RIP my ratty princess

[SnowyShiloh]

My second ratty, Peppermint Rattie, died today It occurred to me that I hadn't seen one of the girls all day and part of the piece of homemade bread I'd given them for a snack was still there. She didn't come out when I tapped on the cage, shook a box of treats and gave her sister a treat. Usually they all come running if I go near the cage. I knew she was dead then and had to go digging through the towels and blankets in the cage to find her. Stevie McQueen seems rather subdued tonight- she doesn't seem ill at all and looks fat and healthy, I think she just misses her sister. I can't believe I've lost two girls in less than a month! Cranberry Hootycreek died a couple weeks ago. Where are all my babies going?!

I have to admit that Peppermint Rattie was my favorite of the three girls. She was the most adventurous, sweetest and tiniest. I actually almost got a different rat instead of her, she was the smallest one in the tank at the pet store and sleeping away from all the other rats. Just last week, she escaped from her cage and was running around the living room! I feel guilty because for a split second, I was hoping it was Stevie who had died and not her. The girls look exactly the same, the only difference in appearances is that Stevie is a bit fatter. Hard to tell by looking at a live rat and a dead one, though... I also looked at how they interacted with each other to tell them apart. Still, I'm pretty sure Minty is the one who died.

Rest in peace, my dear, I'm glad to have known you and now you can cuddle Cranberry in heaven. At least Stevie McQueen and Colby Jack will have each other, hopefully it will go well... Stevie is rather aggressive and dominant, but hopefully it will be okay.

 

[AngelnSnuffy]

I'm so sorry for your loss.:rip:

 

[okiron]

*huggies*

 

[SnowyShiloh]

Thanks, AngelnSnuffy and Okiron. I wish I could bring her back... it's so scary to lose two so close together! I hope Stevie doesn't follow soon! She looks so healthy... Cranberry and Peppermint looked healthy too, though a little skinny. I'm so thankful that neither girl seemed to suffer from any tumors and didn't have respiratory problems or anything. I hope Minty didn't suffer. It looked like she crawled into a blankie for a nap and didn't wake up. Colby is only 10 months old and is from completely different stock than the girls, so I'm hoping he still has a year or so of good life ahead of him... I wish rats lived longer! They're such dynamite pets but have such short lives. I've spent at least 5 times as much money on the rats as the bunnies so far (not because I love the ratties more, it's just how it's worked out I guess), the ratties have an entire gigantic rubbermaid container full of handmade hammocks, tunnels, playhouses, blankies and toys.

I'm so glad I did a photo session with the ratties on Saturday! I also took a video of them, so I'm glad I have that to look back on with Minty. Here is my favorite picture of Peppermint from Saturday, doesn't she look happy?

Other pictures of her and Stevie from Saturday:

The cage they're in isn't their normal one, it's my back up cage. After Minty escaped from the gigantic ferret cage they usually live in, I moved them into the back up cage since it has smaller bar spacing until I could get some chicken wire to cover the big cage. Also, they don't normally have a bare ledge to stand on, it did have a towel on it but they chewed it off the shower curtain hooks and pulled it down onto the floor!

 

[okiron]

so cute. its your babies thats making me not think all rews are scary. i actually want rews now thanks to your babies

(though for some reason i think girl rews are cuter than the boys)

 

[SnowyShiloh]

Aw, that means a lot to me, Rina. I think my ratties are adorable and I know I should be used to it, but I'm always a little surprised when people say they look scary. My ratties have turned a couple other people around to liking PEWs, too! Later I should post pictures of Colby, he is ADORABLE- I swear, he gets cuter with age! He's super sweet and loving, too.

I'm also glad that Peppermint didn't suffer any mobility issues before she died. It seems like a lot of older ratties need to have their cages altered so they can get around easier, and I always thought it would be so sad to have to change their cages since they can't move as well. Minty was still running on the wheel and leaping all over the place in the days before she passed.

 

[mouse_chalk]

Aww Shiloh, I'm so sorry to hear about your rat So soon after Cranberry died too...

Hugs to you! :hug:

Jen xx

 

[undergunfire]

This is so heart breaking for me, especially since I "knew" them right when you first got them around a year ago .

Peppermint didn't even look "old". Sadly, because of the poor breeding...their insides are "old", but their outside appearence is lovely.

It's scary to loose our babies and I am so sorry you have lost her :cry4:. I hope my Leonidas (with his tumor?) isn't next on the train to rattie heaven.


RIP Peppermint rattie :cry1:.

 

[EileenH]

Awww, I am so sorry. It is so hard to lose some so close together. I've had that happen and I know how much it hurts.

Your pictures are beautiful, and yes, she looks lovely in them. I am a big proponent of videotaping them. I've watched my videos of my rats so many times, and unless you have or have had rats, it's hard to imagine how happy they can make you.
All that love, in 3 short years.... but the videos help bring it all back.

 

[momofmany]

Aww, I'm sorry. Rats are such neat pets...we used to have 11 of them but they were all different.

 

[PixieStixxxx]

Snowy, I am so sorry over the loss of your pretty little girl =[

It was great that she got to live her life with so much love and care from you.