# An Elderly Love Affair...



## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

Hansel is my old boy of 41 months. He has HED, a URI (recent) and is a curmudgeon...he's not gentle with his girls, and bulldozes through them. Well he was...then he met Jill, and his world changed. We almost lost him recently, but teeny sickly sweet Jill cuddled up to him and he relaxed, and caught his breath again. He's been in love with her ever since.

It started when she was comforting Feta on her last night.









and during his respiratory attack









and now...it's so sweet to see him trying to be gentle with her. He's letting me rub and scritch him more now, he used to scuttle away.










and a 3-Way spooning with Hope on the right









He is finally truly content


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## HowlsOfAngels (Apr 9, 2011)

Aww, how sweet. They make an adorable couple.


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## Critter Aficionado (Jan 30, 2011)

What beautiful ratties, I'm glad he's learning to be gentle with his girls.


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## smesyna (Nov 22, 2010)

OMG the spooning pic! Awww.


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

I am melting and its not because of the humidity here. ;D

Jill could do anything she wanted to Hansel :










Because she loves him... 










and he loves her :-*


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## toyxxhearts (Mar 1, 2011)

aww love the spooning pic. They are just too precious together!


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## smesyna (Nov 22, 2010)

They really are quite the pair ;D What little loves.


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## Monroe (Mar 26, 2011)

What an adorable little story! I love the pictures! ;D


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## HuncaMunca (Dec 29, 2010)

That's just too darn sweet. They're little soul mates. <3


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## Kiko (Sep 18, 2009)

Ahh! Cute overload! That is very sweet.

And WOW Hansel is old! 41 months you say? I have never had a rat live that long.


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

Kiko said:


> Ahh! Cute overload! That is very sweet.
> 
> And WOW Hansel is old! 41 months you say? I have never had a rat live that long.


I had one other rat make it to 41 months old, a spayed girl a couple of years ago. I hope he makes it to 42 (June)


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## Kiko (Sep 18, 2009)

I hope so too, it's the grumpy old men I always find myself becoming the most attached to.
My oldest boy Curly is getting his eye removed and he is 2 so I am wreck about the surgery 

Again, those pics are just to cute.


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## amberdyan (Dec 6, 2010)

d'awww! I love the emotion you can see in the way rats interact. I haven't had rats long, but I've always had Syrian hamsters (HIGHLY territorial and must live alone), so seeing the way they interact is still incredibly fascinating to me


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## ratchilla (May 12, 2011)

You know what they say, all it takes is the right woman.

My only thing is, I'd be careful, she looks a little young for him. ;D

You have cute babies. I love the spooning pic and the last one with their heads hanging outside the hammock. Wishing your boy 42+ months! 

May I ask if you do anything special? I'd love it if my girls lasted near that long!


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## Tink_JCF (Mar 31, 2011)

They are all so sweet looking!


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

Ratchilla said:


> Wishing your boy 42+ months!
> 
> May I ask if you do anything special? I'd love it if my girls lasted near that long!


Hansel came to me at 2.5 years old, already an old albeit healthy manrat. He's probably got a good immune system and that's why he has lasted as long as he has. I give lots of love, decent care/food, and whatever the rat wants best...for eg. minimal contact with me, but rat friends to be with...running free after being cooped up in a small cage for most of their life (I often take in older, sickly/needy rats), whatever makes them the happiest, makes me happy.

Hansel is starting to age rapidly now..he's gotten thinner, and I think it will only be a short time before he leaves us, or I help him leave at the vets.
3.5 years would've been a crazy milestone.

I have had lots of rats make it to 30 months, which is a very good age in my opinion, but you always treasure any month after 2 years. I have had quite a few make it to 3 years, and have had a few make it to 38 months, 39 months and 41 months. The last one to make it to 41 months was Valora...I had her since she was 6 weeks of age, had her spayed at 5 months, and she had a really strong immune system so had very few health issues. When issues do pop up, I am fast to treat them which probably increases the longevity of my rescues.

I think my average age at death right now is 23 months in 2011 and was 24 months in 2010. The difference is that I took in a BIG rescue of boys (28 in total and 1 sick girl) June of 2010 and they were very unhealthy and a lot died waaay too young so it brought my average down.


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