Thankyou for your advice over the last 3 years

Question
Thankyou Sandra for all your thoughts and advice over the last three years. I now have no ratties :-( and don't think I will be getting anymore. I know how much love and affection they give and my flat now seems so empty but they leave us far too quickly and it leaves me heart broken and I cry like a baby (I'm 30!!)

would it be possible to try and send you a picture of my two special girls for your website? I did try once before but think they got lost across the atlantic somewhere

anyway thanks again
vicky x

Answer
Yes please, send them.  I am so so sorry you wont be keeping rats any more! I found myself without rats when I lost Santana last June, but soon as my breeder teased me with three baby boys, I had to cave.   I cant be without them.  I just wont have female rats any longer which saves alot of heartache not having to deal with those relentless horrible mammary tumors they are prone to developing *as you are more than aware of!*   Myco is a close second but I do believe if its treated properly from the start, it CAN be controlled to an extent. To keep rats, we have to have it embedded in our heads AND our hearts that this is their life, brief as it may be, and if we want their companionship we have to be able to handle the loss too, and accept the fact it happens much to early than it seems fair. It seems so much easier for humans to lose a loved one when they are 90 yrs old and really, when our rats are 3 yrs old, its the same thing, in rat years that is. We have to accept it and if not, rats are just not for that person. I know one girl that was an awesome rat keeper, and much to my surprise,after losing all four of her girls she said no to any more rats and now uses her rat cage for her puppy.  She just did not have the heart for such loss, and   thats ok, too.  I sometimes feel like I am a masochistic person, putting myself through this. I have loved and lost well over 40 some rats over the years, with each of their deaths just as sad as the next one, saying the same thing each time I lost a rat: "She was my FAVORITE!"  :)  I once lost four rats in one day, Vicky. ONE DAY! Two in the morning, one in the afternoon, and one of my most beloved boys in the evening, non of them had even been sick before. It happened so fast. They were NOT cagemates, either, as this was the   time I had 20 something rats  (I rescued two pregnant females, dumb me!!)

Anyhow, I am so sorry your alone without rats, but you know what your heart can  handle more than anyone else, and if you just dont want to put yourself through losing your little friends again, dont. I dont blame you a bit.

Anyhow please send all the photos you want to my  email, sandracontitodd@yahoo.com