by Stephanie Cameron
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.
Rattie Ratz Rescue, located in the greater Bay Area of Northern California, takes in hundreds of needy rats each year. The rescue’s volunteers have learned that the task of matchmaker is an incredibly crucial role that affects the successful placement of a rescued rat into a loving home.
However, what some people may not realize is that it’s not just the adopter that must be matched with the rat, oftentimes other rats are included in the decision-making process as well. Many adopters reach out to Rattie Ratz looking for a companion to befriend their lonely resident rat. These matches are usually more difficult, but far more rewarding, as is the case in today’s story featuring Kel and the three girls she adopted from Rattie Ratz.
After a few difficult losses at the end of 2022, Kel was left with a single older female who needed some friends. Taco came to them as an elderly rat, but she was still very inquisitive and playful, and she needed some younger girls that would be able to keep up with her. Thankfully, Rattie Ratz had just the group in mind, a trio of females that had recently come in.
Two of the girls were older, closer to Taco’s age at a year and a half, while the third girl would keep everyone on their toes at seven months old. The trio of girls had been surrendered to the rescue a couple of weeks prior because their owner was pregnant with her second child, and they didn’t have the space, time or money to take care of the girls as well as they deserved. The girls went home with Kel in February 2023 and were later named Pecan, Cashew and Hazel.
Taco
The girls are not alone in the home, oh no, they have some neighbors, one of which is also a Rattie Ratz Alumni, adopted from the rescue in 2021. Remus is a grumpy old man who is the exact opposite of the girl’s sweet and bubbly personalities. When Remus’ brother Sirius passed away, Kel was able to find him a friend of his own, a younger neutered boy named Tannimbar, who was adopted from Marin Humane.
“Our old boy, Remus, is now 2.5 but has acted like a grumpy old man from pretty much day one. His favorite things are of baby puff cereal and baby food and a nap. He weighs 600 grams and in his younger days, that was all muscle. He sleeps like the dead and I have had to gently shake him awake to check multiple times. It often takes 10+ seconds to wake him up, terrifying me! His main goal in life is to get into the girl’s cage and tries to fight me off anytime I apprehend him. We call him our handsome rat man, and I may be biased, but I always thought he and his brother Sirius were the most handsome rats.”
Taco enjoyed over six months of playing and cuddling with her new friends before succumbing to old age and crossed the rainbow bridge. Sadly, Kel noticed Pecan slowing down soon after losing Taco. She developed cataracts and decided she would prefer leisurely strolls and leave the liberating adventures in the dust of her younger self years. “She settled down and enjoyed tours around the house on my shoulder, instead of playing Escape Room.” Pecan passed away in August, where I am certain she has been reunited with Taco. Pet loss is a part of responsible pet care, and the Rattie Ratz volunteers are so thankful to Kel that they were able to provide Pecan a safe and loving home for the remainder of her life.
When I asked Kel about the girls, she said that “all three girls were amazing shoulder rats. I loved turning the Whole House fan on and holding them up to the window or door. They got so much excitement from sniffing the breeze. Now it’s just Cashew and Hazel. Cashew is slowing down but loves hanging out on our shoulders and has turned into a cuddle bug who will hangout while I play games and will become relaxedly limp as soon as she’s picked up. I’m hoping they’ll transition to being great hoodie rats for the winter season. The girls are in a double critter nation bioactive coco coir set up and Cashew has made it her mission to tunnel and stash food.” The girls are certainly living the life of luxury!
As the air cools and the leaves begin to fall, another year is coming to a close, but these girls still have lots of life in them. My hope for Kel, Cashew and Hazel is that this year the girls will be old enough to properly appreciate the joys of being a hoodie rat and all the pampering and cuddles that come along with that title. After all, there’s nothing better than rattie cuddles.
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.
I to love my ? friends I think they’re awesome intelligent and when mine passed away my very first one I was devastated all I was just so devastated her name was meds short for medication then I had search and rescue those are unique very unique rats and I wish to get more but I think it’s great with what you guys have thank you for listening to me babble you guys brought a lot of memories to me that I thought I forgotten so thank you