This post is in honor to the first rat I ever had. He opened the doors for me to welcome more into my life, but he will always hold a very special place in my heart and memories. While I wish we could have seen his 3rd year together the 2 years we spent together were full of love. Even though he lived a life full of love, treats, and friends it did not begin that way, so I think it appropriate to tell his story now that he is gone.
He was born a feeder rat, marked for death at birth. At the time my fiance fed live to his young snakes, I cried every time but I knew that animals need to eat to survive. That didn't last long however. We both went to get his carpet python the pup for the week and, trying to break myself from crying during time, I chose the pup myself. We arrived home and I steeled myself against the tears, but the python rejected the blind helpless pup. We both were thrown for a loop, we couldn't just let him die for nothing. That is when the mothering instinct kicked in and I took action. I took a spare tank and modified it into a nest with a makeshift hot water bottle underneath. Then I went out and got puppy milk and little rubber nipples meant for small animals that I attached to a syringe. My parents were totally against it, but I held them back under the guise that he would be fed to the snake when it was hungry again. I spent my days feeding him and making him go potty. Then one of his eyes cracked open for the first time and I stared into his little eyes and smiled. At that moment I named him Bion, which was derived from Bio which meant 'life'.There was no going back now, I was momma and I was ready to fight tooth and nail to protect him.
He grew stronger day by day and soon he was a bouncy young rat eating his solid food. One by one, starting with my fiance, they all fell for his quirky cuteness. There was no getting rid of this cute boy. My stepfather, who was most against it, was soon putting the tiny pup into his chest pocket and watch him as he peered out. I babysat for my sister and bought his first real cage from martinscages, but I wasn't done there. I did my research and knew he needed a cagemate. so once again I defied everyone's wishes and bought a young dumbo rat I named Squee to grow up with him. He grew up with the best I could offer, me learning all the way. Things weren't always well though. Before his first year, Squee received an injury in his eye from a new rat I had introduced and had to separate from that point on forever. he died of it an hour before his vet visit and Bion was never the same. He was depressed for so long I knew I had to do something, so I went and found him 2 young boys to be his new litter mates. He jumped back immediately from his sadness, still never quite the same and all was well till Squeak and Bob grew up.
The black hooded, Bob, suffered from severe aggression and after cleaning numerous bloody gashes and watching him go in and out of severe breathing difficulties, some close to death, I chose to have him pts to end his suffering peacefully without bloodshed. Now all that remained was Squeak and Bion, and all was well until now.
My little boy has left me to go on to better places, perhaps a new life filled with even more joy and happiness.I will always miss you my dear Bion, and your passing has made room for me to make another rat happy during their life. I wish our time could have been forever, and maybe we'll meet again one day. R.I.P. my little boy.
The Memorial Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nsPpTgTSzfM&feature=g-upl **Youtube took the audio off >.<, if anyone wants the vid with sound just pm me and I'll send it to you.

He was born a feeder rat, marked for death at birth. At the time my fiance fed live to his young snakes, I cried every time but I knew that animals need to eat to survive. That didn't last long however. We both went to get his carpet python the pup for the week and, trying to break myself from crying during time, I chose the pup myself. We arrived home and I steeled myself against the tears, but the python rejected the blind helpless pup. We both were thrown for a loop, we couldn't just let him die for nothing. That is when the mothering instinct kicked in and I took action. I took a spare tank and modified it into a nest with a makeshift hot water bottle underneath. Then I went out and got puppy milk and little rubber nipples meant for small animals that I attached to a syringe. My parents were totally against it, but I held them back under the guise that he would be fed to the snake when it was hungry again. I spent my days feeding him and making him go potty. Then one of his eyes cracked open for the first time and I stared into his little eyes and smiled. At that moment I named him Bion, which was derived from Bio which meant 'life'.There was no going back now, I was momma and I was ready to fight tooth and nail to protect him.

He grew stronger day by day and soon he was a bouncy young rat eating his solid food. One by one, starting with my fiance, they all fell for his quirky cuteness. There was no getting rid of this cute boy. My stepfather, who was most against it, was soon putting the tiny pup into his chest pocket and watch him as he peered out. I babysat for my sister and bought his first real cage from martinscages, but I wasn't done there. I did my research and knew he needed a cagemate. so once again I defied everyone's wishes and bought a young dumbo rat I named Squee to grow up with him. He grew up with the best I could offer, me learning all the way. Things weren't always well though. Before his first year, Squee received an injury in his eye from a new rat I had introduced and had to separate from that point on forever. he died of it an hour before his vet visit and Bion was never the same. He was depressed for so long I knew I had to do something, so I went and found him 2 young boys to be his new litter mates. He jumped back immediately from his sadness, still never quite the same and all was well till Squeak and Bob grew up.

The black hooded, Bob, suffered from severe aggression and after cleaning numerous bloody gashes and watching him go in and out of severe breathing difficulties, some close to death, I chose to have him pts to end his suffering peacefully without bloodshed. Now all that remained was Squeak and Bion, and all was well until now.

My little boy has left me to go on to better places, perhaps a new life filled with even more joy and happiness.I will always miss you my dear Bion, and your passing has made room for me to make another rat happy during their life. I wish our time could have been forever, and maybe we'll meet again one day. R.I.P. my little boy.
The Memorial Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nsPpTgTSzfM&feature=g-upl **Youtube took the audio off >.<, if anyone wants the vid with sound just pm me and I'll send it to you.