I have pet rats. If you have some negative opinion on that, do me a favour and keep it to yourself.
I am a foster/rescue person for NZRR
I have one Sanctuary rat at the moment, Magda. A sanctuary rat is one that can't be rehomed due to health issues, aggression, etc etc. All but one of my other rats are rescues in one way or another. I've had rats for 4yrs now. Due to their ridiculously short life-span, I have had a large number of losses.
None hit me as hard as Jynx.
Jynx, and her sister Lotis, came to me in 2011 as 4mth olds. I got them as company to a rescue girl I had gotten. Atropos was sweet to humans, and a whirling dervish of horror to all other rats. These 2 babies beat the crap out of her (in a ratty, bloodless way), and I was able to introduce the 3 of them to my main colony.
Jynx was my midget, so tiny in appearance but she had a HUGE personality. She was my Alpha rat, and kept the others in line. Including my 2 GIANT neutered boys; they cowered if she was pissed with them.
In October of last year, I found a tiny lump on Jynx-likely a mammary tumour, which are reasonably common, particularly in intact girls. Within a month, it had grown to the size of a huge grape. I booked her in for a spay and lumpectomy. The night I brought her home after the op, I was terrified. She was cold and unresponsive, and wanted no food or water. This is quite worrying-unlike other animals, it's vital that rats have food right up to, and immediately after, surgery. They have incredibly fast metabolisms. After a while, Jynx started licking Resource and water from my fingers, and recovered fine.
Last week, Jynx stopped being interested in food. From being the first to the food bowl, she didn't even give it a sniff. I managed to get her to eat minimal amounts by separating her, but it was pathetic. She looked thin and just old. On Friday night, we went for our final vet visit. I have a specific rat-vet clinic, as they are very knowledgable. The ladies there have seen me multiple times, both for euths, rescue rats, and of coure, Jynx's surgery last year. They know me reasonably well, but were quite shocked to see me that night. I was surprised at just how upset I was. I am more of a private crier-with previous euths I have held it in until I get to the car. With Jynx,my special girl, it just burst out.
Jynx was such a cheeky tart. Trying to wipe down the cage was impossible to just get done; she would steal the wipes. The second the door was opened-regardless of whether I was gtting them out or simply refilling food bowls-she was out and either on my shoulder, or adventuring around the floor.
I miss her a lot.
No comments:
Post a Comment