Owen, Rico and Knack

Owen came with his cage mate Luke from a family in SE Portland. He was an older gentleman, but still young at heart. He passed away due to complications of respiratory illness. It came on suddenly. I did their morning feed and check and that night when I went in to play with them...I could hear him gasping. I grabbed him and ran him into the bathroom and turned on the steam. I gave him some medicine to start him off. He passed in the wee hours of the morning of April 21st, 2008, just under the age of 2. I don't have pictures of him. He was a black and white rattie with a super personality. He loved his hammock and stashing his blocks for the day he might not get any. He is survived by his cage mate Luke. Luke is battling his illness. Until tonight, I thought I would not lose any more to this...cautiously optimistic.



Rico was one of 4 brothers, Rico, Baxter, Worth and Mosco. He was a gregarious rat and loved his hammock, good food and his brothers. They would all sleep in a pile on a paper plate when they had one. The little bums would drag pieces of newspapers around to lay on the cage and plop themselves anywhere. Now his brothers are left to plop on their own. He too passed from complications of respiratory illness. He passed, Wednesday, April 23, 2008. He was 8 months old. He was originally adopted from a woman in Clackamas that adopted 2 female rats from OHS and both delivered litters. She brought the female babies back to OHS for them to find homes. The boys, she worked on finding homes, and I adopted the 4.


Knack. I love all my ratties, but sometimes one just really tugs you. Knick and Knack were the second pair of brothers I adopted from the Oregon Humane Society. These were my husband's babies. They were the youngest rats adopted, maybe 6 weeks old. (I've since adopted younger ones.) But they were like little peas in a pod and they continued that way this entire time. A few weeks ago I introduced Knick and Knack to Tank and Remi because they seemed to get along ok. I'm glad I did so Knick will NOT be alone. I found Knack this morning at about 3am. He had passed. He was about 11 months old. Like all the others I wrapped him in his hammock and placed him in a container awaiting my next trip to take them for cremation. Like all the others I cried.

I am really kind of numb as I write this. I lost three loving babies and I know this isn't over. My last trip to the grocery store, I purchased the containers I store them in until they are taken to be cremated. Precious is still really battling and the fact that Knack actually did not appear ill makes me concerned that others may be sicker than they appear.

As for the rest of the babies, I'm giving them lysine and their antibiotics. Tomorrow I intend to make as many medicine boxes as I can this week. These will be used to plop them in to take their medicine. I'd much rather give them their medicine in their food rather than in a syringe. I'll have to see how it goes. Right now I give the lysine in a 3 oz paper cup. They seem to enjoy that.

Anyway, I have more to tell about yesterday, but I'm so upset and too tired now and this is not the time for me to explain how everything is going to work.

Three of the angels have returned to heaven, I know more will be coming soon. My heart is still open, but this has been very hard.
A saddened Rat Slave