by Stephanie Cameron & Jenny Holland

Stephanie Cameron is a volunteer with Rattie Ratz Rescue in the bay area of California. Each month KRL will be featuring a column from Rattie Ratz.

Some adopters embody everything the Rattie Ratz Rescue volunteers hope to find in a loving home for our foster rats. Jenny Holland is one such adopter. After they read the touching story she has shared, I know our readers will feel the same. Jenny adopted three baby girls from Rattie Ratz in July 2023. Here she tells how rats have made her life richer, through both love and loss.

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I got my first rat in March of 2007 when I was 8 years old. My brother had a snake that only ate live rats, and every time we fed him I wished I could save the rat from that fate. Then, one day, the snake refused to eat the rat. She was a calm, sweet rat who hopped right into my dad’s outstretched hand and sat there, content.

That moment changed everything, and soon I found myself in Petco convincing my dad to buy her the bigger cage so she could grow old in comfort. She was the perfect first rat, and I’ve been in love ever since. Over the next nine years, until 2016, I had about 15 rats.

When I moved back home after graduating college in 2023, I knew I wanted to continue having rats. Shortly after submitting an application to Rattie Ratz Rescue, I was welcoming Fig, Walnut, and Juniper into my home. These girls were about 2 months old at the time and were so shy and skittish at first, but I could tell right away that they would have so much love to share.

I immediately bonded with Fig, the black hooded rat. She reminded me of so many other rats I’d had before and was exactly what I pictured when I imagined “generic pet rat.” She quickly came out of her shell and became “the brave one.” She loved exploring everywhere she possibly could, so much so that I quickly learned to keep an extra-close eye on her. Sometimes she could frustrate me, like when she figured out she could scoot from my shoulder down my arm and jump onto the island to steal my dinner. But mostly she made me laugh and smile. We played games and wrestled on my bed until she decided she had enough, which is when she would snuggle up with me in my shirt or tuck away behind my pillow. Fig’s bravery helped Juniper and Walnut come out of their shells more and feel empowered to explore things for themselves.

Unfortunately, less than a year after bringing her home, Fig quickly and suddenly got very sick. After attempting treatment with no improvement, her vet and I decided that humane euthanasia was best.

While Fig had quickly bonded with me, Walnut and Juniper, though just as sweet, were a bit more of a challenge to get to know. Juniper and Walnut, both brown Berkshires, looked so identical to each other that I actually had trouble bonding with them when I first brought them home because I couldn’t easily tell them apart. It didn’t help that their personalities were also nearly identical. I felt terrible that I didn’t immediately bond with them in the way I did with Fig, but when Rattie Ratz offered for me to switch one out with a different girl from a different litter I knew I couldn’t separate the three of them.

Eventually, I learned to notice small differences between them: the shape of Juniper’s head was ever so slightly more narrow; Walnut’s fur was a nearly indiscernible more caramel color; Juniper’s arms were slightly more bare. When they were still only babies, it was easy to see that Juniper’s tail had a slightly longer white tip at the end, and as they grew into adolescent, and then adult rats, I used a pet-safe dye to color the end of Juniper’s tail green so that I could more immediately and with certainty tell her apart from Walnut.

Even with all those slight differences, it’s still hard for me to say that Juniper was one way and Walnut another. The two of them were best buddies; they went to the same places and did the same things together. They both loved to hang out in the pocket of my hoodie and get cozy in the sleeves of my sweaters. The two of them could spend all day at the foot of my bed under the covers if I let them, choosing to nap instead of roam around like their sister Fig did. They’d even run on the wheel next to each other. I can say, however, that Walnut is more assertive. Whether that’s rearranging the bedding in their house or grabbing my fingers to make me move out of her way, she knows what she wants and will gently use her teeth and hands to make things just right. Juniper took a more passive role, but I believe it’s because she knew Walnut would be right by her side to protect and help her if necessary.

A couple months ago Juniper developed a tumor. As Juniper’s tumor grew, I did everything I could to keep her comfortable. Watching her struggle was heartbreaking, but I wanted to honor her spirit by giving her as much joy as I could in her final months.

Eventually, she did start to show signs of decreased quality of life, at which point our vet and I agreed it was the right time for humane euthanasia. With heavy hearts, we said goodbye to her on January 14, 2025. I like to think that she has found Fig and my other rats in rattie heaven and spends her time cuddling and doing her favorite things with the biggest rat family.

When I was little and my first rat died, I had no idea what to do with a grief that large. Before I had rats, I had never experienced love like that from a pet, and, in turn, I had never experienced a loss like that before either. One way I learned to process the grief was to paint a rock to keep in my backyard that I could go look at whenever I wanted. Each rock is painted in the memory of a rat I’ve loved and lost. They are small, simple markers, but each one represents a chapter of my life shared with a furry friend who will never be forgotten. Fig and Juniper now rest peacefully with our rat family.

Saying goodbye to Fig and then Juniper have been some of the hardest things I’ve had to do, and though it’s a familiar feeling, it never gets easier. As I work through my own grief, I’m reminded of the joy these girls brought into my home. Now, Walnut and I are holding each other a little closer, savoring every moment we have together. While I’m not ready to adopt again just yet, I know that in time I may welcome new rats into our home to give Walnut a companion and continue the cycle of love and care.

Adopting these three girls has been such a rewarding experience. Every moment I’ve spent with them, whether laughing at their antics or simply sitting quietly with Walnut in my lap, reminds me of how much love and joy a small creature can bring into your life.

Rats, despite their small size, have an incredible ability to fill a home with warmth, and I will always be grateful for the love they’ve given me.

If you would like to know more about Rattie Ratz Rescue you can visit their Facebook page. If you are interested in adoptable rats or volunteering for Rattie Ratz Rescue you can visit their website: www.rattieratz.com.

Check out more animal rescue stories in our Pet Perspective section & watch for more stories from Rattie Ratz every other month. You can also keep up with our pet articles by joining our KRL Facebook group. Advertise in KRL and 10% of your advertising fees can go to Rattie Ratz.