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RIP Fergus 1.8.17 - 12.2.20
I've been gearing up to having to do this since Christmas, when I was told Fergus could not be operated on as he would not survive an operation. I have no reason to think that was incorrect. A nearly two and a half year old rat is like a human in their 80s, roughly speaking.
Anyway, the tumour was so large that it was literally anchoring him to his side. He couldn't use his back legs, which is a fairly common thing with old rats and if that was all, I would have kept him going, but as it was, no. Greg (vet) said that it was probably not the only growth in his body, especially as it had started to sprout small tumours on the big one.
Anyway, I took him in this morning and he was put painlessly to sleep. Gas first. That's why I ended up not using a mobile service as one of the things they can't transport to your house is gas and small animals need that. Greg did say he thought I had called it at the point where it was needed and I was glad to hear that because it's very difficult to determine with a creature who tries so hard to hide how he's feeling. Showing weakness is death for wild rats and domestic rats are just as stoic.
I think I've got a strike against my guy card because I totally lost the plot in there. It was the culmination of all the stress of looking after him for the nearly two months since the growth appeared, not to mention trying to fix his bumblefoot before that. That one was actually Fergus' fault due to his poor hygiene problems. He didn't bother to get out of bed and go to the latrine (litter tray), which is a thing with male rats. He did get better about that when I took away the upstairs and set up his castle hideout on the downstairs floor with a view of the litter tray for encouragement.
Rats can be completely housetrained, but those rats, at least the ones I've met, have been females. I swear; one in particular would use one tray for twos and another tray for ones. She was bloody perfect! I had her staying with me for awhile (she was spayed so could share quarters) and I hoped the boys would take notes. Well, they did but not about that.
Fergus, my last rat, was a complete bugger of an animal who didn't like being petted, picked up or in any way bothered by a human. He also wasn't keen on other rats, tolerating only his brother Ridley who died last year from a similar abdominal tumour. My most often used phrase to Fergus was "You're a pet rat. It's your job!"
Fergus would simply reach out and push my hand away. Only today did he actually want me to hold him. It was a privilege to do so.
Anyway, the tumour was so large that it was literally anchoring him to his side. He couldn't use his back legs, which is a fairly common thing with old rats and if that was all, I would have kept him going, but as it was, no. Greg (vet) said that it was probably not the only growth in his body, especially as it had started to sprout small tumours on the big one.
Anyway, I took him in this morning and he was put painlessly to sleep. Gas first. That's why I ended up not using a mobile service as one of the things they can't transport to your house is gas and small animals need that. Greg did say he thought I had called it at the point where it was needed and I was glad to hear that because it's very difficult to determine with a creature who tries so hard to hide how he's feeling. Showing weakness is death for wild rats and domestic rats are just as stoic.
I think I've got a strike against my guy card because I totally lost the plot in there. It was the culmination of all the stress of looking after him for the nearly two months since the growth appeared, not to mention trying to fix his bumblefoot before that. That one was actually Fergus' fault due to his poor hygiene problems. He didn't bother to get out of bed and go to the latrine (litter tray), which is a thing with male rats. He did get better about that when I took away the upstairs and set up his castle hideout on the downstairs floor with a view of the litter tray for encouragement.
Rats can be completely housetrained, but those rats, at least the ones I've met, have been females. I swear; one in particular would use one tray for twos and another tray for ones. She was bloody perfect! I had her staying with me for awhile (she was spayed so could share quarters) and I hoped the boys would take notes. Well, they did but not about that.
Fergus, my last rat, was a complete bugger of an animal who didn't like being petted, picked up or in any way bothered by a human. He also wasn't keen on other rats, tolerating only his brother Ridley who died last year from a similar abdominal tumour. My most often used phrase to Fergus was "You're a pet rat. It's your job!"
Fergus would simply reach out and push my hand away. Only today did he actually want me to hold him. It was a privilege to do so.
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Perfectly manly to do so whenever you damn well need to.
Sorry for your loss mate. Fergus had a good go of life on his terms.
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If the hand didn't have food in it, Fergus couldn't see why it was coming anywhere near him!
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I never managed to litter train any of mine, but mine were all males.
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The owner of the female rat I mention above said he didn't actually do any training, it was all her!
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And it's never easy, no matter the size of the companion critter. Please know my thoughts are with you here in the Upabove.