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Apr. 18th, 2003 09:50 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ocelotOur rattie baby, Matilda, died tonight.
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koyote and I have posted before, she was sick. But she was doing so much better. She was happy, and had a good appetite, and was exploring and climbing in her cage. And then I came in to feed her and she was dead.
Poor rattie girl.
I do not like reminders of mortality while pregnant.
I'm not sure what we're going to do about Gwendolyn now. She's seemed lonely and depressed since we took Tilda out of the cage. So we have to get more ratties to keep her company, but I do not want to take on the responsibility of more rats right now. But if we don't, I'm afraid she's just going to waste away. She's already not really eating, though she shows no signs of the respiratory infection that Tilda had (and the vet agrees with this).
Ugh. I think I'm going to watch Totoro or something. I can't deal with any more tonight, and things keep getting worse.
This time of year seems to do that for me.
As
koyote and I have posted before, she was sick. But she was doing so much better. She was happy, and had a good appetite, and was exploring and climbing in her cage. And then I came in to feed her and she was dead.Poor rattie girl.
I do not like reminders of mortality while pregnant.
I'm not sure what we're going to do about Gwendolyn now. She's seemed lonely and depressed since we took Tilda out of the cage. So we have to get more ratties to keep her company, but I do not want to take on the responsibility of more rats right now. But if we don't, I'm afraid she's just going to waste away. She's already not really eating, though she shows no signs of the respiratory infection that Tilda had (and the vet agrees with this).
Ugh. I think I'm going to watch Totoro or something. I can't deal with any more tonight, and things keep getting worse.
This time of year seems to do that for me.
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Date: 2003-04-18 10:21 pm (UTC):-(
Date: 2003-04-19 06:49 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-04-20 05:12 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-04-20 06:53 am (UTC)"If we hadn't done anything, it would have been uncomfortable, dehydrated, and it would have died with pain as its last memory. We helped a little, and it had a chance to feel better."
Good last memories are valuable things to create.
Gwendolyne's going to need a lot of attention - any animal with the least bit of self-awareness will (in my experience) go through a grieving period after a companion's death. Coddle her a bit - but don't let her overeat. I've seen that happen in rats, just like in people. New toys to play with will help too. And you guys did all the right things.