caring for old ratties

[ChrisK]

I think I need some advice on achieving balance in my life while caring for my little old lady girls.

Seems I'm tiring out from trying to get them to take their meds morning and night, and from the constant new developments of some health issue or another. One girl just finishes meds after a surgery and then either she or the other gets another growth or something. It's been non-stop for some time. While I think a night away would refresh me, I can't in good conscience leave them overnight at this point, and frankly I would just worry about them anyway.

I'm very much committed to helping them live out their lives in the most happy and comfortable situation possible.

Now I can't help but think how silly this must sound to those of you who have rat colonies, while I have only two girls ! What do you do to keep balance in your life while caring for sick and elderly ratties? And how do you manage to keep it all in perspective, and to still have fun time with them instead of just 'giving them meds' time?

 

[jorats]

It can be quite the downer. This is usually when some people add babies to their household to balance out the end journey with the beginning of new life.
You have to see as your everyday care with your oldies as love, sharing and bonding. Spend extra time with your oldies, at off times, not times of medicating but pull them out at different times to have cuddles with. You might find these times worth all the effort.

 

[Kibble]

It was really hard work looking after Agnes in her last days - she was really confused, and would eat and drink happily but only out of my hand, and needed washing and keeping warm - but when the time came to put her to sleep, I felt much... calmer? for knowing that I'd done absolutely everything I could. But having her friend Kiki to think of really kept me going. Kiki needed Agnes too, and when Kiki and I went for round-the-house adventures together, I could feel like I was giving her a little break from the sad cage, too. It's way too sad when loved ones are winding down, it's much too hard to keep cheerful, but new babies might give you something to look forward to and think of beyond this.

 

[smilez_n_hugs]

I'm very lucky right now because only one of my 2 oldies is on meds and he lovesss to take his right from the syringe. But I do have experience with rats who don't like meds so like Jo said I made med time bonding time. My boy would come out on the bed with me and get scritches and pets while he slowly ate his meds and I found it to be a great bonding experience. We were much closer towards the end than when he was young and healthy. You develop a very different but special bond with your oldies.

 

[Godmother]

I've had times when there were several older ones needing meds and other extra TLC, and it was draining. The worst was when I had rats with severe respiratory or heart problems, who needed Lasix 3-4 times a day. That gave me very little leeway. Between work, cage cleaning, laundry & meds, I had little time just to enjoy the rats.

I know people who have taken rats with them on overnight trips (some motels are OK with caged pets, relatives can be trickier!), and it can be a godsend to find a rat-sitter.

 

[ChrisK]

Meds time can be a bonding time, but often my eldest just wants to stay in her comfy fleece tube, and I wind up feeding her meds in there. I think our schedules are different because I've noticed on a few occasions that she will come out of her comfy spots as I'm about to leave for work, or when I'm making supper. At night time I usually bug her until she'll come out for a while, and then I feed her meds and snuggle with her. it never feels like it's been long enough that we spend together. And it's really hard to tell now if I've kept her out too long and she wants to go back into her cage. When she was younger, she'd just come and go as she pleased, but she's not steady enough to climb up to get into her cage anymore, so I gently take her out and put her in. Hence I try to read the signs to know if she wants to go in or out. I hope I'm not misreading; I hope she's getting enough out time.

 

[victoria]

I'm going through a similar ting with Sophie and she will often go back in the cage on her own after 5-10 minutes of out time. I have notice in the last few days that she is coming back out a few times during playtime and always makes a point to come visit the humans when she does, which makes me happy. Out time for her is no longer a time to run around explore but just to make her rounds and say hi to everybody. When I need her out of the cage to clean it, I usually pick her up in her Circus (favorite place to sleep) and put it on top of the cage where she can watch all the action and then put it back in it's usual spot when I'm done.

Maybe when she's active at those inopportune times you could just open the cage to give them a small treat and a little scritch. Hopefully Skittles won't see this as an opportunity to bolt and will also be happy with the treat and a scritch XD

 

[temblabamomo]

It is certainly draining, even with just two, that's for sure. I second what Jorats said about bringing youngsters in around that time. It may even put a little extra pep in your oldies' step to have little ones around. Unfortunately, there are 2 nights a week when I am not able to be home; at times when I was overwhelmed and depressed with caring for my old critters, I looked forward to those nights (fortunately I have someone in my life who I trust completely with my animals when I am gone.) However, by the next morning I was always eager to be home, and med time didn't seem nearly as trying or depressing. If you were able to take a breather, it wouldn't hurt.

 

[Dazzle87]

I really sympathize, I have four rats that are 18.5-19.5 months old, and they have all been having literally non-stop problems from about a year old (and even before that I dealt with a few URI's), an invaginated uterus, uterine polyps, tons of tumors, abscesses, infected cysts down the entire mammary chain, malocclusion, URI's, sprains, tail degloving, etc. I'm always constantly medicating and going to the vet, I can't remember the last time an entire month went by without a vet visit, lately it is at least twice a month I'm at the vet, if not more. It is incredibly draining, especially feeling like it is not fair your poor rats have to go through all of that.

I try to focus on all the fun they have, and try to spend as much "good" time with them as possible. Yes, my girl Dazzle just had yet another surgery and has infected cysts down her entire mammary chain, and this makes me very sad, but it is all worth it to see her running around playing, or bruxing sitting on my lap. When they're all tuckered out from playing, I gather them in my lap and pet them. I also try really hard to force myself to not dwell on the negative, though it is easier said than done of course.

As to getting a pair of young rats-well, I recently did that, and it is a great idea if you have the money and time for it. I personally decided to adopt mine when I did because I knew I'd have a hard time adopting more rats immediately after a death. Just bear in mind, even young rats can get sick, you may want to spay them to avoid problems in the future, etc. Don't take that the wrong way, you probably already considered that, I'm just saying.

 

[ChrisK]

IJust bear in mind, even young rats can get sick, you may want to spay them to avoid problems in the future, etc. Don't take that the wrong way, you probably already considered that, I'm just saying.

Not taken the wrong way at all. If I knew then what I know now...when my girls were young I'd have gotten them spayed for sure.

As much as I love the idea of getting young 'uns, I have decided to take a break after my girls pass, so I don't want to adopt at this time. I figured if one passes before the other, I would try to find two or more ratties who are together whom I could foster, so that my last girl won't be alone, and then I could return the fostered rats after my last girl passes.

I do try to focus more on the good stuff while we're still a family. I guess some days it's easier to do so than others.