# Jake - Jan 06 - 25 May 08



## ration1802 (Sep 25, 2007)

Jake, my sweet old boy, has finally crossed the bridge to the other side.

My sweet boy came to me mid-06 being an unwanted hairless in a petshop. Almost full grown, he didn't have that "cute" look that was so saught after in the hairless in my area. I fell in love instantly and bought the hairy giant home.

He was originally placed in a cage with Ritchie and Aiden, whom he adored profusely. However, because of his hairlessness he managed to get quite a few nasty injuries from the other two. After Ritchie became too boisterous, I separated him and moved he and Aiden into a cage with Kasey (Aiden's very bullied brother). Jake loved the two of those dearly, however a few months later he lost his darling Aiden to lung tumours and Kasey from a tumour.

I attempted to reintroduce him to some other boys .. but his heart had been broken and wasn't able to be fixed. He quietened down and became resigned to the fact that being alone was safer than being emotionally broken down by the loss of his friends. He became incredibly aggressive towards any other rats that came near him, so I eventually gave up and allowed him to have his way.

Age started taking his toll on the gentle old soul - usually so happy running around and causing mischief, arthritis caused his spine to curve and gave him a perminant frog-walk that became gradually harder to move around with. A month ago he was also diagnosed with auricular polyps (a tumour in his ear) which left him bleeding out of one ear every other day.

When Ben was at his worst, Jake became a rock for him. Throwing aside his distaste for rats, Jake spent Ben's last hours curled up in a snuggle pouch sleeping on him keeping him warm. Ben passed and Jake became slower and older, thinner but still kept his cheeky little monkey grin.

Stupidly, today an accident happened. I had placed him in his Build-a-Bear house while cleaning out his cage and forgotten that he was out. Two hours later, I allowed mean Ray to do his regular wander .. and Ray attacked him in the house. Yes .. really f***ing stupid of me, and I'm paying for it now. The physical damage was only a bite on the back of the neck and on the side of the arm - Ray didn't go for the throat and rip holes as he usually does. But unfortunately a huge hematoma formed at the back of his neck. Losing blood and becoming lethargic I rushed him to the e-vets, who gave him fluids, pain meds and cleaned him up.

The old man came home, and slipped into a morphine coma to which he never came around from. Only 3 hours after the incident, Jake passed away in my hands, gripping onto me as he passed from this world.

I am so sorry my little one. 

I am sure that he found an opportunity in this situation to pass at pains quick mercy now than wait the weeks he had left in a slow and drawn out passing. The morphine numbed the pain and left him unaware enough during those last moments .. and for that I am thankful.

I love you Jake xx


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## beanieboo-rattles (Jan 3, 2008)

i am so sorry sweetie *lots of hugs from me*


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## phaidraft (Apr 9, 2008)

((HUGS)) I'm so sorry...


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## CeilingofStars (Apr 21, 2008)

Poor sweet baby. He had a loving home and loved you very much for it.


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## crapola (Feb 12, 2007)

i'm so sorry for your loss  what a beautiful face!!


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## twitch (Jan 4, 2007)

he was such a special boy. i'm sorry he had to leave you. take care of yourself, lots of love and hugs from our family to yours in your time of need.


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## ration1802 (Sep 25, 2007)

I miss him tonight  It's so weird feeding the girls, then going to feed Jake .. and empty cage. Or looking behind me into the Build A Bear house and seeing no naked little skeleton curled up inside. 

The guilt it making it very hard to grieve.

I've booked a cremation for Ben and him for next Monday. I'll be dropping them off on Saturday and picking them up Tuesday. It's going to be a very sad day .. saying a final farewell to my two old boys. I had the option to cremate them together, but as nice as that would have been, I had to turn it down. Although Ben and Jake found company in each other in their golden years .. they were still very much independant rats. Binding them in that way would be an injustice to their personalities. Keeping them next to each other on a shelf in their own little wooden caskets .. now that's how I think they would have wanted to spend their time


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## Brizzle (Mar 26, 2008)

I'm so sorry. *Hugs* He looks like he was such a sweet little boy.


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