Reedflower
Member
I had to put down one of my rats on Thursday, and as hard as it has been for me, I'm more worried about the other rat.
The rat I had to put down's name is Ash, and his brother is Jet. Jet has always been very anxious. It's been 2 1/2 years and he's still not 100% comfortable being handled. As Ash's conditioned worsened so did Jet's. He started losing weight rapidly. They became inseparable, and Jet actually bit me a couple of times when he thought I was going to hurt Ash.
On the first day after Ash's passing, Jet sat there on the highest ledge of his cage for hours. At some point I think it hit him that Ash wasn't coming back, and he closed himself inside his house. Literally. He started overturning his bowl and using it to block the entrance to his house. That night when I went to feed him he ignored me. When I tapped him on the shoulder he finally lifted his head, but he wasn't interested in food at all. He eventually ate the treat hours later but hasn't touched any of the other food.
Today I fed him again and he didn't want to acknowledge me at all. I sat there with him for a couple of minutes, petting and talking to him, but he didn't move a muscle. I gave up and went back to my room and after a while I heard him moving around.
It feels like he's completely closed himself off to me. He has barely eaten or drank anything, every time I walk by he goes back into his house, and I've tried letting him free range but he just doesn't want to. I know it's only been a couple of days and maybe things will get better with time, but knowing him I don't think they will. It feels like losing two rats at once. Please, if there's anything I can do to make things easier for him, I'd do it in a heartbeat. I'm just don't know what to do for him.
The rat I had to put down's name is Ash, and his brother is Jet. Jet has always been very anxious. It's been 2 1/2 years and he's still not 100% comfortable being handled. As Ash's conditioned worsened so did Jet's. He started losing weight rapidly. They became inseparable, and Jet actually bit me a couple of times when he thought I was going to hurt Ash.
On the first day after Ash's passing, Jet sat there on the highest ledge of his cage for hours. At some point I think it hit him that Ash wasn't coming back, and he closed himself inside his house. Literally. He started overturning his bowl and using it to block the entrance to his house. That night when I went to feed him he ignored me. When I tapped him on the shoulder he finally lifted his head, but he wasn't interested in food at all. He eventually ate the treat hours later but hasn't touched any of the other food.
Today I fed him again and he didn't want to acknowledge me at all. I sat there with him for a couple of minutes, petting and talking to him, but he didn't move a muscle. I gave up and went back to my room and after a while I heard him moving around.
It feels like he's completely closed himself off to me. He has barely eaten or drank anything, every time I walk by he goes back into his house, and I've tried letting him free range but he just doesn't want to. I know it's only been a couple of days and maybe things will get better with time, but knowing him I don't think they will. It feels like losing two rats at once. Please, if there's anything I can do to make things easier for him, I'd do it in a heartbeat. I'm just don't know what to do for him.
