Just a little picture of "Jasper and Chloe" saying hello!
These rats design (c) Stephanie "Sketchy" 2012 -- More information here
My love for rats and the 'Fantastic Five'
I have loved rats ever since I was a little 4 year old girl when a friend of the family showed me two furry rats. I was completely captivated by them and played with them the entire visit (or at least that's what I am told by my parents since I don't remember that day very well).
Many years later I finally got the chance to welcome these amazing little mammals into my own family. It took so long because my parents and I both believed we needed to find the perfect time and be living in a house, and country, where we would stay for a while, before adopting any new pets. My family moves countries a lot because of my dad's job but about two and a half years ago it became clear we would stay in the U.S. for awhile, which is when the 'Fantastic Five' entered my life.
I researched for months everything 'rat'. I found and visited three different veterinarians. I looked for breeders as well but there were none in my city at all
or any rats in rescue centers...So, finally, my dad and I went to Petsmarkt.
Which is where first Lyra and Jillie, then Luna, Rocky and Ming came from. Here is a little bit about each of them.
Lyra: Loved to cuddle the most out of all of them. She was the most attacked to humans and loved every new one of the people I introduced her to. When it was play time, she hung around close to me, she very dependent on my affection. She also very fond of warms and liked to fall asleep under sweater.
Jillie: She was an independent rat, from the very beginning. And she really didn't like people or being handled, although she would allow me to handle her after many months and lots of patients on my part. We had a mutual respect and affection towards each other. And sometimes when all of us were sitting together, she would also join and sit on my lap. Those are the moments I will remember the most.
Luna: This little girl was a little skittish when she first came to us. She remained skittish around strange people, however, around me she soon became a happy, beautiful young rat full of play. She liked to run and play a lot but would come back every so often for a cuddle and a scratch behind her ear before racing off again.
Rocky: Loved eating. And pouncing on the other rats. And running circles around me hoping for a treat. She was smart and willing to do a lot for a snack. She was so much fun to watch, since she always seemed to have never ending amounts of energy. Happily let me handle her but liked to meet strangers on her own terms.
Ming: The smallest of the group, a dwarf rat. She had everything worked out in her head. She was very smart and liked to explore the area, always having little hideouts which I wouldn't know about until I would call her and see her come out. She was always collecting things and hiding them. A little shy around people but not unkind.
Every morning, before school, I would bring them fresh fruits and vegetables. We would play together for about 30 minutes, using the whole room as our playground. To keep them entertained, I would teach them little tricks like fetching toys and coming when called, using the fruits and vegetables as rewards. Then, after I had my own dinner, they would again be allowed out of their cage for a couple of hours. They are just so much fun to play with and just to watch as well.
Lyra used to like hang around close to me, sitting on my shoulder or lap and always following my hot on my heels if I moved. Rocky was constantly trying to find ways to amuse the other rats and myself. Her favorite thing to do was to tackle her sisters then run away really quickly hoping they would chase her. They usually did and it was a fantastic sight to watch. Jillie was the obvious leader of my little pack and considered herself their guardian as well. She was always exploring our room and finding new ways into and onto things. Luna did similar things, although she loved chasing and being chased by Rocky as well
She was probably the fastest out of all of them and most interested in the toys I used to play with them. Her favorite was a feather on a string which I would trail behind me while walking around the room, all the rats but especially Luna loved it. Last but least, Ming. She always seemed to be in her own little world, and I got the feeling that she learned the quickest. She liked to hang around me as well, perching on my shoulder where she could observe everything which was going on.Needless to say, we always had lots of fun during play time and, even if my day had been horrible, they always managed to cheer me up. From the moment I stepped into the room and see all five at the door of their cage knowing it is time to play, to the moment I gave them each a kiss on their furry heads and an extra treat before closing the door to their cage, I could forget everything and just enjoy these wonderful creature's company.
On 29th of March 2012 I buried the last of my little beauties... Ming had been the last one left after one by one (within months of each other) all the little fluff balls went to the big golden rat cage in the sky (as I told my little brother). Ming had been physically slowing down the last 2-3 weeks and a nasty tumor started forming a couple of days before she pasted away. Looking back I'm glad we decided not to go to the vet because we didn't want to put her through any unnecessary stress at her old age (she was over two years which is quite old for a pet-store rat). Since it turned out that it was best. Our play time, by then, was mostly me reading out-loud to her while she sat on my lap or rested on a pillow next to me. But we enjoyed even that, just each others company. Even though she was weakening by the day, Ming always managed to get the door of the cage every time she knew I would take her out, like they always did since the beginning. She was always happy and still curious till the morning I came upstairs and she didn't come to greet me...
I will always love and cherish Lyra, Jillie, Luna, Rocky and Ming <3 I hope they rest in peace and that we will someday be together again, all of us. They are buried in a row in my backyard, with a different stone and flowers for each of them. The last two and a half years have been an amazing adventure and I will never forget these rats unique personalities, the respect, love and feeling of belonging they had for each other, nor all the little things they did which made me smile
.I now seem to have too much time on my hands and to be drawing endless amounts of rats so I thought I could create or adopt a character and write some stories, draw and do some role playing with them so I can have something new to look forward to
.
