# My rat seems to be lonely and depressed



## Voltage (May 15, 2013)

Last Saturday I brought home two female rats. I picked out a lovely champagne husky dumbo rat and later named her Toast. My boyfriend picked out a brown hooded fancy rat and named her Arya. We bought a temporary cage til the huge one I ordered arrived. On Wednesday night Toast started having a head tilt and she was moving around very sluggishly. She was still eating and drinking, I think she had a couple seizures but I'm not sure if it was a seizure or her trying to get up and regain her balance. My boyfriends mom was POSITIVE that she had a stroke (they had a raccoon who died of a stroke and displayed similar symptoms) The next day we took her to petsmart so they could take her to the vet since she was still under warranty. They have been keeping me very updated and reassured me it was probably just an ear infection and not a stroke. I'm still waiting for a call from them to find out exactly what it was. I called earlier and they had just dropped her off at the vet and she is still alive and eating. Toast and Arya were very close and Arya comforted Toast through the night and the rest of the day til we took her to petsmart. They told us she wouldn't be able to come home for probably two weeks but I'd be able to call and check on her and visit her as often as I'd like until then. Unfortunately this petsmart is an hour away and while I'd gladly go every day, I don't think anyone will take me til she can be picked up. All their previous cagemates at this store had already been purchased so the guy who was helping us called the closest store with female rats. They happened to have one, tan hooded rat. So we went and bought her and brought her home. The new cage had arrived when we brought her home so we introduced Arya and the new rat which we named Peanut Butter in this cage. They get along great and were playing yesterday and last night. But today Arya seems kinda depressed. I think she misses Toast. I know they are very intelligent so I wonder if she thinks this new rat is supposed to replace Toast. 
She has just been curled up in the corner of the very top shelf of the cage closest to mine and my boyfriend's bed. I think she was cold so I gave her some fluffy nesting material but she kinda pushed it to the side. Normally she liked to hide in the boxes, and yesterday her and Peanut Butter were all curled up together, Arya even slept on Peanut Butter at one point. 

What can I do to cheer her up?
Toast won't be back til two weeks from now depending on the severity of whatever her condition is. And in the back of my mind I'm absolutely terrified that the vet will put her down without my consent since they had to refund me for her in order for her to get the vet care. So technically she does not belong to me right now. And that scares the crap out of me. But like I mentioned, they have been very informative and have been keeping me updated. I told them no matter what I want her back, even if she becomes a special needs rat or is handicapped in any way whatsoever. I am more than prepared to give her anything she needs upon return.


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## Rat Daddy (Sep 25, 2011)

Well, you have sort of hit every pet shop's worst nightmare. You sell a small animal practically at a loss in order to promote the sales of food, cages etc. And then the animal comes back defective and starts to run up bigger bills. The question is not if, but when the store cuts it's losses on a particular animal. Most Petsmarts are affiliated with Banfield's vets so the vet care is probably part of the an agreement between the store and the vet group. But even an affiliated vet is going to cut it's losses at some point. 

I suppose a good example of this is my dad purchased a service contract on his home air conditioning system, after dutifully paying the monthly premium and receiving occasional service something serious went wrong... The warrantee company just pasted a sticker onto the unit and told him the unit needed to be replaced and left. Simply as long as servicing the machine was profitable they did it, as soon as the cost outstripped the benefit they bailed. 

I'd assume that the store will most likely hold Toast for observation, perhaps they will go a vet visit with their affiliated vet... they might go with a course of antibiotics out of their pocket, but if it's something really serious they are going to draw a line somewhere before it starts to cost anyone any serious money. 

I'm pretty sure you had already figured this out when they refunded you the purchase price.

I had a discussion with my local pet shop as to why they don't sell pet rats, this was the actually the reason. They sell hundreds of rats every week as feeders, and none as pets. They are happy to help you select your pet rat from the feeder bins and they will offer you every advise and sell you food toys and cages, but they won't warrantee any rats. They offer a one week money guaratee on their other small animals, but those are sold with a bigger mark-up to cover returns. So you buy your rat for $2.99 there and you are on your own. The store makes about a dollar on the rat and it literally can't come back to bite them.

So the long and the short of your situation is that your result is going to depend on Toast's condition. If Toast gets better with minimal care you will get Toast back, if she requires surgery or something expensive the store and vet is likely to cut it's losses. 

I have a friend that spent over $900.00 on a bunny that prolonged the animals's life for two days. This is the kind of treatment a private owner can afford their pet. This won't happen if the decision is being made by a vet or pet shop and the money is coming out of their pocket. I've spent over two hundred dollars on tumor related vet visits for my rats. For two hundred dollars the vets told me that surgery will likely kill my rats, if it doesn't tumors usually grow back. Any treatment going forward is going to get really expensive and isn't likely to help any. If that's what petsmart tells you... believe it or not your still ahead by $200.00.

I would try and visit toast as much as you can. Seeing you will help her recover, sitting alone in and isolation cage will likely make her depressed and less likely to bounce back even if the problem is treatable.

Best luck.


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## Rat Daddy (Sep 25, 2011)

As to Arya... I almost overlooked the question... Keep her out of the cage and with you as much as possible. By keeping her active and engaged with the rest of her pack (I mean you) it will help time pass faster and keep her from feeling lonely. And yes, you are right Rats are very intelligent emotional animals.


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## Voltage (May 15, 2013)

Well thankfully they did not put her down. Petsmart has actually been pretty amazing, they took her to a vet (I don't believe it was bansfield I believe one of them said she was being taken to a different one that had a person who specialized in rodents) Turns out she has an ear infection and respiratory infection. They are treating her for both and she is being kept at petsmart while being medicated. They are even going to take her for a second vet visit before she comes back home with me. The petsmart she is at unfortunately is an hour away but I will be visiting her tomorrow and taking Arya with me for a vet appointment tomorrow. 
Everyone told me they would cut their losses instead of treating my rats but they are going out of their way for my rats and have been giving me updates quite frequently.

Arya has become extremely trusting of me in the week that I have had her. She has cheered up since then, I take her out of the cage quite often and let her run around on my bed. She comes back to me and checks in quite frequently and will take a break from exploring and running around to sit on my shoulder. She even grooms my hand which I imagine is a really good sign.

I definitely am going to try and buy as many of my pet supplies from petsmart as a thank you for not only treating Toast but even going so far as to take her for a second vet trip AND seeing Arya for a vet trip to make sure she is healthy too. 
Thank you so much for the comment by the way, I really appreciate the advice~


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