Sadly, I had to help Luke to the bridge. I was cleaning the cages and noticed that Luke was having a really hard time. He's been battling respiratory illness on and off for some time now. His chest appeared to barely expand anymore. I am very upset over this. I knew Sherman, Luke's cage mate, was going to have a hard time with this.
I pet and talked to Luke as he slipped away. He was then prepared to be taken to OHS for private cremation.
Luke was adopted with his brother Owen. Owen was also about 6 months older than Luke. Owen passed not long after he came here due to respiratory issues. It all happened rather fast!
Eventually, Luke and Sherman were introduced. Both being intact males, I had to be very careful. They hit it off right away. I was amazed. Sherman didn't like anyone else I had tried to introduce him to before.
When I left, Sherman was huddling in the front corner of his cage. Sherman is actually considerably older than Luke--Sherman is almost 3 years old. He is still very spry and big and cuddly. It was hard leaving him home while I came to California on vacation. I'm hoping he is ok. There wasn't time to arrange for him to stay with someone else. My husband is taking care of the little guys but I know that it is hard to spread yourself so thin with only one person there. I don't have anyone to put with Sherman. Sherman was actually very hard to find a buddy for. I was amazed that he and Luke hit it off. Luke, half the size of Sherman, used sleep on top of Sherman like a rattie blanket.
Rest in peace little Luke! You will be missed.
The lives of the lovable vermin of F.A.T.E.
Showing posts with label -d_Owen(r). Show all posts
Showing posts with label -d_Owen(r). Show all posts
Saturday, September 5, 2009
Sunday, April 27, 2008
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
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
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Sadness and Sickness Sweeps Vermin Village
I'm so upset. Respiratory illness is sweeping through Vermin Village. I stopped using CareFresh, too dusty. I switched to Aspen. Also too dusty. So now I'm switching to kiln dried pine (yes I know) litter made by ABM. The Rat Guide lists it as an acceptable bedding and I have to do something. So we are trying that.
All of the fur kids are on lysine and antibiotics. It is a very long time. I noticed early on that Rico had BUGS ON HIM. What the hell? So despite the warnings, I had to treat everyone with Revolution. You aren't supposed to treat sick kids but they are NOT candidates for a bath AND the bugs work against them too.
Owen, one of the older boys adopted from a family in SE Portland, passed away around 2am Monday, April 21st. I was up all night with him, my rat Rico, and Precious. Rico and Precious continued to remain in the bathroom with humidifier and steam treatments as well as their other medication. Rico was also really bad. He passed away around 3am today, April 24th. He was not even a year old. I will write about both of them on another post as all of the babies deserve their own memorial on the blog. I just have to think of what to say since I've lost 2 and have the potential to lose a lot more, so close together.
Precious is still fighting. She is just a year old, hairless little girl. I hope she was caught early enough.
Others that have been sneezing and the ones they are caged with (so every rat in the room) is on lysine and antibiotics. I'll give them all lysine the rest of their lives and antibiotics twice a day for 6 weeks, which means I'm very busy.
I did get two boys, Mr. Beans and Boo from CL. They were offered as pets or snake food and after hemming and hawing due to the illness, I went and got them. I'll make a separate entry for that experience later. Right now I've got to go and medicate and clean a cage or two before I go to work.
All of the fur kids are on lysine and antibiotics. It is a very long time. I noticed early on that Rico had BUGS ON HIM. What the hell? So despite the warnings, I had to treat everyone with Revolution. You aren't supposed to treat sick kids but they are NOT candidates for a bath AND the bugs work against them too.
Owen, one of the older boys adopted from a family in SE Portland, passed away around 2am Monday, April 21st. I was up all night with him, my rat Rico, and Precious. Rico and Precious continued to remain in the bathroom with humidifier and steam treatments as well as their other medication. Rico was also really bad. He passed away around 3am today, April 24th. He was not even a year old. I will write about both of them on another post as all of the babies deserve their own memorial on the blog. I just have to think of what to say since I've lost 2 and have the potential to lose a lot more, so close together.
Precious is still fighting. She is just a year old, hairless little girl. I hope she was caught early enough.
Others that have been sneezing and the ones they are caged with (so every rat in the room) is on lysine and antibiotics. I'll give them all lysine the rest of their lives and antibiotics twice a day for 6 weeks, which means I'm very busy.
I did get two boys, Mr. Beans and Boo from CL. They were offered as pets or snake food and after hemming and hawing due to the illness, I went and got them. I'll make a separate entry for that experience later. Right now I've got to go and medicate and clean a cage or two before I go to work.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)