# Rats as requested.



## lauren43 (Feb 6, 2011)

My first two girls Pinky and the Brain








Suri and Vixey








Zorri and Suri








Rhys








Cora








Orbit








Willie








Cottonball








Harvey (he passed most recently)








Casper


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## lauren43 (Feb 6, 2011)

Ty








Rosebud (manx)








Bluebelle








Gunther








I had so many rats at different times so I am sure I am missing some. Here are some group shots, I fostered many rats as well…
































The litter I fostered.


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## Tobi (Mar 18, 2011)

you were infested!! :twitch:

That's really cool though, i honestly never knew that people fostered rats... were they all pretty healthy or did most get tumors and such? i remember when i was a kid ours died of a tumor... I like the hairless one, what a cool rat!! :becky:


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## lauren43 (Feb 6, 2011)

I think obsessed is the proper term lol. Yes there are rat rescues out there MRR (Mainely Rat Rescue) is the biggest one I can think of.

No they were not all healthy. If you look at the 3rd group shot you can see Cora to the far right has a mammary tumor. I was going to have it removed but she died suddenly. Most females get mammary tumors which vets will remove but they usually return. They can be prevented by having your rats spayed.

Vixey had an internal mass removed, but the surgery was too much for her (perhaps I waited too long) and she passed a couple of days later.

Rhys was ridden with issues from day one. I bought him knowing there was something wrong with his eye. That was removed and then weeks later he developed an abscess in his eye socket (which we initially thought was a tumor)..Then Rhys was neutered which nearly killed him and then he developed one abscess after another in his groin (the only rat I regret neutering)...

Teddy died of respiratory issues meds didn't save him.

Cotton developed a mammary tumor which I had removed and then had her spayed. She was one of the ones I had to rehome when I moved back with my parents but she found the best home ever, they kept me updated. Her sister Blue and her friend Rose went as well. Shortly after Blue had a tumor removed and had to be spayed. They have all gone to the bridge now.

Rose when I had her developed a UTI that nearly killed her, but meds saved her.

Harvey developed a mass on his face and when he no longer had a quality of life I had him PTS.

Ty died very young from respiratory issues.

Suri was the only female that made it to 3 with no spay and no tumors.

They all have their stories. Writing all this up made me realize why people can't take the heart break. I always cared about my rats and cried when they passed but I accepted it as part of owning a rat. I do miss them.


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## Tobi (Mar 18, 2011)

awwww, geez it kinda makes me re-think wanting to get something like that again... iirc our rat was 2-3 when it died from the tumor... that's rough that they die so young, do you know of a "more healthy" breed of rat? and they probably can reproduce pretty quickly so it might just be natures way of keeping them under control? either way it's very sad :frown:


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## Dude and Bucks Mamma (May 14, 2011)

Mine have all died between 2 and 5 years. It IS a shame they don't live very long. I have never had a male. Only females and, surprisingly, I have only had one die of a tumor. Honestly, it never occurred to me to get a rat fixed. I might just have to get me a male and have him neutered. I have never had any because of their large anatomy. I mean, we don't alter mares so I never thought of doing it to a rat, especially since I ONLY have females. That might be something I would look into for my girls. I don't see why not, especially if it can save them from tumors.


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