used to me.

I think the first session was about twenty-five minutes, because after a while Thelma looked quite tired; I thought I'd give her a bit of space.

This morning, almost immediately after I woke up, I tried again. Cage roof off, balancing even further across the base so she was more likely to leave. Again, more treats, I'd stick my hand into the cage to show her I wasn't her enemy... she nibbled at me a bit, but the bites weren't 'threat' bites, they were 'food' bites!

Then, I discovered a nifty trick for picking her up. I'd get her to climb on the outside of her cage, then scoop her up while she was at it. I only held her for a couple of minutes at a time this way but it was definitely a good start; much better than our interactions the past couple of days. She hid in my sleeve again, which was fun, but this time my sleeve was loose enough so she could go in one end, out the other, not a problem.

This socialisation session lasted about thirty minutes. I'll give it another go later this morning, before I pop round to Laura's, and I think I'll have another two tonight - before everyone else has gone to bed, probably, because then I can actually talk to her. All this dead time I've had of late - I might as well give it to Thelma!

More news of ratty fun times from Planet Thelma! I had her out earlier and she sat in my hands for a full 20 minutes! Progress or what? I held her last night, as my last Thelma post details, but she kept getting back into her cage and I had to keep coaxing her out. This time, she stayed in my hands for ages! She crawled around a bit but I think she was exploring, getting used to me. I made sure I talked to her as well; I basically just babbled to her about how my day was and how I didn't want her to feel uncomfortable! Doesn't matter what words you choose, so long as you sound friendly and the rat hears your voice.

I'm really proud of how much she's improved today. I mean really proud. When I picked her up and she didn't struggle - just stayed in my hands calmly - I was unbelievably chuffed. Now all I need to do is lather, rinse and repeat every day I possibly can, until she comes up to me and sits on my shoulder of her own accord. How cool would it be to just sit and write for an hour with a rat snuggled up against your neck?

The problem? I've been scratched all over by Thelma's ratty little claws. It stings to buggery! She doesn't do it intentionally; it's a bit when a cat sits in your lap and flexes its claws, inadvertently digging them into your legs. A rat's claws are always out, so when Thelma scrabbles across my bare arm she leaves loads of little scratches.

Anyway, I passed today as best as I could, by going round to Laura's for a few hours. We didn't go out today as she's home alone again and had loads of housework to do, plus I was really tired. So we just had a cup of tea and chatted for four hours! Boudi's still in the growling phase, trying to figure out her place in the pack, and her cat Snoopy's looking thinner each time I see him due to his old age. Laura's cut her hair to what you might call a 'boyish' length but it really suits her and I can tell she's comfortable with it.

Little rat scratches aside, I'm considering wearing a chiffon dress tomorrow. Sleeveless. Normally I hate my arms and shoulders, but I think I should just be bold and roll with it. It all depends on the weather, of course, because if it's breezy - well, chiffon's a very light fabric. So I should probably consider sticking on something else beneath it, like a heavier skirt. This is probably why I should invest in some shorts...

After all this waiting, Wednesday is almost here. I'm really excited! Jason's such a nice guy - I love hanging out with him.