Pain in the Mousey House

[Mousey Girl]

I didn't post this sooner because every time I started I would cry. Friday night I noticed that our younger rat, Twitch (not the one with the seizures) wasn't feeling good. She wanted to be held and petted, her fur was sticking out. By Saturday she seemed to have improved, but still under the weather. Sunday she was hopping around, but by Sunday night she was lethargic. Around 11pm I heard something strange in the cage. She was gasping for breath and there was what appeared to be blod & stomach acid coming from her mouth. I grabbed a towel and held her. I woke up Nickolas so he could say goodbye before she died. By 11:30 it was over. She died in my hands. It is still hard, she was such a loving and funny rat. She brought great joy to us with her antics. I haven't yet cleaned out her stash under the couch. Nickolas is still grieving, this was his first real pet to have lost.

It was harder because she was our healthy Roaming Rodent. I have been braced for Sniff's end, but not hers. I am sure she got into something she shouldn't have during her travels.

It seems sudden, but I have found a pet store in Tulare that raises their own rats. I asked Nickolas if he was ready for another (or 2) little girl. We are going to head there tomorrow when he gets out of school (he is begging me to let him stay home and go in the morning).

My eyes hurt from crying, I don't know if it is all because of her or that I also needed an outlet for tears.

[alphabassettgrrl]

(((((((((((((((((hugs))))))))))))))))))) I'm so sorry. It's amazing how these creatures we adopt (or do they adopt us?) bring such joy to our lives.

[mousepod]

My condolences. We lost one of our pets very recently, and it totally sucks. Every one of them has their own unique personality, and while it's a sad thing when they are gone from our lives, we have to remember the blessing that we got to share them at all. You'll never have another Twitch, but you will find another little joy. I used to wonder why all of my friends pets were so cool... it's because I have cool friends.

I'll think about you tonight when I'm hugging my doggies.

[Not Afraid]

Awwwwww! I knew we were all expecting one to have more problems but not this one! Poor baby! I'm glad you were there with her. I hope it wasn't too painful for her in the long run.

It's not too soon. Someone needs your love.



((((((((HUGS)))))))) to you and The Boy.

[wendybeth]

Hey, Mouseygirl- I really do know how you feel. The Girl had a pet hamster, Hedwig, and that little guy was just a lovebug. I was really attached to him- and mind you, we have lots of other animals, but there was just something about him. One day, I noticed he was dragging on one side, and the vet said he'd probably had a stroke. I took him home and just held him until he died, and it just about broke my heart. My condolences to you and Nickolas, and to you too, Mousepod!

[tracilicious]

Aw! I'm so sorry. Makes me feel sort of guilty because our rat, Garfield died, and I wasn't very sad. He was my favorite too. I'd really like to find a new home for Odie. I just don't have time to give him what he needs. And now that Garfield is gone he's really lonely. I want him to go to a good home though. I feel so guilty giving up an animal.

[Baileykat]

Oh wow MG! That's horrible! I feel so sorry for you!

I think it would be harder on me because he meant so much to your son...that would break my heart for sure!!!

I know if anything happened to the family cat...we'd all be devastated!

Hugs for you...and go get one of these... :cheers:

[Eliza Hodgkins 1812]

I'm sorry for your loss. Pets are family. So sad. xoxoxo

[MickeyD]

{{{{hugs}}}} :(

[Mousey Girl]

Thank you for all the good thoughts.

Nickolas is looking forward to going today to get the 2 new girls. He told me he still misses Twitch. I told him that was ok, we are not replacing her, just giving a good home to 2 more. He said that he had prayed for her at school Tuesday. His friends all told me he was sad about her.

hehehe Poor Sniff, she is going to be shocked when 2 babies begin to climb all over her and driver her nuts. I am getting ready to clean her cage so that the babies have a nice clean place to come home to.

David got down the little travel cage for me so we are all set for our road trip. My mom was giving me grief for driving to Tulare when I pointed out that we got Twitch in Tehachapi and Tulare is only 15 minutes further. David is ok with the whole thing, he misses her too. She would follow him all over the house, begging for his attention and trying to steal his food.

[dsnylndmom]

Awwww I'm sorry MG!! <<<HUGS>>> for you and NIckolas too

[Mousey Girl]

We are home. The first rat we saw was very close to Twitch coloring wise. A tad bit older than what I wanted, but she was semi-tame and Nickolas immediatly took a liking to her-she is B&W hooded, but the spots stop at her shoulders and her body is white. He named her Daisy.

The 2nd rat we were "shown" was a former pet of one of the sales girls. She is beige (or Peach which is her name, Princess Peach). She is bigger than Daisy and already completly hand tamed. She is very sweet and the girl was thrilled that we were buying her. There may be a minor problem. On the way home we stopped at my mom's...Peach has prnounced boobies...she could very well be preggers. I woud prefer it if she isn't, but if she is, oh well.

They have been introduced to their new cage, Sniff is indifferent and too busy sleeping to be bothered. She did come out and say "hi" and then went back into her milk carton house and crashed out.

Daivd took the new girls out. He is sitting in my chair with Peach and Nickolas is on the couch with Daisy (who is in his pants). They are both good additions to the Murphy household.

[Not Afraid]

Awwwwww! Thay sound woonderful! Congratulations on your new additions!

[Tref]

Sad-na lang.

Your tale of woe made me think of my cat, Stupid. I miss the poor guy. He hated me nearly all of his life. If I came near him he would move away. If I took too long to set down his food dish he would strike me -- claws out. We all loved him but we just didn't go near him.

Then, during the last 8 months or so of his brief earthly existence, Stupid and I became good friends. Everybody was shocked. Stupid the cat, who at one time only slept alone, now skulkered into my room, at night, to sleep near my bed. If I stayed out late, Stupid would sit at the top of the stairs (next to my dog) and wait for me to come home. In the morning Stupid would wait for me outside the bathroom and he would sit near my feet as I ate my breakfastuous.

Then one night I came home and there was no Stupid at the stairs. I went into the kitchen -- again, no Stupid. Then I heard this dragging noise and turned to see my cat, literally, pulling itself across the floor to greet me. I was so distraught! I carried Stupid into my room and held him all night long. Around 4 am, Stupid began thrashing and hissing. Then he stopped moving. Stupid was still alive, just quiet now. I held onto him until I fell asleep. My mom came in and woke me at 5:30. Stupid had gone. I cried all morning. It took me a few weeks to fully get him out of my system. I still think of Stupid from time to time, which is ironic, because before his little cat-heart softened, Stupid was the meanest animal I had ever met.

Poor little Stupid. Poor little Twitch.

[Not Afraid]

Perhaps, if you had named him, say sweetiepie or something.............

[Mousey Girl]

All 3 girls made it though the night unscathed. Sniff has adjusted to the new additions very nicely. This morning I had them out and they were all cleaning each other. This afternoon Daisy (the youngest and least tame) fell asleep on me, under my shirt, over my tank top. She was very content. If Princess Peach is preggers I have already found homes for 3 babies. In a way it would be neat if she was. Nickolas has witnessed death, it would be nice if he could witness birth too.

[wendybeth]

Lol, Mouseygirl! The hamster we brought home after Hedwig died (Hermione) wound up being preggers, so the Girl got to experience exactly what you described. Hermione had seven babies, and we were able to find homes for them all. It was pretty cool, albeit a bit stinky when they got a little older.

Two weeks ago our new birds killed one of the old ones, Oliver. I bought another cage and put the little murderous darlings in it, and they promptly started producing eggs- five of them. This morning, we awoke to find that three babies had hatched, and since they are so cute, we've forgiven the parents for offing Oliver.

Anyone want a Zebra finch?

[wendybeth]

A postscript to my prior post:

I just checked the 'old' finches cage, and I couldn't find Ron. After tearing apart his house, etc, I located him under the newspaper at the bottom of the cage. (Sigh). The new finch we'd gotten to keep him company was acting all hyper, which alerted me that something was wrong. So, here we go again...Wrap poor Ron in tissue, put him in a small box, and out to the garage until we can bury him.

We have a frikken animal cemetary going here now.

Meanwhile, the new parents are doing fine, but our poor new bird, Lupin, is very sad. If any of the babies survive , we will put them in with him when they start getting on mom and dad's nerves, but in the meantime, poor Lupin is going to be lonely.

So, three babies born on the same day one dies. Circle of life, right?

[~MS~]

(((((MG and The Boy)))))

I'm so sorry he lost his pet but glad you found the new girls to help ease the pain!


(((to all who have lost beloved furbabie friends)))

[Mousey Girl]

WB, it is amazing that we can come to care so much for such "minor" creatures. My sister had birds (after her rat & hermit crab phases). I still remember the pain both she and my mom went through when her cockatiel was basically sucked out the front door of her apartment. I also giggle when I think about that bird trying to hatch a chicken egg on the kitchen counter or when she used to try to sneak wine out of my mom's wine glass. The poor thing had serious issues.

When we got home tonight Nickolas immediatly took out all 3 girls. He gave me my curfew when I left. I fully expected him to still be on my chair with the girls when I got home. He was still awake, waiting for me, but sans rodents. He said he put them back when he got sleepy, but he wanted to make sure I got home on time. I did, and he went to bed a happy boy (hubby was asleep before I had left).

The girls are all a real joy. They are happy and enjoying us as much as we are enjoying them. Daisy is already beginning to respond to her name and Peach likes to be perched on my shoulder as I walk around the house. The more I think about it, the more I realize that I will be disappointed it Peach isn't preggers.

[alphabassettgrrl]

That's great that you have two new babies to love! :)