Rocky took ill with a tumour only a short time ago, and began to lose weight rapidly. I fed him soft food twice a day for as long as I could, but last night he didn’t even attempt to come out of his bed. He was panting with every small movement, so I decided it was time to let him go.
We took him to the vet this morning, wrapped in a fleece, and he gave me one last feeble brux when I scritched his neck. He very rarely bruxed, so this was a lovely last memory of him to treasure.
Here’s some pictures of him through his too short life:

Here he is when we first took him home, at 6 weeks old. All the boys were very nervous, but Rocky was the first to venture out and explore the big wide world that was our dining room floor!

“Hi!”

Sleepyhead

This picture was taken when Rocky was still a youngster, full of vigour and mischief. He always gave me a cheeky nibble on my ankle in the same place, whenever it was free range time! He did that all through his life, right up until he got sick. When he was little, he was always the first one to find a place I didn’t want him to go, and was very good at evading detection, by hiding in the most unreachable places!

Rocky soon filled out and became a big bruiser of a rat!


Peepo!

Rocky looking his adorable self. He was such a handsome rat! He was very poor sighted and used to rock his head from side to side (like Stevie Wonder!) as if he was dancing.

One of the very last pictures of Rocky. He was enjoying his baby porridge, only stopping to rest briefly. He loved his food, possibly more than any rat should!
Goodbye Rocky, go run free at the Rainbow Bridge. You will be forever in our memories and hearts.
Today my lovely rats are mostly eating a little less in their dish.
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