We got a cage for our rat, Justine, back when she was still just a baby. Well, no surprise, she outgrew it! I hated to see her struggle through the tight spaces, so my fiance ordered a new cage! We got it in the mail today; it's a little flimsy...actually, all cages seem to be, IMHO, but I don't feel that it will fall apart. We got it all together, and several minutes and a few cuss words later, it was ready for her! :D I'm happy to say, she LOVES her new home! There aren't any tunnels in this one, but she has plenty of room to climb and run around without getting stuck. I put her water bottle on the second level, and her food on the bottom with the bedding and her exercise wheel (the bowl is heavy; if it falls on her, it could seriously hurt her).
Justine is just the smartest, sweetest rat I know! She's not skittish, she loves giving me kisses/grooming me, she enjoys exploring within the boundaries I lay out for her, and is just darling!! I just wish she could live longer... ;~; All, or almost all rats suffer from respiratory problems. It's the leading cause of fatality, as far as I know. Often, they wheeze and cough and have a little bit of blood on their noses. It's not contagious to humans, but it is sad to see them go before their time. She seems to be fine, however. I'm crossing my fingers for a miracle; just maybe she's 1/1,000,000 and beat the odds!! It's extremely rare, but it does happen! Either way, all I can do is love her and take care of her until she says goodbye.
We had a second rat named Danielle. She was very sick from the beginning...she didn't last very long, and I was heartbroken when I found her dead one day a few weeks ago. I think she was happy while she was alive, but we miss her sorely. We buried her in our front yard that night. Rest in peace, sweet baby. I hope you get lots of cheese and goodies in Heaven. Someday your big sis will join you, but please let us keep her for a while longer. <3
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