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Get out the way for Old Man Tucker

2553 Views 18 Replies 7 Participants Last post by  lilspaz68, 
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Tucker, thanks to his limited mobility, has not been the camera hound he once was. Today was cage cleaning day, and while his cagemates spent their out time wooing Lady Custard, he got Highest Privilege to hang out on my coffee table and watch TV. I thought this was a perfect opportunity to snap some well overdue shots.

I can really see how skinny he's gotten and how HED is affecting him, but he's still a happy, content boy.

Sleepy boy. He was enjoying his 'toons. It took me a minute to talk him into coming out for some glamor shots.



Hanging out in his hutch. Proppin' his paw a little like Stanley. Come on out lil dude. :) I opened his sun roof to give him incentive.



Come on, come on. Come play! I have treats!



Here we come. His little back footsie is all draggy. He doesn't walk. He doesn't roll. He doesn't wobble. He does all three. He wombles.



Nice clear shot of him showing his body condition. A little patchy, but except for his weight which is a constant worry, he's not doing too shabby for a 31 month old.



HED boy eating a cheerio. He's adapting pretty impressively to tucking his legs forward and propping on his elbows so he can eat.



After saying hello to me, the camera, and eating all the treats he could stuff into his baby fist, he's wombling back into his hidey hole.


...Draggin' Ice....



Theeeere ya go. Get em' over the final step.



Pfeww. Hard work never did anyone any harm.
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V
OHHHHH, my Sweet Sweet Tucker Man!! :sneakyhug

LOVED the photos and I just wanted so badly to pick Tucker up, coo at him, caress him and smooch him forever and ever. My sweetie pie!! Still so very handsome....I am melting here.


That poor little back foot! I want to kiss your footies, Tucker. I really do. You looked like you were very much enjoying lounging out in your hut on your jellybean blanket and checking out the scene. I LOVES YOU! Kisses and hugs from Auntie Vlad!! :heart:
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He's such a gorgeous boy to me too. I love how he doesn't let his disability rattle his world.

He says "Hi Auntie Vlad. Je t'aime beauxoups." I must confess, I kiss his toes more than I used to. :D
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V
Awww! J'taime beaucoup aussi, Tucker!! My sweet boy! :sneakyhug

And I was not surprised in the least that you have been kissing his toes more lately. How could you not? I saw those photos of his little back draggy foot and I immediately wanted to smooch the little pads of his footy right away, to "make it better."


What a sweet boy. Seeing him look so thin makes me want to feed him some milkshakes and cheeseburgers, to fatten him up. You know? :heart:
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N
he is sooo cute!,
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S
It's been interesting with him in the cage with the other boys. I lowered the shelf of the CN down from 10-12 inch clearance, to about 5-6 inch clearance. I've also wrapped the ramp in flannel to keep his footises from snagging, and lowering all the hammocks to draggy butt level.
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B
Awwwwwww, this brought tears to my eyes. :heart: :heart: He reminds me SO MUCH of my Stanley in his last few months, and that photo of him with his hand out just so--*sigh*--it's as if Stannie had come back to me for a bit. It's moments like this, seeing these photos of beautiful, sweet old Tucker, that make me miss my boys so much. *tear* He looks like he's doing well despite the HED. Stanley lived a full 32 months with HED toward the end AND his huge tumor (which is what ultimately did him in), so I wouldn't be surprised if Tucker were around for quite a while yet. Give him some extra treats for me in memory of Stanley, okay? :hugg2:
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Story, so nice to see you making special accomodations for Tucker Man. Of course you are! :)


Breyer, I thought of Stanley too, especially seeing that photo of Tucker with his handsome hand sitting on the front door of his hidey hut. I see Stanley in Tucker, I see Wolfgang in Maximus, Klausse in Achilles, and on it goes. A big family of babies that will always be with us. :dream:
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A
He might be an old man, but he's still beautiful.
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Agreed! Tucker is such a handsome and sweet boy. :)
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L
He looks fantastic for 31 months !!! A handsome boy to start with but aging very gracefully. :D

Wombles *snorts* I was calling it bobbling around...

Amazing how rats adapt to the disabilities of old age isn't it? Hmmm, can't do this like I used to, well let's try this instead.. :heart:
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Exactly. Lesson 4,869 from the ratties to us people. If you have something that's not quite working right with your body, do your best, adapt, no whining and get on wit bidness. :D

(Next time I'm having a cruddy lower back day, I will remember this! WWMRD? What Would My Ratty Do?
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Sniff.


My old man Tucker has left the building. :(

He came out to visit me this morning to eat his oatmeal, fruits, and nuts. I found him just before leaving for work this afternoon, still warm, tucked in his little corner behind the ramp. I'll write more later. I'm just...maudlin right now.
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V
Oh, Story...I just don't know what to say. I am at a loss. Our sweet, beautiful, lovely Tucker. Take your time, come back for shoulders to cry on when you are ready. We will be here. I am SO sorry. :(
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L
hes got such a beautiful face! and the ones with his ickle back feet hanging out of the box!! d'awww!

you have such a lovely animal! x
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A
I'm so sorry Story. :(
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B
:(:(:( So sorry to hear this, Storyseeker. I'll be keeping you and your family in my thoughts. :hugg2:
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V
Agreed. We are all thinking of you and Tucker. :(


We will see you soon when you are ready to come back to the forum for hugs.
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L
I am so very very sorry, he was a special man and so lucky to have found you ((hugs))
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