Anyone who has a rat?

Question

My rat,ester boo,died 2 days ago in my hands. I held her and pet her head while she was passing. My brother was here while this happened and I was crying,obviously,because she was my baby. He told me to quit crying over a rat and when I told other people about it they were like "so get another one" or similar things. I just want to know how some people can be so insensitive to the lose of a pet no matter what kind. Most people with pets think of them as family as I did. Do you guys have any bad experiences with people minimizing your love for your rat? Or people telling you how gross they are? How do you deal with it? What do you say to them? I am sorry this is so long I am just frustrated and still upset that she is gone. Thanks

Answer 1

Sorry for the loss of your sweet baby. I haven't had to go through the loss of one of our rats yet but we just lost our guinea pig. My husband told me that it was only a guinea pig and to get over it and I told him that I loved that guinea pig like it was family and that it was quite insensitive of him to make my feelings seem like they didn't matter just because he didn't feel the same way that I did. Some people just don't get as attached to certain animals as others do. Lots of people also think that rats are a disposable pet and that you can replace them at any time. I don't think that these people have ever been loved by or loved a rat. I get told that rats are gross and get that why the **** do you have rats question all the time. I just introduce them to my boys and about seven out of ten times they win them over.

I'm sure that you will heal in time and be able to give your love to another rat. Thank you for being with her to help her cross the bridge. She'll be waiting on the other side to greet you when you finally get to be together again.

Answer 2

I've had many pets "family members" die and a few in my hands. One I'll never forget is the first male rat I ever had, His name was Two-Tone because he was black but had a white "lightning bolt" down his tummy...I had him for 2 years before he went into convulsions in my hands, all I could do was cry into him because I knew there was nothing that could save him :( To most of the people who saw him he was just a gross, ugly, rat but to me he was a loyal friend (who slept on my pillow, sat on my shoulder, went everywhere with me [sometimes even to school]) he was a great companion and I think I was able to give him a wonderful life. In his 2 years he had a wife (Gabrielle) who was albino, had one daughter that looked like momma (Hope) and 15 that had his markings and I can't remember how many went on from there :) I gave him a viking funeral (buried him at sea so to speak...we let him float into the Twin Lakes where we live) I still miss him almost 10 years later but he'll always be in my heart with my other pets who have passed. I am sorry for your loss...and I feel people who say "just get another one" are heartless :(

Answer 3

Your emotions about your rat is very normal. Many people are not rodent lovers. Those who do not get excited about rats are rude with statements. Of course you are upset; and you will feel better soon. Most rats don't live very long meaning they live around 4 years maybe more. It all depends on circumstances. It is hard when you loose a pet, but I have always told my kids that their pet has had a wonderful life with all the care possible. We have had several rats thr the years with much enjoyment.

Answer 4

I'm sorry you're precious pet rat died. One of mine died last month too.

It is too bad that so many people are so closed minded about rats. They seem to almost have it hardwired to think the myths are true about the nasty rat, or the scary movies about the vicious rat.

Those of us fortunate enough to have known and loved rats find it almost incredulous that a creature who is as smart, clean,sweet, loving, and cute as a rat is so misunderstood.

I don't let it get to me although I do try to enlighten them.

There is one guy in the apartments where I live that tells other people in front of me, that he would shoot one. Since he is a Veteran of the Vietnam war, I understand because he told me they give him nightmares.

It seems that the rat is getting to be more accepted and loved as a pet. Since websites life you tube, more people are seeing how charming they are. They are being discovered that with their small size and relative ease of care, they fit into many people's lifestyles.

Go ahead and cry for your dear rattie, then when it feels right, go get a same sex pair. Now that you have had rats, they are too good to do without!

Answer 5

I know how you feel. When my pet mouse died I was so upset, I couldn't stop crying, then when I got to school I told some people how my mouse had died and they all just kept saying omg why do you care it's just a rodent or ewww thats disgusting you have a mouse as a pet?! When they said this to me I just ignored them and walked off. Don't worry about what other people say to you, you know how much you loved ester boo and she will always be in your heart, if people say rude things about the situation just ignore them.

R.I.P ester boo.

Answer 6

I own a rat named Buddy and I have the same feelings for him. He is getting to be very old and I'm scared I'm going to lose him very soon. So how you feel about her is totally normal. I would get a new pet maybe not a rat for a while but something i could pet and care for again. Hope all is well and I'm sorry for your loss!

Answer 7

I can sympathize with your situation. I had a hairless rat a couple years back , and she too died in the palm of my hands. I cried and cried and everyone thought I was out of my mind. But she was very important to me. Dont let people minimize your feelings about your pet. A pet is a pet is a pet....doesnt matter if it is a dog or horse or cat...you loved her and thats all that matter. I am truly sorry that you lost your little pal....take care.

Answer 8

I'm so sorry that you've lost your little one. People have been insensitive to me about my sweet rats & other "gross" companions. It used to really upset me & hurt my feelings but now I just let it be & kind of feel bad for the person b/c it's sad for them to be so insensitive that they don't allow themselves the joy & love of small animals.
It sounds like there has been a lot of love between you & your little one. She is fortunate that you were with her as she passed.

Answer 9

I'm so sorry for your loss.

Unfortunately...most people just don't "get" it. I don't talk about my pets much with people, but I was lucky enough that the people who knew I had rats, weren't disgusted by that fact. At least...they never shared their rude comments with me. Which is all that really matters: I don't expect everyone to like my choice of pet, but when they are vocal about their disgust, THAT is when I get annoyed.

Years ago, I had to have my very first hamster put to sleep. I had a person--someone I had never really talked to much before--tell me that it was stupid to bring a hamster to the vet to put it to sleep, I should have just left him alone to die. Even when I told her he was *suffering* she said it doesn't matter, it's only a hamster. But minutes before, she was sooo sorry another girl had her cat put to sleep. When she told me this, we were only 12 years old...I thought kids were more sensitive and a little more compassionate, but apparently not. I just can't wrap my brain around how someone could say that just because something is small and only costs $7, they deserve to suffer. =[

People think rats are gross, and unless you're dealing with a very open-minded person, they're probably not really going to pay much attention to what you say about them. I just tell people rats are like dogs in a rodent body and they only get as dirty as you allow them to.

I usually ignore the super ignorant comments. Nothing ever change's anyone's mind. Or I just simply tell them that rat/whatever was as important to me as their precious little dog is to them. Does it make them feel bad for their comments? Probably not. But it hopefully makes them stop and think a little.

Answer 10

i'm sorry to hear about the loss of your dear boo.

i too recently lost one of my girls (alexa- 6-6-07) this past year. unfortunately my poor girl wasn't as lucky to go the way yours did. i didn't notice that she'd had an infection and was on the way to get her to the vet and it was too late :((
i was extremely traumatized and felt like a really bad mommy, and still do when i think of her.i called my boyfriend at work and he had to suck back the tears (big burley mechanics aren't suppose to cry you know) we spent a good part of that night crying. its still hard for us, she was very much apart of our family. she was an indignant witch a lot of the time and set in her own ways, but still had her sweet side.
as for people that think there gross, or are uneducated about them, i ask them if they want to learn about them and tell them things that my girls know and can do.
as for the people that think there gross, maybe there gross too!!!!
i remember one of my boyfriend's cousins squeaking and scaring the crap out of my girls and i told him that if he didn't stop he would have to leave. he thought that he'd be a funny guy and do it just one more time....
he was getting ready at our place to catch a flight because we live close to the airport.... he was brushing his teeth and squeaking away.... i grabbed all his things and threw them out my front door.... told him that he could finish doing whatever he needed at the airport and not to come back... that was more then a year ago and he hasn't been back to my house.
and thats what i do with the people that disrespect me, and my girls!!!!
as for the mourning part of this, the pain will go away in its own time and its something that you're going to have to cry over i'm sure a few more times.
((((hugs to you))))