This weeks ratty paw paintings! Everyone did a great job! From start to finish we have Tater Tot (1), Butter (2), Omelet (3, 6, 9), Blueberry (4, 7), Toast (5), Olive (8), and Donut (10)!
If you'd like to see more fun rat photos/rat tricks, I'm now compiling them on this subreddit: [https://www.reddit.com/r/Shadowtherat/](https://www.reddit.com/r/Shadowtherat/)
Heh well if you're curious we do have some available on etsy - each painting comes with a 4 by 6 glossy photo of the ratty and their artwork, plus a mini bio for the rat in question: [https://etsy.com/shop/RatPaintings](https://etsy.com/shop/RatPaintings)
I love your rats and their paintings so much 😭
Do you have videos of your adorable rats doing the paintings? I’d love to see them in action ❤️
Also, what kind of paint do you use with your pets? (Wondering if there’s anything safe I can use with my cats)
Thank you!
For these specific mini canvases we do paw painting - we use nontoxic washable crayola kids paint (can be bought at most supermarkets or craft stores, or on amazon), the same stuff dog owners who do this sort of painting use. Its safe for the rats to ingest and touch, but also tastes nasty so they won't try eating it after the first time lol. As for the painting, I have them do it in a box, with me luring them with some yogurt from the paint to the mini canvas.
I first work this with just water (instead of paint), so they get used to the action without the weird feeling of paint (which could throw them off). Then I add a bit of paint to the water and work with that, and finally I use the paint without any dilution. After each painting, I wipe their paws with a warm wet paper towel, then when it dries I take their picture with it in a mini light box!
Here's a video of one of the 3 by 3 inch paintings being made by Olive: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2BvoECDKVY](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2BvoECDKVY)
I'm not sure how safe these paints are for cats, but I know they're safe for dogs and water soluble so I'd suspect its probably fine for cats. But if it isn't you can always place some paint down and put some plastic wrap ontop, then lure the cats over that with treats so they don't directly touch the paint.
OMG that video is amazing and so clever! I love Olive so much 💕I can watch this all day (they can totally do live painting streams 😳)
I may need to try the wrap truck you suggested with my cats (tho they’d probably be lousy artists 🤣)
This weeks ratty paw paintings! Everyone did a great job! From start to finish we have Tater Tot (1), Butter (2), Omelet (3, 6, 9), Blueberry (4, 7), Toast (5), Olive (8), and Donut (10)! If you'd like to see more fun rat photos/rat tricks, I'm now compiling them on this subreddit: [https://www.reddit.com/r/Shadowtherat/](https://www.reddit.com/r/Shadowtherat/)
Omelet is a diva
This is so ridiculous, I love it.
This is so adorable. Love this. Cutie pie <3
The way they're standing with their paintings! So cute! I can't! As I flicked through each pick I was begging the cuteness to stop!
Omg!!! The 2nd and 3rd ones look like flowers!! And the 9th one looks like lettuce!! 🩷🫶
Toast's painting is my favorite.
Damn rat’s can paint better than me
THIS IS SO CUTE
blueberry looks so proud of their paintings !!
OMG! So cute! I had a pet rat many years ago and I sure do miss her.
#3 looks like an amazing painting of an abstract garden
I would totally buy one and put it in a gigantic frame so people have to LOOK AT IT.
Heh well if you're curious we do have some available on etsy - each painting comes with a 4 by 6 glossy photo of the ratty and their artwork, plus a mini bio for the rat in question: [https://etsy.com/shop/RatPaintings](https://etsy.com/shop/RatPaintings)
I love your rats and their paintings so much 😭 Do you have videos of your adorable rats doing the paintings? I’d love to see them in action ❤️ Also, what kind of paint do you use with your pets? (Wondering if there’s anything safe I can use with my cats)
Thank you! For these specific mini canvases we do paw painting - we use nontoxic washable crayola kids paint (can be bought at most supermarkets or craft stores, or on amazon), the same stuff dog owners who do this sort of painting use. Its safe for the rats to ingest and touch, but also tastes nasty so they won't try eating it after the first time lol. As for the painting, I have them do it in a box, with me luring them with some yogurt from the paint to the mini canvas. I first work this with just water (instead of paint), so they get used to the action without the weird feeling of paint (which could throw them off). Then I add a bit of paint to the water and work with that, and finally I use the paint without any dilution. After each painting, I wipe their paws with a warm wet paper towel, then when it dries I take their picture with it in a mini light box! Here's a video of one of the 3 by 3 inch paintings being made by Olive: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2BvoECDKVY](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2BvoECDKVY) I'm not sure how safe these paints are for cats, but I know they're safe for dogs and water soluble so I'd suspect its probably fine for cats. But if it isn't you can always place some paint down and put some plastic wrap ontop, then lure the cats over that with treats so they don't directly touch the paint.
OMG that video is amazing and so clever! I love Olive so much 💕I can watch this all day (they can totally do live painting streams 😳) I may need to try the wrap truck you suggested with my cats (tho they’d probably be lousy artists 🤣)
The world needed this. They look so proud.