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it's a testament to how strong the social bonds are between rats and people, and rats and other rats, really. i carried honey, who had been with me since she was a tiny baby two years ago, around in a towel all day last thursday, until, late in the night, i was falling asleep and thought it would be best to put her back in the cage with the others. and, well, i set her down, she struggled to the corner, and she was gone within thirty seconds. she held on all day, for me, and the minute i let go, so did she.
and then yesterday, my other oldest rat, squirrel, who came to me a year ago already full-grown and of an indeterminate age, also passed. skunk, their much younger "sister", had piled up everything in the cage she could get her hands on- boxes, litter, paper towels- on top of squirrel in the corner. i didn't know what she was doing until i moved all the cardboard and realized she'd buried her sister's body and then curled up next to her.
i'm fairly certain there was no virus or anything, since both of them were old and both died simply by slowing down and stopping, and skunk is okay (although shaken).
but anyone who ever says that rats aren't able to attach to people and eachother ought to hear about this.
and then yesterday, my other oldest rat, squirrel, who came to me a year ago already full-grown and of an indeterminate age, also passed. skunk, their much younger "sister", had piled up everything in the cage she could get her hands on- boxes, litter, paper towels- on top of squirrel in the corner. i didn't know what she was doing until i moved all the cardboard and realized she'd buried her sister's body and then curled up next to her.
i'm fairly certain there was no virus or anything, since both of them were old and both died simply by slowing down and stopping, and skunk is okay (although shaken).
but anyone who ever says that rats aren't able to attach to people and eachother ought to hear about this.
