[ratastic]

I love rats, but don't have any. Mainly because I don't know if I could handle their short lifespan. I tear up watching YouTube tributes people make to their rats that have passed on. No doubt many of you have had rats that died, how do you deal with it?

 

[reachthestars]

The first ones you lose are always hard, and I won't say they get 'easier' but you begin to develop ways to cope with each loss. You find ways to honor their memory, and mour their passing, and the routine itself will bring comfort. You also have to remind yourself that it is simply their time to leave you, and if you have the euthanised that you are giving them the greatest gift of all - freedom from their suffering.

I find as well, that often after a very special one pass, they find a way to bring a new rat into your life. My Belle was PTS December 10th, and I happened to be in a petstore December 21st and found Scout, who I lovingly call my 'one eyed wonder'. She has been a great source of comfort for me, and has already proven herself to be a very special girl.

This has happened to me on several other occasions, although most noteably when my heartrat Lestat passed away. Not 3 days later I was in the petstore and I was playing with the new arrivals. All but one shyed away from me. The one girl that didn't was a little fawn girl no older than 4 weeks old, who my parents said I couldn't have. I worked on them for 3 days, and was finally able to bring Amelia home. She became my second heartrat.

 

[ratbloke]

i've had only four rats that have died and i find it incredibly difficult to deal with to be honest. actually i'm wondering that once my current four rats eventually die whether i shall even get anymore.

rats seem to suffer with more illness and disease than any other animal i can imagine, its really unfair.

i've had two that died with pituitary tumours which i found particularly hard, so maybe it does depend a little bit what causes your ratties death? i really can't imagine anything worse than those **** tumours and the way they effect rats.

however, saying all of that, i would miss having the rats in my life and giving them love, so i'll just have to see what eventually happens.

 

[ration1802]

Everyone is different.

Personally, every death hits me HARD. BUT! I've had animals since I was very young and have learned the routines of dealing, the importance of mourning etc.

Rats are very special creatures. They're low down the ladder of importance in the animal world - but when you get one you'll find that they may just become the most important thing in YOUR world. They've been dealt a hard life; they do get sick, they don't live long - but the small life that they do live is so full of passion and love and complete emotional alturism that it almost makes their passing easier.

You'll never forget a good rat. They'll live on in your heart in a special place that only little ratties can burrow into

 

[lilspaz68]

I just counted them up and I have lost 23 rats since May 2006. I have lost other ones but those are the ones that have/will be buried up at my mother's property. I have 8 in my freezer right now waiting for the spring thaw, Amelia from just last night.

The first ones are incredibly difficult, depending on the circumstances. Then you either learn you cannot deal with the short, sometimes illness filled lives, or you find that you can endure it just to have these wonderful, special creatures in your life.

We all have our own rituals we go through to help with the mourning process...I have a ritual where I wrap them up in fleece, with stuff for the afterlife (lab blocks, mix and yogies, some pennies and change to pay to cross the River Styx (and extra money for other little ratties that can't pay to get across), then they are put in the freezer in a gift box. I do up a memorial and cry at almost every reply. Then I feel empty but okay again. I have learned to enjoy the bittersweet time before their little bodies stop or need help passing over. My especial love is for neglected or troubled Oldies so I go into it expecting this sooner than later.

 

[yashu]

They are my little homies... I would feel loss, but not something I would miss work over. That would be a weird thing to explain to my boss, eh?

It does hurt for a bit... because, if you are a good owner and have seen the wonders of these little guys, it hits you that, yes, they live a short time, and within that time they are able to learn so much, show love to you, show appreciation to the hand that feeds.

My wife just told me over my shoulder that the best way to deal is to get another, so there is a 2nd opinion to mine. Generally, you would have them in pairs or more, so, naturally, that may be a good thing, if your others are willing.

I would not be making youtube tributes... I am going to be blunt, if you want to know what I would do if I were you, I would grab your shovel, bury with dignity, and continue with life knowing that you shared a slice of yours with what was an ENTIRE life to them. In one way it is sad, but in another way, consider that you have the capacity to experience many lifetimes. We are human and aware of our finite role in the universe, but that doesn't mean we can't parse it out a bit to the lives of the misunderstood.

Think that you may experience enough in a short time to justify the loss. Think that the loss will happen with or without you, but don't let that keep you from having a pet rat. If you are prepared to take care of them properly, it is better that you have to go through it, than for them to land in the cage of someone that is not, or even the belly of a reptile.

 

[Turfle]

Losing anything that you have become attached to is going to be difficult. I have lost more pets than most people I know. It is because I can not stand the lonelyness of not having something warm and understanding around me. I currently have 2 cats 15 years old and know that they are not going to be around much longer, but the smiles they have given me, the tears that they have let soak into their fur, the secrets they have kept are worth the sadness that will envelope me at thier passing. People who have animals in thier life are happier and healthier. I know that it all comes down to how anybody reacts to death of anything, whether it be man or beast. Just remember it is totally natural to cry, to hate, to deal, to feel lost. It is all a part of the mourning process. I, for one, will not stop having fur people in my life in fear of losing them. I can only hope that, when my time comes, those in my life will celebrate my life and not dwindle away in sadness and lock thier hearts in fear of losing somebody else. I feel that anytime you share your life with another life, you are better off as you have the ability to love and let go. I know it is very difficult to lose a life. I have lost most of my family but I try to remember them in happy times. The tears still come, but that is the way life is. Circular. One life leaves, another life comes. Of course that is just me.

 

[Adie09]

I have never lost a rat....but not knowing sweet pea is going to be okay makes me cry.

I found her bleeding and I ran to my mom crying because I didn't want to loose her.

I have lost one pet in my life and that was a dog and it was hard...really hard. And I'm so attatched to these ratties I need to multiply that hurt by 1000 because I've never been so close to an animal.

It's going to be hard...but you just have to deal with it one day at a time...and don't just worry about yourself. Worry about the cagemate because they can get a broken heart too.

So if your rat looses a cagemate replace it as soon as possible...and handle them a lot more in the mean time...kind of like you're mourning together. Well I guess this only applies if your rat only has one cagemate.

but I don't know if I'll be much help considering I'll never know how it feels until it happens. Which I hope thats not for a long time.

Nikki >.<

 

[Sami]

They are my little homies... I would feel loss, but not something I would miss work over. That would be a weird thing to explain to my boss, eh?

Yeah, really. I work at a pet store but my boss doesn't like rats. He'd never accept that I'm too depressed to come into work over losing a little rodent. Then again, I'm not sure he realizes how good rats make their owners feel. It's different from watching a Hamster or a Gerbil run in a wheel all day. Rats actually want to interact and play with us, and love us as much as we love them, just like dogs and cats.

Dust ran up and stood on her hind legs to kiss me today while bruxing like crazy.. She may have even boggled, but I didn't see it if she did. She made me feel so loved. She also washed her daddy's beard, and attempted to wash his eyelash, but he didn't like that so much. :lol: Even still, although we've only had them for a week-and-a-half they already love us so much.

In the back of my mind I'm always dreading the day I come downstairs to find that one, or both of them has passed away in the night. Dreading.. but at the same time enjoying every moment I spend with the two of them. <3

They're both very young, so unless something unexpected happens they should be with us for a good while. :3

 

[Psykotik]

ive got 5, none have died yet, its kinda bad when u dont cry at human funerals, but just the thought of your rattie dying makes ur eyes water...

 

[Turfle]

I don't find that weird at all....mourning for a rat but not a human. Humans we can love or hate, like or dislike, be close or far away. With a rat (or ratties) they are with you everyday as long as you keep them out of thier cage. My babies love to just hang out in my shirt or up against me when they are out playing under the sheets. There is very little time they are out when they are not touching me in some way. Humans, even if we love them, do not have that much contact. There is something to be said about warm, soft fur cuddling up on your lower back, or cleaning your teeth, or bruxing when laying on your neck. I have been very happily married for 15 years, but I can garuantee you, he has NEVER cleaned my teeth.
I have lost many animals, many friends and family, but the loss is still the same whether I openly greive or not.

I, too, worry about the loss of my babies. I think that maybe we grieve harder for them as they live so much shorter lives. We only get a few years to watch them grow, be in thier lives. Other animals can live much longer. I have 2 cats that are 15 and show no sign of getting sick. As much as I love them, they have been in my life a long time and even though it will devestate me when they go, it will not be as hard as losing Turfle or Tucka. Maybe I am just a big sap when it comes to animals. After all, they accept us for who we are, not what we do, how we look, or what we say. They are the perfect examples of UNCONDITIONAL LOVE. I wish more people would take thier example.

 

[Psykotik]

WOW!!! I really never thought of it that way, and your completly right!!

take for example, my uncle and grandfather, when they died, i shed not 1 tear, but when reaper lost his eye, my heart shattered (they get their nails clipped since that incident)...

and those 2 family members tought me A LOT... my dad soon after punched me in the face for not showing emotion, still no tears, but thats off topic

when grim and reaper were growing up, they spent most of thier time in my hoodie pocket, but now their shoulder rats :\

 

[rattieluver]

To be honest, it's heart shadering. After I had lost 6 rats I had to take a two year brake but after awhile I missed having little ratties always annoying the heck out of me!:lol: When they pass on, it's hard but I would rather have to deal with the few days/weeks of greive after the years of good times then to not have them at all. The truth is, if your ratties aren't with you, chances are they will die even sooner only you won't have been in they're life or you in theirs.

Out of the rats I've had I've only had one heart rat so far(Mouse might become the second) Her name was Stuart (named her before we knew she was a girl) and unfortunetly I knew nothing about rats. We bought her for Petco and had her all by her self. We got two more rats but they never got past the intro. She was the sweetest rat ever and I can't even begin to explain. She unfortunetly fell victim to a tumor and we had to put her to sleep. My heart was broke and to help replace her I got three more rats. (like I said I was sad) after awhile I accepted her death and remembered the good times we had together. When arat dies you will never forget them, and you shouldn't, just try to remember the good times and you'll be just fine.

 

[Turfle]

All animal's lives burn brighter than humans. They know only true, pure, divine love. They accept us for all the flaws we have and ask only to be cared for and loved. They see the beauty within, the divine in all of us. It is devestating to lose a being that accepts you completely. It is normal to greive and everybody does it differently. After grieving, you move on keeping the happy memories close to heart as that is thier gift to us.