Our much loved little girl, Sugar passed away quietly yesterday. Over the past week she had become gradually weaker and weaker, but still enjoying lots of baby food, until her appetite dropped off completely and she was struggling to walk. I moved her from the cage she shares with her sisters into a very cosy bed I made for her with soft towels in a shoebox. Being so very weak and with being wrapped up all safe and warm, she wasn’t interested in wandering off. I kept her in there for a few days, checking on her regally and changing her towels when she went to the loo and washing her face and eyes.
Husky Rat:
Sugar
Our sweet, and sometimes bossy, girl Sugar is beginning to slow down quite a bit and is a little unsteady on her feet. We are assuming it is old age, as she wasn’t a young girl when she joined our family over a year ago.
It is both a bit sad to know she is getting old, but at the same time, with all the traumas of loosing out younger rats, good to know she has reached old age makes us feel very proud. I don’t like to think of loosing her as a year is such a sort time to spend with such a special little girl, but I think Derek and I have made her very happy. We love spending time with her and will up until the end, but we know it is coming, just not when.
Pearl
I’m really sad to say that our beautiful girl Pearl has died. She slipped away peacefully over the space of a few hours and we are absolutely heart broken.
A few weeks ago we had found a lump underneath Pearl’s armpit. At first we weren’t sure whether to do anything about it or not, as Pearl was obviously a mature rat and she was starting to slow down. Unfortunately the lump was growing quite quickly and Pearl’s energy levels were also dropping, and we did not know if this was related to the lump. So we decided to have the lump removed.
Sugar, Smudge, Pearl and Kiwi enjoying some treats
I’m very pleased to report that the girls are starting to settle down a lot more. Yes Kiwi, Sugar and Pearl are still intent on chewing their cage, but they are a lot happier. We are able to keep the girls out for longer periods now and that wears them out so they have less energy for destroying their cage.
Our demon rat, Smudge, is also settling down. I’ve been making an extra special effort to pick her up and fuss her every time she is out. At first she made a right fuss and wriggled and squeaked, but she has gradually come to accept the attention and when I put her back down on the floor she’ll go bouncing off, letting me know she is happy and enjoying the attention. The most important thing is she has stopped seeking my hand out and biting me, which shows she was starved for attention.
Kiwi, Sugar, Pearl & Smudge
We had said we weren’t going to take anymore rats in, and when the RSPCA phoned us about five girls who were looking for a home we initially said no. We stuck to our resolve for a few weeks, but couldn’t stop thinking about the rats. The RSPCA have a hard enough time rehoming rats as it is, never mind five. Then there is the age of the girls. It has been our experience that whatever age the people giving the rats up tell the RSPCA is usually wrong. Sadly this turned out to be the case with these girls. We went along expecting three rats who were one year old and two dumbo rats who were six months. While the dumbos are still young the other three are definitely not the same age. I believe that possibly one of the rats, Pearl is around one, but the other two, Kiwi & Sugar are nearer two years of age, if not over. One thing is for sure they are not young rats.
Our amazing and precious little Badger passed away. Old age just caught up with him and he gradually became weaker and started to loose his appetite. We agreed with our vet that any treatment they could offer would only be more distressing for Badger and it was best for him to let him go peacefully.
June 2004
Badger’s entry:
Oh yummy, dad is on this new healthy eating thing and it is so yummy. He takes some yoghurt and adds bananas puts them all in a blender and mushes them up, mushy is always good. He eats it with me and always shares, oh yummy it is so good. And because it is healthy I can eat as much as I want and don’t get told off.
May 2004
Badger’s entry:
Mum had this crazy idea that I might be lonely on my own, so she decided to introduce me to Mouse and his brothers. I was not a happy rattie. The thought of sharing my dinner with four other rats did not appeal to me. I do miss Willow and Biscuit, but I am quite happy on my own now. Especially as mum and dad spoil me rotten. Anyway they were bonkers rats running around all over the place, knocking into me. I have always liked things at a nice slow gentle pace. I had to let mum know that I wasn’t happy so I puffed up my fir and started side kicking the other rats when they came near me. Mum soon got the message and I am happily alone in my cosy little home, eating plenty of yummy food.
April 2004
Badger’s entry:
I’ve been kinda lonely since Biscuit went away. Mum and dad have been spending a lot of time with me, they let me snuggle in their clothes and don’t even get cross when I get so cosy that I tiddle.
December 2003
Badger’s entry:
Ooh, Christmas is so exciting and there is lots to eat. Mum brought home this huge tin of yummy chocolates from where she works, mmm. Mum and dad needed help eating them all. I’m very helpful like that and for Christmas day we had this special yummy meal. There was peas and brown runny stuff for dinner, I couldn’t stop eating it. I had to spend all afternoon asleep. I helped put up the Christmas decorations too, I’m such a good boy. I like helping mum and dad it makes them laugh and that makes me laugh. I like the Christmas tree it makes pretty twinkling lights that change colour, I could sit and watch it for hours.