Depressed Rat?

Question
I recently had one of my rats pass away. When I removed my poor little friend from the cage yesterday morning my other rat Albireo was hiding in his nest and refused to come out. Later on in the day I noticed that he was digging around in the bedding and burying himself. Since then, he's mainly just been laying curled up in the corner or covering his face. He still eats and drinks normally, and I understand that he's mourning the loss of his companion (as am I). When can I expect him to return to normal again, and should I get him another friend?


Answer
I'm sorry to hear Albireo is grieving.

Grief, for rats and for people, is a tough thing. For everyone, the amount of time you need to move past the loss of a family member is different; and I suggest waiting until *you* are ready to get Albireo a buddy. He will tell you whether or not it's too soon for him at that point by behaving badly toward the new rat, picking fights or simply being anti-social. Over time, he will warm up to the new buddy and most likely all will be fine. But don't move on too quickly, allow yourself time to cuddle and comfort Albireo, and move on when *you* are ready to.. Albireo will soon follow in your footsteps.

Good luck, and I'm very sorry for your loss.