# Toothpaste "Payters" The Magnificent. - Complete life story



## gooseyp

* TOOHPASTE *
Name: Toothpaste
Nickname: Payters
Birthday: September 16th 2008
Lastday: July 18th 2014
Breed: Black hooded dumbo rat
Final weight:
Total $ Spent: $3000+


This lovely boy is Toothpaste but I like to call him Payters.

Two days ago I had the horrible reality of losing him.

Let me start you off with some history!

Our Introduction:

Toothpaste was born at some breeder in Quebec, so my little guy is a frenchy! He was then shipped a less than a year later with his brother Torpedo (TNT) to Petcetera Kitchener. This is the pet store I worked at. Typical animal shipment had arrived and my boss had asked myself and the new girl to put away the animals. I told the new girl I was going to get more water bottles for the animals and not even two minutes into getting them I hear screaming coming from the store. I run out and spy the problem. The new girl had taken the baby dumbos and put them in the tank with full grown female fancy rats. Within seconds the females had pierced through both of the little rats. Torpedo had it bad with a bite wound in his neck and Toothpaste with one in his side. I pulled the babies out and spent the rest of my shift holding the pups in towels to stop the bleeding. Luckily working in a pet store we had Quick stopper (a product meant to stop blood flow after cutting a nail too short). I alternated between the two and was able to stop the bleeding. I stayed until 1am with the boys until I finally had to leave the store. Thankfully the boys healed up and were looking okay. They were sent to the vet and put on medication. After about a week of the medication, I pick up toothpaste and notice that he has developed a cyst on his neck and Torpedo developed on on his back. The were sent to the vet again and had the cysts surgically removed. More medication. Unfortunately, Torpedo had to stay at the vet where he passed away about a week after. While I sat there holding them when they were bleeding I had already decided I was going to adopt them. I took home Toothpaste after he had finished his medication.

Our life together:

Toothpaste had become a very mean rat through all the vet visits and bad experiences. So our first few weeks together were a struggle, eventually he learned to trust me and eventually began to run to his cage door when I called his name. We became inseparable. After our relationship bloomed we went everywhere together. He would sit on my shoulder for hours, we'd share snacks and I'd make him little mini-dinners. Soon enough I realized he wasn't the destructive type and began letting him have free roam of the bathroom and I would take bath and he'd come up and sometimes, he'd jump in or fall in, and would try his best at swimming, but he was clearly no duck. He learned to come when he was called and to take food gently when I asked him too. His favourite music was anything techno, he'd get all squeaky and move closer to where it came from. He was a major hammock lazer and would get REALLY mad at me if I bothered him when he was sleeping in it (that and his little bed), it was the only time he'd nip!

Rough inbetween:

At age 4 I found toothpaste one day with a severe head tilt almost unable to walk, I brought him to the vet and it was determined he had vertigo! He couldn't live in his cage anymore. He needed to be on one level forever.
Eventually we developed a little form of communication and we just understood each other. Like Snow White. I decided I trusted him enough to make him a free-roam rat. He simply lived on my bed. I set him up a little party pad on one of end tables with his litter box, three bowls of food (fresh, seed blend, oxbow) and strapped his water bottle to the lamp. He lived the life from then on. His medication worked extremely well, while he maintained a slight head tilt (until about 6 months before his passing) the medication worked perfectly and hew was back to himself, better even! From then on He'd curl up beside me at night and we'd fall asleep together and when he felt the vibrate of my phone alarm he'd scurry back and forth across my bed until I woke up. During movies he would come and lay on my chest and brux his little hear out as I stroked his cheek. He loves that, by the way, stroking his cheek? He'd lung his head toward my fingers for pets and rubs and he'd stretch his arms out as far as he could when you pet his cheeks! I loved that so much. He'd wake up my boyfriend in the middle of the night sometimes trying to jump on him and get his attention. Man, he actually loved him so much, he'd get excited to see him! He had this little piggy and big teddy bear he just loved sleeping and cuddling with them.

Favourite foods:
Macadamia nuts, Ham, cheerios, baked potato, Oxbow, Temptations, and his all time favourite was Sun Chips, a rare treat but he would scream squeak when he heard the bag and it's the one treat he would never take gently!

Least favourite foods:
Broccoli, Carrots, Banana

His taste buds were VERY dog like.

Our ending:
(Tear jerker)

I got home from work on a friday night, excited to see my boyfriend and bring home Payters these new treats from work. They were lemon yogurt drops and I figured he'd love them.... but when I got home and raced upstairs, I saw this little guy just laying on my bed. Feet in the air, on his back, stiff as could be, covered in poop. I screamed his name and ran over to him, he was still alive, but barely. I wrapped him up in his little super hero pocket (as shown above) and ran outside with him, it was a really warm night and I figured fresh air would help him. I sat there and cried as I watched his nose fill with a cream liquid and his breathing slow. At one point the fresh air made him happy enough to leave a little squeak, I called my mom and best friend and boyfriend all asking them to desperately google what was wrong. My friend called back and told me all his symptoms were that of old age, and there was nothing I could do. I called my mom back and boyfriend and forced the words out, "He won't make it. " My boyfriend asked me if he could say goodbye so I held the phone up and he did, paster wiggled his nose. I sat on the phone, crying my eyes out, stroking his cheek and talking to him.he eventually put his paw in my hand like he was holding it, he siezed, and curled into a ball and I watched as the life left his eyes and heard his last little breath. Within the 20 minutes of being home, he was gone.

Today:

It's three days later and I'm honestly still crying every 10 minutes. I'm having his funeral tomorrow. I bought a beautiful burlap trunk to put him in. He'll be buried with his little stuffed piggy, his superhero pocket, his little rat bed from his table (he had it his whole life). I'm covering the bottom of the trunk in sunchips, macadamia nuts, oxbow and the lemon yogurt treats I knew he'd love and a picture of us together. I also had a little tie made for him so he'll look really good when he's buried.

I hold that bear so tightly now, it feels like the only thing I have left of him.

I'll never fully recover from the loss of him, he honestly was my entire world and nothing makes sense without him here. I would do anything to get him back, it was the best 5 and a bit years of my life. 
I'm inking his aws and will be getting them tattooed. Either all four on my shoulder where he sat when he was young or just the one paw print, in the same place he put it when he passed.


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## annoellyn

what a beautiful sorry and such a sad loss. you gave him a great life. i love the tattoo you have planned, truly heartwarming.


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## gooseyp

Thank you so much, he really lived the most spoiled life I could offer him and as much as it hurts, knowing he waited for me and held on long enough to be with me was the most incredible thing I had ever experienced. and I've loved before but until Toothpaste I never knew what true love was, he showed me.

Thank you for taking the time to read this, it means a lot to me! I have my two fancy boys to make the process easier, but he will be forever missed!


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## portkeytonowhere

I'm so sorry for your loss. I'm sitting here crying I know how hard it is to lose a member of your family. He sounded like a wonderful rat. I really am very sorry

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## gooseyp

Thank you for your time Port, I rally appreciate fellow rat lovers reaching out. It's amazing to have the support of people who love their rats the way I love mine!


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## PurpleGirl

Was he really almost 6 years old?! Wow, that's amazing, what a strong little rattie! I'm so sorry for your loss, he sounds like a wonderful character. You gave him a lovely life, and he got to be with you at the end.


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## gooseyp

Yep, 6 years! I've been requested by like 3 breeders to have him mated for the rare gene he possesses and after his death I was (so rudely asked) if I would "donate him to science" but forget that noise. They wanted his DNA to help reaserch extending human life? Very cool and amazing research, but not on my baby sorry! Yep. Amazing what free-roam can do for a rat!


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## gooseyp

❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤


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## portkeytonowhere

gooseyp said:


> Thank you for your time Port, I rally appreciate fellow rat lovers reaching out. It's amazing to have the support of people who love their rats the way I love mine!


People think I'm nuts when I talk about my babies. I really do love rats so much it's hard not to talk about. I'm very passionate about these little creatures 

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## gooseyp

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aHVDK5plkmc


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## gooseyp

portkeytonowhere said:


> People think I'm nuts when I talk about my babies. I really do love rats so much it's hard not to talk about. I'm very passionate about these little creatures


oh man, I know what you mean. Thankfully working with animals is my jobs so I get a little le-way but most people have the typical stereotype in thier heads of rats so it's a little weirder. I'll NEVER stop talking about my babies!


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## portkeytonowhere

gooseyp said:


> oh man, I know what you mean. Thankfully working with animals is my jobs so I get a little le-way but most people have the typical stereotype in thier heads of rats so it's a little weirder. I'll NEVER stop talking about my babies!


I want to change as many people's views as I can. Pet rats are absolutely amazing. I get soo excited about them and as I don't have kids I think all 7 of my babies as my kids. I will not be silenced and I want to show people what amazing creatures they are. I know some people might just view me as the crazy rat lady but if I can just change at least one persons view then it's worth it 

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## gooseyp

Toothpaste's funeral is being held tonight, I've put together a beautiful casket. Complete with photos inside, bedding, rat couch, sunchips, macadamia nuts, yogurt treats, oxbow, pesonailzed "toothpaste" bead bracelet and a stuffed pig. Toothpaste will be dressed in a cute little hand made baby blue tie, and will have his paws inked. He is being buried in my backyard under a beautiful evergreen tree, in the soft grassy area he used to explore.


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## Roonel

Such a touching story, thanks for sharing it! I hope the funeral helps give you some closure, although you will miss him forever.http://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/extension/http://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/extension/


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## gooseyp

Thank you very much. The funeral did help definately, I miss him terribly, but he's having fun over the rainbow bridge I'm sure!


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## Little Bit

This made me tear up, I know how painful it is to lose a family member. My girl Gypsy died in my arms a few years ago and it still hurts. My condolences and if there's anything I can do for you please don't hesitate to ask.


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## WillowRat

Sending lots of love your way, dear. I'm so very sorry for your loss. 
You know he loved you, and still does! He's up there watching out for you every step of your life. 
Love you, girl. 
Play hard over that rainbow bridge, dear Toothpaste.


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## gotchea

That was such a happy/sad story. It was so nice of you to save him. You have some quick thinking! I would have no idea what to do if I saw a baby rat bleeding like that. You both are so lucky to have had each other, even more for so long. 5-6 years is a crazy long life. I can only repeat what people have wrote about being sorry for your loss, but I wanted to thank you for sharing this story. I really like reading it.


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## abratforarat

AAhhhhwwwwwwwghhhhhhhhh! What a heart breaking story, there at the end. I am so sorry! (Moan). But he is so cute! What a beautiful rat! You loved each other


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## gooseyp

Thank you so much everyone for taking the time to read this. I really appreciate all your support and love. RatFourm makes moving on easier, I will miss him forever and yes, I'm sooo happy I got as mnuch from him as possible. It was by far the best experience of my life.


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## never-sleep

I'm so sorry for your loss. I wanted to get my own heart rat's paws tattooed on my shoulder, but he passed while I was out of town and I couldn't ink his paws. I did get rat paws tattooed on me though. Even though they aren't my rat's own prints they still mean the world to me. My tattoo artist did a beautiful job.



I had my artist make them larger than real prints actually are, as you can probably tell.

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