# When ratties pass on...



## franjf (Dec 13, 2012)

So as Bella is getting noticeably older, i want to plan for the inevitable. I decided a long time ago that I don't want her buried as I can't bare the thought of her in the ground, so I want to get her cremated and have her ashes put into something. Maybe a necklace?

The thing is though I really don't know where to start looking for these things, I've never had a pet cremated before where does it even take place?

Does anyone have any nice ideas of what I could do with the ashes?

Any ideas would be much appreciated, I just want to be prepared and actually have this happen rather than having her passing sprung on me and be at a total loss of where to go and what to do


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## nanashi7 (Jun 5, 2013)

I'm across the pound so it's not always the same, but the vet can cremate your pet (at least they do for dogs) or offer burial services. Also, online you can purchase engraved keychains and charms or pots and such for storing ashes. 

My plan, in case it was a route you wanted, is to cremate any passing pet and mix that in to create a garden stone or some pottery (so cement or clay mixed with ashes). Then I can personalize it as needed (Coincidentally I want to be a garden stone when I pass ).


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## franjf (Dec 13, 2012)

Thanks, I just wasn't sure if vets did it or if you had to go somewhere else to get it done. A garden stone is a brilliant idea, I never even thought of that haha. I just want to do something special for her


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## lalalauren (Jul 3, 2013)

http://www.angelsmeadow.co.uk 
Found this UK based jewellery provider selling pendants and things that you can fill with ashes. That's a pretty cute idea 


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## Gannyaan (Dec 7, 2012)

I'm so happy other people have thought of this.... My friends all think I'm insane for thinking about these things....


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## Daniel (Jun 24, 2013)

My mother has always cremated her cats when they go. My father won't let her bury them (too big a hole in the ground and it would mess up the grass he says), so this is actually the best option. So right now we have 3 ash boxes with their remains that will get buried with her she dies eventually.

Here I imagine they'd look at you weird for a second for a rat, but I am sure they would do it. 

My rats get buried on my parent's property. Father doesn't mind it because the hole is so small.


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## evander (Jun 30, 2013)

I had Evander cremated and her ashes are in a beautiful frame that has a space to store the ashes.

I could not bear to put her in the ground either.

Your vet may be able to give you more information on cremation in your area, and you may want to look into it now so you don't have to put yourself through it when her time comes.


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## franjf (Dec 13, 2012)

Thankyou for all your input, I'm going the vets sometime this week to get her some more antibiotics so I will definitely ask about it. I just hope they would do it for a rat


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## Kittish121290 (Jul 27, 2012)

Both of my boys who have passed on were buried on a hill on my boyfriend's parents property. What I hope some day to do is to get an urn and when it comes time for my other babies to pass on their ashes could be stored together so they could always stay together.


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## Rat Daddy (Sep 25, 2011)

Oddly, and it seems somewhat extreme these days but there are actually taxidermists that do pet rats, even hairless ones.

Long ago when my mom was a little girl it was common for people actually preserve their pets. My mom told me her dad had her first dog stuffed, but that was back in the 1920's. Today it might seem unusual, but if you recall the TV show Scrubs that featured a stuffed dog that most likely had been someone's pet once.


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## Voltage (May 15, 2013)

I love scrubs, that was one of my favorite shows.
I have truly thought about getting my passed rats soft mounted when the time comes. A lot of people deem it sick and unnatural though. 
I am into gruesome things and I really fancy the idea so I could still hug Toast when I'm sad... But I don't want to freak out my family or my boyfriend.

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## Luminescent (May 28, 2013)

You could make a pretty urn for the ashes to go in, and personalize it for her.  Maybe with her paw prints and/or things that represent her?


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## Gannyaan (Dec 7, 2012)

Hey voltage! There's a thread on the forum about that.. I don't think it's as weird as you think  


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## Rat Daddy (Sep 25, 2011)

Most of what we think is weird is mostly social custom and it changes with fashion. In the early 20th century having your prize pet preserved would have been normal if you could afford it. When I was a kid, every rural bar had mounted animals hung on the walls. Now, you don't find taxidermy nearly as common when it comes to public display outside museums. 

Basically, you do what feels right to you and let the fashions come and go as they will. Ten years from now, your soft stuffed rat might be all the rage.


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## Ilovemybabyrats (Feb 5, 2013)

This is actually something I've been thinking of lately. I've had Nippy a year now, and I figure she must have been at least six months when I bought her since she was fully grown then. Hopefully she'll be one of those rare rats that make it to five, but since most pass on at about two I want to plan for when the worst happens. I live in an apartment, so burial isn't an option. The problem is I have so many rats thanks to her having a litter. I don't want to mix them up when they pass. The jewelry idea sounds awesome.


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## Gannyaan (Dec 7, 2012)

Here's the original convo about taxidermy etc http://www.ratforum.com/showthread.php?t=54841. Found it  


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## Gannyaan (Dec 7, 2012)

Warning... It's not for the squeamish 


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## franjf (Dec 13, 2012)

I'm not sure how I feel about taxidermy in all honesty, it may be great for some people but i'm not sure it's really for me. Having being thinking about it I quite like the idea of having her ages made into something like a stone to put into jewellery rather than just having her ashes. I think it'd be nice having her turned into something beautiful and one of a kind (just like she is)


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## franjf (Dec 13, 2012)

I actually just found this website http://www.ashesintoglass.co.uk/index.php The jewellery is beautiful and doesnt cost thousands like having her turned into a diamond.

Obviously if i had a few thousand to spare i would have her turned into a diamond but i live on £50 a week and it's something that I will just never be able to afford


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## Gannyaan (Dec 7, 2012)

Wow 300 though ...? 


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## franjf (Dec 13, 2012)

It is still rather expensive I know, but it is my 21st birthday in a couple of months and I can't think of anything better that I would want as a 'present'. My parents said they would be more than happy to have this done for my birthday, not your typical 21st present though I must admit


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## Gannyaan (Dec 7, 2012)

Wow.... Your parents are sooooo open minded!!! Haha... I'm probably going to cremate my babies and keep them in a beautiful urn or box...  


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## Gannyaan (Dec 7, 2012)

Oh my gosh, I just looked at prices for that......... 200 for cremation?!? WTH!!! That's just not.... Fair... I'm not going to live in Detroit for more than a couple years, and I doubt the apartment manager would approve..... What do I do?! 200 is just.... 


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## Gannyaan (Dec 7, 2012)

Whoops, deleted part of that by accident.... Apartment manager would not approve burying is what I meant..


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