|
Coloring: Fancy Blue Hooded Rat
Personality: Social, loved giving rattie kisses, loved snuggling with Bella
in a bed, always cleaning herself
I first met Beauty after a trip to CO. We had had Bella for perhaps a month
when my brother and I went on a trip to CO to return his kids to their mom.
While we were out there, I get a call from my wife. She says that she had
been reading about rats and that it isn't good to have them alone, especially if
they aren't played with a lot. So, when she went to the pet store, she didn't
mean to get another rat but she her and had to have her.
And that was Beauty.
I said I was fine with that, she was worried about my reaction, and then went back
to the weekend. As we were driving home, I get another call from my wife.
Now she is worried because she lost Beauty!
I suppose I should explain.
When we first got Bella, we kept her in a cage that was good sized for one, even
two, rats. We kept her in my wife's office, because we were downstairs so
much. When she was stamping, she would let Bella run around. Bella found
all of the nooks and crannies and would stay hidden. She put Beauty in this
cage with Bella and was letting them run around. Unfortunately, we hadn't
found all of the hiding spots by this time, so when my wife couldn't find her, she
was worried. Of course, she was just hiding.
I came home and she got a piece of my heart right away. She was small and
tiny and so cute!
About six months ago, the problems started. After what happened with Lily
and Greta, we knew what to look for and recognized that Beauty had cancer.
As their entire body is breast tissue, and they are bred for it, it's common.
And it sucks. But, we were confident with our vet, who is wonderful, that
it would be taken care of.
And it was! She did very well and by the time we picked her up, she was mostly
recovered and running around.
A month later, though, there were more lumps. And again we did surgery and
again she did fine. By this time, we had the other ratties and the huge condo
for them. She seemed to be the social one and hated being apart from the others,
even though she would be bit by them. She had to stay out of that cage until
she healed but it was obvious she wanted in with the others. As soon as she
healed, we put her back.
And then there was more and then another. The next to last one she had five
tumors removed. And she didn't recover as fast. It had been okay but
this one was obviously a lot. However, she seemed to be okay. The follow
up to the appointment, though, revealed another one growing.
I took her in on Monday morning along with Bella and Holly to be checked out..
The vet did surgery and I picked her and the others up that afternoon. When
I saw her, I reached for her and she was cold. And the piece of my heart that
she had died. I just knew she wasn't doing well. She wasn't moving around
a lot. When she did move, it was in small bursts and not for very much.
I thanked the vet and took her home.
I put the other two away and held Beauty. The vet suggested keeping her warm,
so I got several towels to put into her cage with her. However, I didn't want
to let her go, so I held her with me as I watched some TV. I kept her next
to me and under the blanket. She still felt cold and I was worried, so while
Chris watched her, I went and got a heating pad. The vet said putting one
under the cage would help keep her warm. I got back and set it up but I still
wanted to hold her. I tried to hold at her times and she kept looking for
Mommy, going to the couch where Mommy usually was. She would have enough energy
to move to the couch from my chair and then would stop and rest. I wept.
I knew it. I sat with her on the couch instead. Eventually, I put her
in the cage, near food and water.
And she drank! Lily hadn't been able to, even though she wanted it.
And she drank several times. And then it happened. Hope returned.
I kept watching her as I did computer stuff with my laptop. She moved again
and I went to pick her up and she bit me, pretty bad. I was so shocked.
I started to try again when I realized I was bleeding pretty bad. I got up
and that's when I realized this was it. She was going to be gone soon.
I went to the kitchen to clean my finger and get back as soon as I could.
I wasn't fast enough.
She was gone when I got back.
I could only hold her and cry. I called my wife and when she answered, all
I could do was cry. I think my wife knew it was me and what was happening.
All we did was cry. We had lost our baby.
I buried her outside in a Crown Royal bag, the same thing I used for the other three.
I cried then. I am crying now as I write this.
My baby's gone. And I miss her and love her. I hope she knew it. |