Pet Forum / Mammals / Rats / May 2007

Our GORGEOUS blue boy has passed on.

Two days ago we decided, regardless of his health and grumpiness, it was
time to move all the boys together. Although Yuki was grumpy about it, he
still liked them, and they LOVED him. They so tried to clean and snuggle,
but he was just to miserable and gave them the absolute notice that he was
KING rat. So they left him be. Last night when I got home from a day of
being out and about, I could tell he was not feeling well. Everytime I
stroked him his lungs just rattled in response. So I took him out for some
good pats, but that just would not shake the rattle loose as usual. He was
just grumpy. SO I called Andrea and she took him for some time together.
Those two usually have good play sessions, but he just sat. So she put him
back in the cage. Within a half hour of that, I noticed he was sitting in
the top hammock just looking at me. I went over to him and he lunged at me.
With that I knew the end was near. I took him out and he was all floppy. And
he started to gasp and lunge. I held him tight, called Andrea back and we
spent the next couple of hours just stroking and comforting him. In the last
few minutes we brought out his good friend Winston (same age, different
litter) and we snuggled the 2 together. Winston raised his head and acted as
if he were eulogizing our Yuki very loudly. All sorts of whistles, chirps
and chortles. It was amazing. Yuki then passed. Beauty till the end. He was
just a little over 15 and a half months. So young. But it was a hard life.
We tried.

Winston and the youngsters are getting on famously, though. SO at least we
have that. More new lives to enjoy and older to joyously remember.

Thanks for listening