A Rat Parent Blog

We are still at the vet, getting paw prints done... We had to put Haku to sleep today. Cw: Graphic medical discussion . . . The second photo I snapped right before taking Haku out and rinsing off his belly because he had a little urine stain on his fur. I cleaned his ear like I do every day, and started feeding him. I woke up around 7am and fed him a giant dish of baby oat meal today already. I was feeding him, and I thought he was starting to pee on me, which isn't a big surprise. And when I stood up and picked him up with me, there was massive amounts of blood gushing down my legs. I initially thought that his tumor may have opened, or maybe his ear was bleeding super badly?? But I quickly realized that he was bleeding from his rectum... and really grim sign from any animal or human... I immediately called the vet and rat dad rushed home from work. We took him in and had him put to euthanized... he ate two big spoons of chicken baby food before his injections. ❤ we got to stay by his side and cuddle him as he passed. I'm so happy we got to spend so much time with Haku after his initial respiratory issues and nebulizer treatments, and the start of his tumor really starting to show. We were so fortunate for the tumor to be outside of the ear canal and outside of the skull and away from his eye where there was no pressure behind his eye. Haku is the pickiest and silliest rat we have ever owned. When he is done eating, he forcefully shoves whatever spoon, plate, or food item, away from him. I loved spending my day feeding him while I say crocheting, and coming home to him excited to get fed. I was really worried about the cost of todays visit, but it ended up not being awful. My depression has been really kicking my ass, and between vet bills, medical bills, and medication for myself, my credit card bill is not kind to me this month, so it was a big relief to know that the bill today wasn't an arm and leg... Haku went very peacefully, being cuddled and kissed. ❤ he seemed completely oblivious to what was going on with his back end, and was just as active as ever. Now he gets to spend time with all of his brothers who I'm sure have missed him ❤🐀 https://www.instagram.com/p/BxvaVU0Ho83/?igshid=q5qs96c0lkko

Trouser man ❤ https://www.instagram.com/p/Bw81fAoh0Cq/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=w1ffj68ryjmf

Oni and Kaiju love Haku ❤ https://www.instagram.com/p/Bw0jUgYho6O/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1mza4091eu7xz

Free roam time ❤ Everyone gets along so well 😭🙏 https://www.instagram.com/p/BwtMRIQBUHO/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=c6lf55fhxrrp

❤ Attempting an art live stream. Working on some memorial artwork 🐀🌈 https://www.instagram.com/p/BwsRoCdhZWB/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=pzr4zj5krh48

We are eating solids and drinking all on our own again ❤❤❤ Even though I'm sure he does it late at night, he's just spoiled and knows oats are coming by baby spoon 😶 We finally witnessed it today! So proud of my lil Pup ❤ https://www.instagram.com/p/BwsEzXpB3B7/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1bpry44lh8vmi

After doing so well yesterday, Nibbler really started to go down hill starting this morning. He was struggling to breathe, and despite nebulizers, medications, and being sure his air ways were clear, and clearing out his nose of any obstructions, he would go back to normal, eat a little, and start up all over again... He ended up passing around 3:40am. We adopted Nibbler as an emergency take in. Despite putting money into a large cage, setting it up, breaking my nails off making sure he and his brothers couldn't fit through the bars, and setting up the cage interior, and talking to this person's God awful mother... she dumped his brothers at a local pet store to be snake food, and we were able to intervene and at least take Nibbler in... we called immediately to find out if his brothers were still there, and the manager told us an employee took them home to save them from becoming feeders. They were all dumped because this girl's mother promised her a kitten if she dumped the "smelly rats." She deleted every photos, the Instagram she made for them, and pretended that Nibbler and his brothers never existed, and everything revolved around this new kitten. These past few days with Nibbler has been amazing. We did not expect to even have these few days with him. He started to decline so quickly, but made such a huge turn around in the last two days. He was always a problem child. Picking fights, annoying someone, or getting agitated if someone wanted to cuddle with him, and wanted to be left alone unless he wanted to cuddle first. He would come right up to the cage, kiss your fingers, and kiss your face. He has always been super feisty, dramatic, but sweet and cuddly. We couldn't believe someone would just discard their rats like they were disposable. And we absolutely could not fathom someone wanting to toss out a rat as sweet as Nibbler. He had been so loving and cuddly during the time we have given him round the clock care. Sleeping between us in the carrier, napping with me in his shoe box, and boggling at every spoon full of food... RIP my sweet little bean ❤ I'm so glad he perked up and got to really enjoy some good food, especially his little Easter egg https://www.instagram.com/p/Bwof81Ghdm5/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=36qu560z56dm

About to go live [finally] Had another rat emergency, errands, and a struggle with set up. 🤷‍♂️😶 Come chat, watch me navigate a new game, ask questions, say hello to Nibbler, and have some fun ❤ Mischiefbleppers on Twitch! Twitch.tv/mischiefbleppers #livestream #streaming #forager #twitch https://www.instagram.com/p/Bwnti-kBf30/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=yad53r4aj8ri

When u realize someone's taking embarrassing photos of u https://www.instagram.com/p/BwlxUhNBWXT/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=rfiy0bgnetzf

Nibbler scooted himself over for some cuddles 😭❤ https://www.instagram.com/p/Bwi2Eb6h2XF/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1kwbczfdhzh2t

A good ol cuddle 🍑😂 https://www.instagram.com/p/BwivmbbBJDL/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=t4m1tb61wcwd

He finally let me get all of the blueberry baby food off his face and arms 😶 Taking a rat nap after a big ol spoon full of eggies 👯‍♂️🥚🍳 https://www.instagram.com/p/BwiJBrchQ2w/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1mz300e169tgi

Guess who needs a bath today 🤷‍♂️ Nibbler is covered in blueberry baby food [if you couldn't tell], egg mush, and a mix of other baby foods 😂👌 Rat Grandpa made some hard boiled eggs for the boys. I added some water to Nibblers eggs after he began to struggle with the more solid yolk. He ate nearly an entire half of a hard boiled egg in little spoon fulls ❤🐀 https://www.instagram.com/p/BwiHjYlhxRV/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1np1pa66zd9aw

Some Easter Throwbacks. We don't celebrate it, but the rats enjoy the eggs 🤷‍♂️😂 I'll be hard boiling a few later today ❤ https://www.instagram.com/p/BwhMbY7Bkvf/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1rmaaxjgr02sj

Nibbler and I took a nap together today once I got home from work, cleaned him up, and fed him his dinner. Rat Grandpa checked in on him today while Rat Dad and I were at work. ❤ https://www.instagram.com/p/BwgkZ02BDle/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=yk17poy75u1g

They're both boggling away ❤ Getting some cuddle time together. Nibbler is having another rough day. We aren't sure how long we have left with him, but he's being spoiled in the mean time ❤ https://www.instagram.com/p/BwgkILOB7nP/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=o2z881qwrn6j

Nibbler made it through the night. ❤ He's eating pretty well this morning and I shared some of my bagel with him [he basically just licked it into mush] he's still not wanting to hold his head up all the time, but he is grooming himself today. He got a morning bath/rinse, and is at home with rat dad while I go to work. https://www.instagram.com/p/BwZpudeBpA6/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1qev3izq2lnoi