lifewithrats

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Previously, you met six of the rats I’ve owned. Today you’ll meet the final eleven:

Maia and Semele (Seme) were sisters named for Greek goddesses. Maia ended up being my favorite of all the rats I’ve had. We had a very close bond, and I miss her terribly. Seme was, well, special. She had a fever as a young rat, caused by an infection in her tail, which was later halfway amputated. The fever caused her to lose some brain functioning (we think) and she was never quite with it. We loved her so much, though. She was our ballerina, always prancing and spinning in circles.

Fala and Deira were also sisters. Deira was the most licky girl I’ve ever had. She loved nothing more than giving kisses, and was rather indiscriminate. She would kiss us, the pillows on our bed, the walls – pretty much whatever.

Fala was the smartest rat I’ve had. She was also my husband’s favorite. They had a very special bond that I could never (not that I wanted to) come between. She figured out so much in her life, and seemed to halfway understand the human interactions and emotions that surrounded her. She constantly amazed me.

We raised Pidgin and Potter (later renamed Hedwig) from the time they were a day old. We fostered their mother for a breeder friend, and got our picks of the litter. It was so much fun to watch them grow. Sadly, we lost Hedwig just a month ago. She’s missed. Her sister, Pidgin, is the most finicky rat I’ve had. If we put her in a different cage, she’ll refuse food until we put her back. She has a mammary tumor that is probably malignant. We’re keeping her comfortable, but she doesn’t have long.

We picked up Poppy and Ember when we moved out to Kentucky. We drove up to Michigan to buy them from a breeder. They were our first rats not born in California. Poppy is a smart rat, but rather average. She’s the perfect ratty specimen. She’s had a few problems with bladder infections, and I thought for sure I’d lost her once, when the vet diagnosed a tumor. Happily, the “tumor” turned out to be a swollen bladder due to a bad infection, and she’s fine now.

Ember is a rascal. I’ve spoiled her to the point that she thinks she should have everything she wants as far as attention. It’s quite funny to see a spoiled rat. I know I shouldn’t encourage the behavior, but it’s just so cute!

We adopted “the boys” when they were about a year old. That was over a year ago, so they are old men now. Their names are Jock, Snickers, and Heathen. Heathen got his name because Jock and Snickers are identical, but Heathen looks different than his brothers. Everyone laughs when they hear the name, but it fits him. (Of course, Snickers passed away yesterday. It was expected yet unexpected, and he is missed.)

And that’s our brood. I look forward to keeping this blog up to date with rat news, anecdotes, and perhaps an interview or two.

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