by Charmaine Benson
I bought my first rats in 2009 and I’ve been hooked ever since.
In 2010, I rescued Pandora and Wallace, who came with a mouse I named Grommit. I began to educate myself about caring for rats. Visits to the vet taught me about Myco and tumors which domestic rats suffer from all too commonly. These visits also helped my vet learn more about rats.
Word got around as our rat community grew. Pet stores and vets began to refer to me as the Rat Lady but I prefer Rat Whisperer.
I officially became Charming Rat Rescue in 2011. Facebook has been a great resource in knowledge and support. I began a rat group on social media so adopters could find answers and help when needed. One thing I tell all new rat owners is that the vet is your first choice when your rat is sick. Breathing issues are not the end. There are many ways to treat rats. Any vet that tells you there is nothing they can do…is not the vet for you. I would consider myself a bit of an expert on rats at this point but would never expect people to follow my word as gospel. I still look for answers. Trust your heart and call the vet.

Charming rescued rat
If you discover your rat in respiratory distress the first thing you need to do is keep him calm by holding him close to you. Getting to the vet is the tricky part as you will have to hold them on the trip. Carriers and car rides sometimes do not end well so have someone else drive while you hold the rat. I have gotten some from the brink of death by just calming them down.
My rats enjoy a good life. I prepare supper for them every night. Their dry mix is all prepared by me. The bill for food alone in a month is about four hundred dollars (keep in mind this is a rat rescue so there are a lot of rats to be fed). Sick or elderly rats spend their days roaming on my bed. I am woken many times a night for comforting or cuddles but I’ll never complain. I keep supplies of Boost and Ensure then I know even if they don’t eat very much, they still get fluids and nutrients.
I currently have 30 cages housing about 100 rats. Keeping that many cages clean is definitely a challenge when I do it all alone. I use blankets as bedding in cages because it cuts down on the cleaning time and the rats enjoy shredding them. Every room is a rat room and that is how I like it.
So far I have loved, and sometimes lost, 256 fabulous furbabies. Many of the rescues needed extra love to trust again. Some came into my care with only days or even hours left. I grieve each loss greatly and make sure every one of them has known love when they cross the Rainbow Bridge.

Luna
At the end she was Luna.
I have taken in a number of rescue cats and two rescue dogs. My heart will always have room for animals in need.
My rats have comforted me when I have lost others. They make me laugh and cry. I am owned by rats and will be until the day I die.
Charming Rat Rescue is in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada. If you would like to adopt, donate, help animals, or want more information, contact Charmaine directly through Facebook. Every bit helps!
Check out more animal rescue & pet related articles in our Pet Perspective section and more rat related articles and stories in our Rodent Ramblings section.
Awww! I love that picture of Mister Badger (is that Dexter in the background?) and all the others are so dear too! Thank you so much for everything you do for the ratties!
I’m near to getting my first rat, thanks to Diane Hockley. Thanks for everything you do.
Oh, Charmaine! I love rats as you do. I’m going to send this story to my BEST FRIEND, Christine, who ALSO runs an all-species rescue, but with stress upon the smaller animals. I have learned a lot from Christine. You two seem like peas in a pod! I hope she reads this and leaves a comment!
I started with rats almost 25 yrs ago- Critter Cafe now does all domestic species including wild life too-
We have rescue ratties in amts of 100’s and well over 4,030 adoptions and many more stay for life here now.We also wk hard and endlessly on hospice care- I am strictly no kill unless injuries are beyond my ability to control pain…
Kudos to you and your ratties- they are such a lovely species of pet.
Great to hear your story Charmaine – I applaud you and all your efforts to care for the little ones !! The mutuality of the relationship is wonderful.
Charmaine, the Christine who left the comment above is the Christine I mentioned in my e-mail. She is my very best friend in this whole world. I think that people who help animals are the VERY BEST!