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I sat a while this morning, just looking at Petfinder and always that same sadness wells up in me. I cannot imagine why anyone would not want their pets, to throw them away is unthinkable for me. I love every animal that lives her with me, they are family first here. We have had special cases, hard to deal with little fuzzies. I have simply allowed them to be what they were and taken care of them. You dont throw living things away.

M.Gandhi said ‘The greatness of a nation and its MORAL PROGRESS can be judged by the way its animals are treated’.

These words ring clearly for me and I dont know what people are thinking so much of the time.I have said my bit about people that simply get rid of animals because they dont want to be bothered anymore. I have been nasty and right upfront about live feeding and the ignorance in this country that allows such a horrid practice to continue. I sometimes feel I am spinning my wheels in a useless race that I will never win.

As a higher order of animal, we owe the creatures a debt that we have tamed for our own uses. We owe them the time and respect that any living creature should have. Nothing is ever to much bother or a hassle. Life is a precious gift and having responsibility for life is even more precious.

I am ashamed at times to be part of a race that is so careless with what we have been entrusted with. I read everyday about how children are abused and thrown away, what animal in nature does that so willingly? Not one, only humans. We are a sad branch of an animal order that is well known for loving care with its offspring.

I can only hope that we do better, realize we are better and aspire to become caretakers. Not just a useless, overbearing, greedly parasite on an already overburdened planets back.

He will be two in the morning, old by rat standards. I will make something sweet, something special just for him and the others. There are toys to play with, surprises to hunt in the cage and likely some pea fishing later in the day. He will be cuddled and lauded for making it to such a special age. I will hug him close and whisper things and scritch his tiny ears gently. We sat for a while this morning and I talked to him about his brother, how much I miss him and Im sure he misses him as well.

Its Fathers Day as well, fitting for a special rat like Wembley. He is a father to all the younger rats, a sage old man who seems to know just what they all need and when to give tough love.

Happy birthday Wembley, just a tad bit early. You are a special rat, unique and very much loved.
Know that having you here with us is a gift each day, every minute is precious.

Has anyone told the boys that they are rats? I watch them cuddle into fleece, lazily come out for a fruit/cheese plate and do they know they are rats? LOL

Do they know their wild bretheren wouldnt eat Kashi snacks or drink bottled water? Well they might, but it wouldnt be demanded =)

They pass out kisses as easily as a wild rat would run in a panic and love their backs being scratched.

Rex coats, fancy colors and exotic ears set them apart from the famous city sewer rats, it gives them flourish and many vet techs have “oohed and aaahed” at such interesting boys.

This morning I was up at 6, passing out breakfast and the routine “good morning” kisses and cuddles. I swept up messes and tidied eating areas. I got new blankets to line hammocks and made sure there was fresh, cold water to drink as they day went on. I made sure my older men were first to eat and helped them clean up after. I do this everyday, around the same time. I find this routine to be one of the best parts of the day.

They are usually waiting for me, happy to be back in favor after the long night. I know that they do the “rat” things at night, Im sure of it. Its just during the day, they settle into the routine of being something else entirely. Beloved pet? wise men with knowledge to share? Smal packages full of surprises? Yes, its all of that and much more.

To know a rat is to love one I think to myself. To know a rat and to have that connection is a blessing.

Its been a quiet few days for me. I have finally found the courage to look at pictures of Fergus, from the time he came home up through a week or so before he went to the bridge. In those pictures I watched him grow up again and it made me laugh and cry. Its an amazing experience, to know these animals so well, to be part fo their world on a daily basis. I have spent countless hours watching them, sometimes jotting down notes. Its been a learning curve that at times I have struggled to keep up with.
I have admitted that my first venture into owning rats was an impulse buy at a pet store. Buster was an evil man and we never did completely bond, but we developed an understanding between us. I had no idea about cages or what kind of food was best. I made alot of mistakes the two+ years he lived with me. It taught me alot about rats and alot about myself. It helped to develop a deep love for these fuzzies and its only grown in the time since.
It was a fortunate find when I came across Valeries website, looking for rats that had to be “better” than what they were selling at Petco. Not only did I find animals that were beautiful, but they were friendly and looked for human contact and interaction. It was through Valerie that I learned alot more about these little animals and how big a world that rats really did have. To those that love them, they are everything.

I will always Miss Fergus, he was a special boy, he will hold a place in my heart forever. You dont lose a special creature like he was without some emotional kicks and its been worht it. I have loved and I dont see his passing as a loss, I feel the love and grief, they hold hands. Im sure time will lessen this pain, but I am better for having been loved by Fergus.

I wouldnt trade the time we had for anything.