It’s Probably Been Close To 10 Years Since I Lost My Rats. I Know How You Feel, You Never Truly Forget

It’s probably been close to 10 years since I lost my rats. I know how you feel, you never truly forget them.

Just wanted to say that you’re a hero, and I didn’t want to hide it in tags. Every single rat rescue and foster is a hero. It’s hard caring for so many and losing them so soon, but you do it anyway. You were their world for the short time they were yours, all the way to the end. Don’t forget that.

Thanks for spreading helpful information for new rat owners, and making me tear up reading those stories. Keep fighting on :)

I am a sanctuary rat foster for a small animal rescue. This is the best and most important part of my life, so I figure I should explain it a bit and then pin it up so everyone knows, and can see cute rats.

This was Charles. I fostered Charles for nearly 3 years. His story is one that keeps me going when I experience too much loss or hardship with fostering.

Another rescue group had Charles and a few other male rats housed in one of their many facilities. I want to be clear, I respect that rescue a great deal, but they didn't know enough about rats. These boys were very aggressive and their Vet suggested euthanasia. Thankfully one of the wonderful volunteers with that organization thought of the rescue I work with, and those boys all came to us instead of dying.

The rest of Charles' story, more on fostering, and more rat pics below the cut.

These boys needed to be neutered. Almost immediately the other four boys calmed down, started socializing and went up for adoption.

Charles was a bit tougher. He continued to bite and was quite aggressive when placed within even 6 feet of other rats. His foster mom had some house related issues, so he was transferred to me. I was warned he might not ever socialize, though the coordinators at the rescue were pretty sure I'd manage to help Charles.

I'll admit, he was a tough cookie I got bit daily and he went full bull mode if I moved his cage anywhere near the other rats. But there was also this look he gave, like he wanted to trust me, and he wanted affection. I'd have kept trying no matter what, but those sweet, hopefully looks really spurred me on.

It took only a few months to get him to mostly stop biting, and to accept other rats. He usually kept an edge to him, and it was another year or two before he'd allow strangers to greet him, but he became a really happy and spoiled rat.

Charles would not have lived past his first year without being rescued properly. Having a rescue that focuses on rats and having multiple fosters who can handle more problematic rats is what gave him years of happiness and life. He was such a sweet curmudgeon. In his last year I received regular requests to bring him to visit at the Vet, so staff could see him. I still miss him. . .

I miss a lot of rats. I have fostered around 50 rats in the past 6 years. All have had sanctuary status, and they have lived anywhere from 3 days to 3 years with me. Some have come to me terminally ill, very old or very traumatized.

Here's French Fry, Teddie and Maize. Teddie and Maize had serious tumors, French Fry was a seriously traumatized rat who took a lot of work to feel safe and loved, though eventually he really did. He was my longest lived rat, reaching over 3 years and 10 months!

French Fry and I learned to communicate really well with each other. As an example, when his hind legs got too weak, he knew how to get me to help him go up or down the ramp. He also loved staying in a smaller cage on his own for anywhere from a few hours to days at a time in his last months. He'd just let me know where he wanted to go, little personal home or the bigger main cage with everyone else. I think he loved both his personal space, but also adored his home of years and most of the girls that inhabited it. He only ever hated one other rat, but that's a whole story in itself.

This was Christie. Unfortunately this picture is from her last day. She developed blockage from a tumor in her digestive tract. She was thrilled to have access to ask this amazing kale and carrot yumminess, but had mostly lost her appetite. But she enjoyed having her hoard of greens and getting lots of love.

Here's Smoke and Belle. These girls came directly from their adopter, who was no longer able to care for them. I miss that whole family group. In this picture, Belle had just finished chewing through the belt loop on my dad's pants while we waited at a Vet appointment. She was an energetic trouble maker. Smoke was a sweet old lady without an ounce of mischief in her. She's looking lovingly up at my Dad.

Sugar, Miso, Echo, Oreo, Harley all wonderful rats. Harley was very ill with heart disease when I got him, but passed as peacefully as possible in my arms after I had him for 2 months. Miso had a pituitary tumor and double inner ear infection. There has been recommendation to euthanize, but treating for ear infection gave him another 3 amazing months and he died peacefully in a hammock in a sleepy pile of rats who loved him. Echo was one of my dearest buddy rats. She was full of energy, love and life until her last month, when it whittled down to lots of love. Sugar was a beautiful and sweet rat, and tolerant companion to her crazy sister Spice.

At least 4 of the rats pictured above would have died months or years earlier without rescue. Saving them might not have changed the world, but it changed their world completely. I hold that in my heart after every loss so that I can take in the next rat. It's really easy to burn out doing this.

Rats really only live 2 1/2 years, occasionally less and even more rarely up to 5 years. I have met so many adopters and fosters who just can't keep doing it. I am often tempted to join them in this. It's heartbreaking, I'm actually crying as I write this part. I miss every rat I've known. I also love them all, and I intend to persevere as long as I can do so in a way that's safe for me and them.

If anyone reading this is interested in adopting rats, please know that rats make amazing fur friends. They are so loving, usually smart (with exceptions), and they are so much fun. Just be aware that they need a lot of play, attention, clean habitats, usually need to be in groups, and should get Vet care. When I adopted I usually spent around 150-200 bucks per rat on average in total Vet costs. Some were less, but at least one rat cost me over 1,500 dollars over her life just in vet care.

Also be ready for that short life span, as I previously mentioned. It's not enough time. . . but if you manage 2 1/2 years you did a really good job. I've met a few adopters who didn't realize that and blamed themselves for not having a rat reach 5 years. We don't know why some rats have extraordinary life spans, but most simply don't. There is a lot of information that seems to add months on, and when I get rats from a younger age or who are well cared for I'm more likely to get them to 2 year and 9 months. Research, care and knowledge help, but it's by months, not years.

If you can't adopt or foster, consider donating to a rescue. Even a few dollars can buy food and fleece, or a few toys. A bit more can help cover Vet costs and medicine. Many rescues have swag for sale, so you can show off your animal love while also supporting these great organizations. I might add links to the rescue I'm part of, but I want to get their permission first. There's a lot of rules that rescues need to follow and I don't want to accidentally get mine in trouble through inappropriate posting or monetization.

Rats rule!