Zmei 10/1/10 - 6/21/12

[Storyseeker]

Zmei 10/1/10 - 6/21/12


I’m heartbroken tonight. Zmei, my sweet boy has passed on. Zmei was a special little guy. He couldn’t have been more inappropriately named. All of my rats have storytelling macabre inspired names. Because he was born in October, Zmei was from Zmei Gorynich, the Russian folktale dragon. But my dragon pudge came into the world with his little rodent heart on his sleeve. Visually he was a stunning seal point siamese. He was blessed with a rabbit soft downy satin coat and black eyes. He had a rag doll body and loved people with a passion, loving to curl up in anyone’s lap and kiss, kiss, kiss any hand that came near him.


All of these qualities together made him the perfect ambassador rat. His color was pretty and attention getting to strangers and thanks to his uncommon dark eyes –most siamese have red eyes-he avoided the usual off putting first impressions that most red eyed rats generated from non-rat people. Unlike coarser coated rats, his fur was downy soft, which always surprised people when they dared to touch him. Once they braved that first tentative stroke, sweet Zmei was hamming his way up their arm, kissing the entire way like Gomez to Morticia.



'Tish! You spoke French! Mwah Mwah Mwah!



Je t'aime! Mwah! Mwah! Mwah!



Je t'adore! Mwah! Mwah! Mwah! Ad Nauseum



Soon they were holding him whether they wanted to or not, and because he was so floppy and squishy, they were soon cuddling him close and simpering over how no way he could be a nasty rat. He’d give me a twinkle eyed smile as if to say “Bazinga”. He always seemed so pleased with himself. He was, in a word, the perfect pet rat. Clever and appealingly dumpy, he was genuinely more like a tiny dog than a rodent.

I was very lucky to have him, though I shouldn’t have. He was in the first litter of a new line of satin burmese and black eyed siamese rats for a local rattery. Every member was destined to become potential founding breeders for a handful ratteries across the south east. Zmei by personality was truly pick of the litter, but his breeder decided reluctantly that she didn’t need him in her lines after all so he eventually went up for adoption. I had been coveting this beautiful litter from the first baby pictures, and when I saw him for adoption at precisely the time when I was looking for new babies, I was thankful his breeder allowed me to take him. Though the line ultimately proved to have too many respiratory health issues to continue beyond that first litter, it still produced my sweet boy.



First night home @ 3 months old


My children loved him a great deal, and if I couldn’t find him, I knew he was with one of my boys.




Zmei kissing his favorite human.



Total Squish!



If he wasn’t with one of my boys, he was with me. His biggest personality flaw was his passion for food. He sold his soul for a bowl of trail mix. He would eat anything that was put in front of his face. The only aggression he ever showed was his tendency to brass knuckle any fellow rat who tried to come between him and his corn on the cob.



Bogarting his corn cob. Claiming his 'half'.



He possessed a prodigious biscuit butt, and love handles to spare. While it added to his squishy appeal, it was a battle to control his weight.



Check out his love handles!



Eating was his only motivation for exercise. Here, Ratty Aerobics: Chasing a food filled pinata.



Sadly, perhaps genetically linked to the soft, squishy, people loving hyper domesticated traits that made him so appealing, Zmei suffered from chronic myco flare ups due to a weak immune system. While this isn’t accurate medically, for the sake of simplicity myco might be easiest described as progressive degenerative ratty asthma. It is a bacterium that among other things attacks a rat’s lung tissue. Whenever their immune system is compromised, inflammation hits hard. Often the only treatments for such a rat are a lifetime regimen of antibiotics and breathing treatments. Eventually the scarring gets so bad, and their immune system is so attacked, that they succumb to secondary respiratory issues. This is what happened to Zmei.

Over his lifetime I spent literally hundreds of dollars to keep him as healthy as his frail immune system would allow. But he was absolutely one of those pets who gave back every bit that he could in return.



He'd been doing pretty well for several months, but was creeping closer to the end faster than I wanted him to.


Yesterday he was alert and perky, though frail with slightly noisy breathing as he had been for weeks in spite of ongoing treatments. We’d been berry picking yesterday, and all of the rats loved their fresh, ripe blueberry treat, none more than piggy boy Zmei after his nightly regimen of meds. A scritch on his ears and a lick on my hand and we said goodnight to each other. He ambled down to his lower level condo for the night, and that’s where I found him today, curled up as if still sleeping.
Bye my little fuzzy love monster. You were one of a kind.

[breyer08]

I am so sad to read this, and so sorry for you that he is gone. His story reminds me so much of my own Russell's that this brings tears to my eyes. I have often felt that the rats with some of the worst chronic health issues are also some of the most loving, and that was certainly the case with your Zmei. I am grateful, though, that his last day was a happy one filled with fresh berries and treats, and also that he died peacefully at home, a place filled with love and comfort. He couldn't have had it better. If I were able to choose, I would want all of my animals to pass away peacefully at home. I think he was a lucky, beautiful boy who knew true love his whole life.

I'll be thinking about you and your family, Storyseeker.

[Nibbler]

im sorry for your lost

[Vladina]

Oh Story....I just now saw this post, after doing another post to you, and I had no idea. I am just devastated. Zmei. A legend. I cannot believe he left us, I just did not see it coming.



Your tribute story and pictures were just wonderful. I teared up too, seeing his photos, including the famous corn cob night picture that we all remember. Was there ever a kissier pudge than Zmei? Was there ever a rat that loved food more than Zmei? Sigh.



Breyer's post said it all though. I have to ditto her post. Zmei was soooo lucky, pampered and happy and what a fantastic life. Marc is going to be upset about this too. He LOVED Zmei. Do you know, we STILL use the famous corn cob Zmei quote around the house with each other? (IS MINE FROM HERES TO HERES!)




We love Zmei, and I miss him already. I will show Marc your tribute post when he gets home. I can already tell you in advance he will want to send his sincerest condolences. This will throw him for a loop too, because I really did not remember that Zmei had chronic health issues, so it is such a surprise. And as Breyer said, it DOES seem to happen to the big lovey squishies...I keep thinking of my love bug Klausse.




Zmei, enjoy 24 hour a day nom noms and love and fun and cuddles with lots of ratty friends. I know Klausse and Wolfie and Stanley and Russell and the rest of our forum rat kids are already showing you around at the Bridge and giving you a tour of all the reallllly cool ratty hangouts and nom nom resorts. You are one of a kind sweet and handsome Zmei. You will never ever be forgotten.



Je t'aime beaucoup mon ami.

[Vladina]

By the way, despite your state of mourning (and ours) for Zmei, your captions on the photos, as always, were beautiful.


I wish I could have been lucky enough to experience first hand the role of Morticia and being mwah'd up my arms by Zmei (aka Gomez).


Sounds like heaven to me! Your captions made me smile, which I know is a good thing for us silly humans to remember...smiles about our ratties that have passed on, eh? They would like that, I think.

And also, as Breyer mentioned, Zmei was SO lucky to have passed away peacefully, at home where he was so happy and comfy. I still get teary eyed when I remember that Klausse and Wolfgang had to be PTS at the local hospital, and that I wished they had been able to pass away at home with us.

[lilspaz68]

I am so very sorry hun, what an incredible rat and life you had together...a memorial so worthy of him. ((hugs))

[flemishmommie]

im so sorry great photos to remember him by though

[Storyseeker]

Quote: Originally Posted by breyer08 I am so sad to read this, and so sorry for you that he is gone. His story reminds me so much of my own Russell's that this brings tears to my eyes. I have often felt that the rats with some of the worst chronic health issues are also some of the most loving, and that was certainly the case with your Zmei. I am grateful, though, that his last day was a happy one filled with fresh berries and treats, and also that he died peacefully at home, a place filled with love and comfort. He couldn't have had it better. If I were able to choose, I would want all of my animals to pass away peacefully at home. I think he was a lucky, beautiful boy who knew true love his whole life. I'll be thinking about you and your family, Storyseeker.

Thank you Breyer. I was thinking of you and Russell the whole time I was dealing with his issues. I knew you would know exactly what I was feeling, because you dealt with it too. Vlad as well, with Wolgang and Klauss, who if I recall both left us young due to respiratory issues.

And I agree. Nothing compares to an at home goodbye. Especially one so peaceful. Windham and Jeffery both went to the vet to be put to sleep after a lot of struggle. I was dreading the day I would have to drop everything and take Zmei in because he was suffering.

I knew something was up, because none of the rats would go to the lower level where he lay. Pete especially. He was in Zmei's favorite cube that morning, which he never uses. Normally Pete claims the entire lower level as his domain and can't be pried from it, but he gave Zmei respectful privacy. It was almost like they held a rat wake until I could come and find him.

[Storyseeker]

Quote: Originally Posted by Nibbler im sorry for your lost

Thank you so much Nibbler. You're always one of the first to share love to those who have lost a furry friend.

[Storyseeker]

Quote: Originally Posted by Vladina By the way, despite your state of mourning (and ours) for Zmei, your captions on the photos, as always, were beautiful. I wish I could have been lucky enough to experience first hand the role of Morticia and being mwah'd up my arms by Zmei (aka Gomez). Sounds like heaven to me! Your captions made me smile, which I know is a good thing for us silly humans to remember...smiles about our ratties that have passed on, eh? They would like that, I think. And also, as Breyer mentioned, Zmei was SO lucky to have passed away peacefully, at home where he was so happy and comfy. I still get teary eyed when I remember that Klausse and Wolfgang had to be PTS at the local hospital, and that I wished they had been able to pass away at home with us.

Vlad, you are the most gentle hearted and loving person I've never met. I just want to hug you close after every single post you make.

I included the corn picture just for you. One thing I love about including pictures is that they really do bring our furry guys back to us in the best kind of ways. I am shamelessly taking a page from Lilspaz's book. And have no fear, Zmei, I've no doubt, is waddling his way along behind his faster and more restless lost brothers and 'cousins'. Once he finally makes the journey there, you'll wake up one day to the sensation of endless ratty kisses from one fingertip to the other and tiny chipmunky french nothings in your ears. He will never have done his job if there is even one arm unsmooched.

Our ratties have no regrets. Neither should we. I just know they want us to be smiling when thinking of them. Always, of course.

[Storyseeker]

Quote: Originally Posted by lilspaz68 I am so very sorry hun, what an incredible rat and life you had together...a memorial so worthy of him. ((hugs))

Thank you so much Lilspaz! I'd like to think I did well by him. I know he did well by me.

[Storyseeker]

Quote: Originally Posted by flemishmommie im so sorry great photos to remember him by though

Hugs. Thank you so much flemishmommie. I'm glad I had the pics for sure!

[Vladina]

Story,


Oh Story, thanks so much for the very kind words in the middle of your sad time. You and Breyer and Lilspaz are the most amazing ratty people I have ever come across and that I have also never met in person. Right back atcha.


Makes me feel good that you think of me as kind and good-hearted, because when I am not in rat mode and dealing with humans, errr....well, I don't do so well with the non furry types, lol.

(I get, "Sheesh, Vlad is anti-social/aloof/snotty, etc.") I get very cranky and irritable very quickly with people and I have a temper. But I just never have a temper with my ratties. My personality does a complete 360 when I am around my babies or talking on the forum with my ratty friends, like you. I just love ratties far more than people. Present rat forum company excepted!! :



As always, you make me smile from ear to ear (from heres to heres!) when you post on the forum and you have such a unique way of showing the wonderful personalities of your ratty kids with your photos and captions. Storyseeker is a very apt name for you! You give the rats a voice, and in such a wonderful, bigger than life way that they deserve. You do them proud. I tip my hat to you and offer a salute.



Sniff...you included the corncob picture just for me?

You remembered how much we loved Zmei hogging the corn. I can hear Zmei right this second, singing,"Skinner ain't got no corn at all, it's just for fuzzybutts..." Sigh. My handsome pudgy sweet pea Zmei. I cyber adopted him, just so you know. Well, we ALL cyber adopt each other's kids, right?


Yes, you are correct in remembering that Klausse and Wolfgang left us too early from myco and of course Breyer had the loss of their cousins, Russie and Stan, so we human moms are all in this TOGETHER. We all know how it feels to see them go.



By the way, Marc and I were sooo touched to read about how the other boys did a sort of wake for Zmei, and how Pete was in Zmei's favorite cube even though he normally did not use it. If Pete was not paying tribute to Zmei by doing that, then I will eat my boots. I know he was.

I can see him telling Zmei, "Don't worry buddy, I will keep your favorite cube warm, okay?"



Rats amaze me with their capacity for thoughtfulness, compassion and love toward their brethren (and their people) every day. The fact that Achilles ignored one of his favorite banana/oatmeal treats to tend to his newly arrived brother when Maxie got back from the vet's just floored me. Achilles loves nothing more in life than his food. Well, he taught me that there are some things even more important to him than his nom-noms, didn't he?




Cheers to Zmei, another celebrity rat in our happy family and a legend in his own time. Never to be forgotten and now I am sure he is touring the Corn Cob Field of Dreams with his cousins and friends and having a grand time. This is a fact. We loves you so much Zmei. Auntie Vlad sends you kisses and hugs, always.

[breyer08]

Yes, yes, yes. The amazing compassion that rats show one another is just incredibly touching to witness. I was also quite touched to read about the rest of your clan holding their own remembrance ceremony. It is a beautiful, passionate world, that of rats, and I have always felt so blessed to have been able to be (and hopefully someday to become once more) a part of it. I know you all feel the same way.

[Vladina]

Indeed we do, and well said. Even when we are sometimes without our rat children, like you are right now, it always feels so good to come to the forum and feel like we all have "niece and nephew" ratties to check in on and to read about. I remember feeling exactly that way for a long time after Klausse and Wolfie passed. I am SO very glad, as are the others, that you are still visiting the forum regularly, Breyer. It would not be the same without you. And someday when the time is right, we will get to see brand new photos of YOUR new kids!