One Sunday in June, I took in 2 pregnant ex-feeder breeders, Quinn and Gabby. (Well, feeders if no one wanted to buy them as pets...) 6 days later, on June 7th, Quinn gave birth to 4 babies. Despite the small number, all seemed more or less normal.Gabby unfortunately gave birth to 2 stillborn babies about a week later. So she exits the story at this time.
The babies grew and grew, except for the runt that stayed small. However, he kept going and going, even though I kept expecting that he would pass one night. By 4 weeks, the babies were very big, (Except the runt) very sweet, and very active. In every way, shape, and form, very normal looking and acting. Quinn was reunited with Gabby, and the babies were on their own.
The largest baby, a beige girl I've named Nina, slimmed a bit and started looking like a normal rat. However, the beautiful mismarked mask cap-striped girl Chomper, and the mink blazed berk boy named Cortez started widening. The rate at which they grew was phenomenal- it only took 2 days to see they were definitively affected by Megacolon. (Google it if you want a good explanation, but it's a condition that logically enough affects the colon, and results in a painful death.) The runt was not widening, however being so small and also being a cap-stripe made it likely he was suffering the defect as well.
On July 10th, a few days before they would have been 5 weeks, Columbus, Cortez, and Chomper all were brought to the vet, and were put to sleep. No words could really explain the pain and tragedy of having to put 3 babies that were sweet, playful, (But assuredly doomed) to sleep.
Not the cheeriest story to start with, but they will always have a place in my heart and in my mind.
