The last of my rat babies died last night. This is a memorial post for all of them.
Last night while streaming some art for my friends I noticed Krummps acting strange as he climbed up the ramp in the cage. When I got up to check he was defiantly in pain with his sides sucked in so I dashed for my vet cards in my purse. However he started having secures then just stopped breathing. There had been no signs, since he was my last rat boy and alone in the cage I've had him out more often to help him not get lonely.
He would have been 2 years old in a few days. I got him mid December and he was about 6 weeks. My beautiful PEW boy..
Now I'm kinda lost, my rats have been a daily part of my life the past 4 years. They helped me distress when I got home from work.
I had 8 rats in the 4 years, the youngest died at 18 months-the oldest 32. This is a list of them in order of when I got them.
Kitten - Kitten I got with her sister Honey shortly after my brother died. She was Agouti dumbo with berkshire markings. I wasn't living where I could get a cat so I got a "kitten" She was the most active of all my rats. while she would come over for a sniff or climb in to my lap she was much happier to dash around the room, climb my book case, and search every fold of comforter on my bed.
Honey - Honey was a babydoll, she was very sweet and quiet and I always called her a housewife. She had a very cute barbell marking on her head and creamy color which I never was able to find the right name for. All the nests were made by her, she tossed all the litter out of the cage and liked her boxs chewed just so.
Smee - Smee was given to me by a neighbor who had found a fancy rat in the group of feeders he bought. He knew I had my two pet rats and came over with a little 5-6 week old fluff and asked if I wanted him before he feed him to his snakes. I couldn't say no. But I had no want of a boy rat with their huge..junk to freak me out. So I figured I'd find a home for him....god was I wrong about boy rats. Smee was a Blue Rex coat dumbo. He totally switched me around on boy v girl rats. After he calmed down in the first few days I had him he was a true and utter love. I kept him out alot since I hadn't the cage to get him a buddy yet. I could always see him covered in roses like a beautiful character in a old anime. He was that damn loveable.
Ni - Ni was adopted after I got my critter nation to be a buddy for Smee. He was a Black berkshire with normal ears and the cutest belly markings and dainty white hands. I got him from a shelter which wouldn't let me handle them "cus I might get bit" *pif* So other then saying I wanted a boy I wasn't able to pick from the litter of black berkshire babys. He was also my first encounter with rat lice. :( the shelter wouldn't help me med him but after going to the vet and quarantining I was able to clear him to be with Smee. Sadly Ni had a bad time in the shelter from what I can tell. He was as sweet as Smee but he was deathly afraid to be out of his cage. He didn't like his feet leaving the ground and didn't like the wide open in the room. I spent alot of time standing at the cage to give him cuddles so he didn't have to leave his cage.
Tootles - Toots and Nibs were brothers. Both black where black and white rexxy dumbo. Tootles was very mild and spent his time draped over anyone else sleeping in the cage. You would always find him paired up with someone. He was also the destroyer of hammocks and stasher of lab blocks. He basically had the end word on where the food in the cage was kept.
Nibs - Nibs was my bad boy. He wanted to be top rat at a vary early age. It never got to bloodshed but he was something of a bully. Luckly with a double critter nation to roam the others wernt to put upon and if he wanted their hammock there were 8 others to go to. He may have been the most aggressive of my boys but the others were comparatively like fluffy marshmallows. So they made him look like a kid with no manners when really he was just as sweet but had a naughty side.
Rook - Ah Rookie..He was like Smee reborn, He was a Self black dumbo. So sweet from day one and always bouncy and playful till he was vary old. He would be the first to great me in the cage and would always rush to the front for love. while the others had little things about them rookie was love encased in a rat. He always wanted attention so he tended to have extra out time while the others snoozed about.
Krumppus - Krumpps was my first PEW and first red eye rat. He was so beautiful and white with gem like red and pink eyes I was honestly mystified why pews weren't extremely popular. I saw for the first time the "snake like" head swaying of the very poor sighted red eyes...its so funny looking I dont know how people could be freaked out and scared of it. I could hear the sound of a scanner in my head watching him...like a little cyber rat. Kumpps was also very very playful he fit in the group like he had been born from abit of fluff shed by them. He loved to burrow in the fleece scrap boxs and loved cardbord boxs so much you could be sure if you opened the cage and started picking them up, one would contain a very hefty boy.
Those where my kids. As crazy rat lady as that may sound. I could talk about them for days but heres some things I have to say on pet rats
I never ONCE got bit hard enough to draw blood, they grabbed my fingers at rare times when they thought I had something for them but were just as quick to let go and cover my finger in kisses.
Rats are as clean as you keep them, I did full cage cleanings on wednesdays and saturdays where pans were washed and towels replaced. Every day after work I would spot clean any rubbish,bits of cardboard and droppings. I never had a issue with smell. If your rats stick up the days you clean your cage out, its not their fault.
The only hard part is what I'm dealing with now. Loss. They wont live half as long as you want. They all have their own personalty and are irreplaceable. My first two years where amazing, but the last two were peppered with the passing of my rats and Its not easy to see a rat make it over 2 short years then decline so rapidly from fat and happy to old and thin.
I dont plan on getting more rats for now. My huge cage will be cleaned and dismantled...but I will have them again someday.
*Photos*
Honey and Kitten -
http://www.furaffinity.net/view/6082989/
Honey -
http://www.furaffinity.net/view/6559466/
Smee and Ni -
http://www.furaffinity.net/view/6537128/
Ni,Nibs,Tootles,Rook,Krummpus -
http://www.furaffinity.net/view/10557904/
*TRADES* Closed D:
*COMMISSIONS* - Closed
INFO
crystala - paid - 2 char - Sketching
nicoya - paid - YCH - Flats
*MAIL* If you get mail please tell me, I worry :(