My boy Butler

Not everybody gets the rat thing and that's okay. It's almost hard to remember what life was like before I had my rats. Butler here, he's the last rattie boy in my life right now and he's just not doing so hot. He's a little old fart, with little old man issues. His back legs don't work exactly right. Sometimes he's crabby and pushes my hand out of the box because he doesn't want to be bothered (yup, I've had days I'd like to be able to push people out of my box too:-) He doesn't have his brothers to help groom him anymore and I am a poor substitute for a fur groomer, though I do try. Now on top of everything else, he's dealing with the same respiratory issues that took his brothers home:-(

It's all part of life. The joy of the babies when they first come home, the giggles and wonder of watching how intelligent and loving such small creatures can be. The social order that is none too different from our canine pals. Then they start to slow down. The wild abandoned is replaced with more mellow activities. The daily routine in itself can sometimes bring happiness. Butler is 2 and a half years old. That's pretty old by rat standards. Some folks will tell you they can live for up to 5 years and longer. Man, how I wish that was my experience. My oldest lived rat was just a month over 3. and his last several months were not the healthiest for him.

One of the hardest things about having a fur family is when one gets sick and he's older and I have to start thinking about the fact that I really have to watch to be sure his quality of life is good. I'm going out of town this weekend for a wedding and Butler is not in the best of shapes. I've cancelled many plans in the past to be sure that I could be there for my critters if they needed me. This wedding is something I can't cancel. My niece, who has had a very nearly hellish life, is getting married to a good man. I've missed many things in her life, for one reason or another, that happens, I know. But there are many special reasons I just can't miss this. She also has 4 kids, one of which I haven't even met yet, though he's a baby and 3 others I haven't seen in nearly two years. That's way too long to stay away from the folks you love, but sometimes it can't be helped. Now Butler is not well and I'm very worried he just might not make it through the weekend. I've always worried and hated the possibility that one of my animals would die alone. I'm almost neurotic about it, truth be told. This is one of those times that I wish I could be more like my critters. They accept death and don't worry about the "possiblity" of what could happen.

Butler is my last little rat boy and due to other choices I've made, he will have to be my last rat for a long time. Even though he and my last few boys have been given really good lives, they just weren't the same as rats I've had in the past. When the time comes to get more, I will only do so if I can give them that life. I will probably be retired when that happens (and oh, boy, I've still got a long way to go.) So as I ramble on and on about depressing things, ugh! please give your babies, furry or human (or any other kind of critter you may have) a big hug and please think good thoughts that Butler will feel better or if not, at least that if it has to be, that he will go in peace knowing he is loved.