Fragglerats.com

My coffee is sitting in front of me, getting cold. I have been up forever it seems, fed the boys, did some spot cleaning. Scritches, kisses and cuddles were passed out. I came up here to sit and stare at the computer screen, not really wanting to be online, but wanting to do something. I did read all the old posts, laughed at so many of them and some made me cry. This site will be two years old in August. Time just keeps moving and as things change, we are forced to change with them. I wonder how long I will keep at this, keep updating, marking the progression of time in my rat world. I enjoy journals, keep one on paper even now. I dont often write there, but its hidden away, waiting for words from me regardless. I like to find the silly and bright and keep those words here. I put the sad and depressing here as well because I believe in balance in all things, especially life.

I am fortunate to have things to say at all, to have words to leave here for others to read if they care to do so. I have experience and pain that may help others.

This is my letter to the world, virtual it may be. This will be the place that I had my say, wrong or right, stood up for what I believed. Words can bring change, they can make a difference. Thats why I do write to anyone that will listen to me about the cruelty of live feeding, of selling animals in pet food stores.

Im one person, but my voice can carry to the eyes of thousands. I suppose Im hopeful for change, despite how uncomfortable certain aspects of it make me.

I will always have hope.

I long for the day that rat cages can clean themselves..just press a button and tada!!!!! cage is immaculate. I tend to overdo it most days, I spot clean several times a day and change all the bedding at least twice a week. The boys actually seem to appreciate my efforts, you should see the way they trash it after *rolls eyes* Typical boys just being boys I suppose.

We are finding a routine again, things seem to have gotten back to a semi normal state.

We are watching Vroobert, his tumor and the belly abcess closely. Other than soaking, cleaning it and making sure he gets abs twice a day, not much else I can do. I can only hope it heals completely and without complications. The tumor on the otherhand is getting massive =( His heart condition doesnt allow for surgical removal. There will come a point that I may have to take his chances and mine and go ahead with a removal attempt. I cannot imagine dragging that thing around and just waiting for it to kill me, split open or some other mess. Its all about his quality of life and how he seems to act each day. Still a happy boy, delightful and licky.

Waiting and watching just doesnt wear well with me all of the time. I am forced to do just that now.

I am quiet inside now, some part of me wailing in complete and utter silence. The brothers have gone on and in that I must find a way to carry on with the daily activities of owning rats. We have new babies here, yet I feel bragging about them at this point is like pouring salt into an open wound. They are precious little tykes, sweet and happy, just starting down a road that will go who knows where. Its odd in so many ways to feel this much grief, the burden of it leaves me breathless and wanting to swim to the surface.

When Fergus was put to sleep I thought my heart was broken and nothing could feel that badly, oh how wrong of an assumption that was. Wembles going on has left an already gaping wound even wider and its so painful that I can hardly bear it. Something ended here, the end of one era and leaving the horizon open to something else. Im just not so sure I was ready yet, would of ever been ready to face something different. I dont do change well, I like things the way they are. Not exactly the best state of mind for owning rats. They burn bright and live hard. They manage to do what it takes most dogs and cats the better part of a decade to do in just a year or two. If you are lucky you see three and beyond, but thats more often the excpetion, not the rule.

My quiet is simply a nice way of admitting to a depression. I knew my Fraggles would someday leave me, I just had hoped for something longer. I look at the others and feel the grief wash off of them in waves. My poor babies suffer equally in their own ways and it hurts that I cant help them more. My Vroo seems a bit lost without his uncles, he looks for them both still. I cry as I watch him search hammies and tubes. Such devotion and love…people call them pests…so sad and so VERY wrong.

I look forward to sunny days again, when it doesnt feel so raw and over exposed. I look forward to intros with the babies in a few weeks. To see my beloved crew happy and playing again. They have suffered much and deserve a little brightness. For now we will cuddle and I will give them and me some time to adjust to life different than it was before. Time to learn how to be quiet and not unhappy.

What a precious boy, wonderful and so sweet.

He was our alpha, but gentle with all the other rats. Never took any guff from the new kids. Even suffering congestive heart failure, he was a fighter and stayed until his body just gave up on him.

There are no words for the deep sadness, the void left by his passing. He was special and definately one of a kind.
The only way to see any light in this pain, is to know that he is with his brother and they are playing merrily now.

I love you Wembles, my heart is aching with such grief and the loss I feel is almost more than I can bear.

The reason for this vanity site, the brothers are now both gone.

Sleep well gentle man, know how much you are loved and missed… that your passing has left us all wondering what we will do now.

I love you Wembles and come visit us often. Your guidance will be missed.

love
mommy

I have decided in my golden age to offer advice to those younger and in need of help. I have a stack of letters here and I thought now was as good a time as any to start replying.

“Dear Mr. Wembles-

I live in a pretty nice cage, with a pretty great group of fellows. We all seem to get along and have many of the same values. Its just that one of these guys insists on peeing on the half shelf where we eat. I have to admit, while I let it rip most other places, this is starting to annoy me. How can I approach this and avoid a powergrooming?

Signed,
Fed up with the pissy eatery”

Hmmm, interesting issue here. I thought this one through quite carefully. I had a brother that would let it rip wherever, part of his charm in my opinion, but I digress.

“Dear Fed Up

Might I suggest you spend some time watching that area while lounging in a hammie? Seems to me that whomever is pissing the place up knows it annoys you. Despite wanting to avoid a powergrooming, this is what us rats have to live with. You need to talk it out, stop being a sissy

Mr. Wembles”

Hopefully my advice will be heeded and things turn out better for this concerned rat.