# Leonidas went to rattie heaven.



## undergunfire (May 7, 2008)

Leonidas passed about 2 hours ago. I found his little head dangling off the edge of the hammock, lifeless. His three "brothers" were laying around him...keeping his body warm.

Leo had been showing old age the past few months and he finally decided to go play with Fayl in rattie heaven. I kissed him goodnight on the head last night and whispered to him that it was okay if he left. I knew he was going to pass and I prayed that he passed on his own.



Goodbye my Leo-Skeo. Mommy loves you so much and I hope you are healthy once again up in rattie heaven. Say "hello" to Fayl and tell her I miss her.

I'll see you some day and you can join my heaven and be with mommy once again.


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## JadeIcing (May 7, 2008)

I am so sorry Leo. RIP Little Guy.


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## AngelnSnuffy (May 7, 2008)

I'm so sorry, Amy.

RIP little Leo:rainbow:


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## cheryl (May 7, 2008)

Aww i'm sorry Amy

Rest in peace little one

Cheryl


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## GoinBackToCali (May 8, 2008)

All our differences aside.. I am so sorry for your loss Amy..


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## PixieStixxxx (May 8, 2008)

Amy, I am so sorry for the loss of Leo :sad:

RIP little Leo.


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## SnowyShiloh (May 8, 2008)

RIP Leonidas! It sounds like he passed very gently, which I'm grateful for. I'm so sorry to hear he's died though. I definitely understand how you feel  He was a very cute and special boy, and I'm glad he found such a good home with you. Ratties need to live longer!


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## Bo B Bunny (May 8, 2008)

:bigtears:Oh, Amy, I'm so sorry. He was such a precious boy!


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## slavetoabunny (May 8, 2008)

What a precious boy. RIP Leonidas.:rainbow:


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## Michaela (May 8, 2008)

Oh no, Amy I am so sorry.  Run free Leo. :rainbow:


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## Evey (May 8, 2008)

Amy, I'm really sorry for your loss...you gave him such a great and fun life.

-Kathy


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## BratBunny (May 8, 2008)

I'm so sorry. He looks like he was a barrel of fun. RIP Leonidas. :rainbow:


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## EileenH (May 8, 2008)

Oh Amy, I'm so sorry...

I know you've been working with him, and no matter how we prepare..well, we just never are. *hugs*


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## undergunfire (May 9, 2008)

I miss my Leo so much. I feel like we should have buried him in Ryan's mom's backyard, next to Fayl. To help myself feel better about it, I am going to plant flowers on his grave this Saturday.

I can't believe he is gone. When I go into the rat/rabbit room I don't see his little face anymore. Leo was the first to greet me as I walked in there, he would jump right up and think I had food for him.

His little body just gave up. I don't understand why rats can't live long.



I am in a rough spot. When you lose a rat, you contemplate adding another to your group to fill the gap...add one more squishy to the hammock pile. I want to take a break from rats after my other boys pass away, but I don't want my last living rat to live alone until his time is up. Rats thrive on other rats to keep on living. What do you do? Do you not get anymore and end the cycle....or do you get more and keep the cycle alive for your last living rat?

When we pull into the driveway now, I always wish I would see Leonidas run across the backyard to greet me.


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## timetowaste (May 9, 2008)

oh jeez. i am just now seeing this.

i'm sorry amy, leonidas was a total sweetie.

RIP rattie boy 

Tracy


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## JadeIcing (May 9, 2008)

*undergunfire wrote: *


> I miss my Leo so much. I feel like we should have buried him in Ryan's mom's backyard, next to Fayl. To help myself feel better about it, I am going to plant flowers on his grave this Saturday.





> *Amy that is just his body. His spirit is with hers where it counts. Flowers are nice thing to do if it brings you comfort.*





> I am in a rough spot. When you lose a rat, you contemplate adding another to your group to fill the gap...add one more squishy to the hammock pile. I want to take a break from rats after my other boys pass away, but I don't want my last living rat to live alone until his time is up. Rats thrive on other rats to keep on living. What do you do? Do you not get anymore and end the cycle....or do you get more and keep the cycle alive for your last living rat?





> *I think this is something anyone who has animals that live together goes through. My mom time and again has said no more dogs and than one passed an she got another. This time she has three so if one went there are still two. She said this time once two are gone she wants me to take the remaining one. Why? Because it is so hard to lose them.Do I think my momcan live with out a dog possibly for awhile, for the restof her life no. She lovesdogs to much.
> 
> Time doesn't matter, the loss isstill the same.You love rats, that won'tchange.You spoil them and they livein heaven when you are their mommy. You treat them like little kings.
> 
> Keep in mind that there is no better way to honor them than when you can handle it in your heart again open and let another in your heart.*


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## MsBinky (May 11, 2008)

I'm so sorry Amy. I know how you feelabout adding or not. I am debating that myself. I do think that it all comes down to their quality of life. I do agree that they are social animals. Maybe you can consider rehoming him with a rat-lover you know if you don't want to pursue rats in the future. I guess time will tell and you will be able to decide in the future after observing him more. Again, I am sorry. I do wish rats lived longer :?


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## bunbunbinkie (May 11, 2008)

Rest in Peace, little Leo:rainbow:Watch over your mommy and your brothers from the bridge little one.


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## undergunfire (May 11, 2008)

Thank you, every one. It's not getting any easier yet, but I am doing things to help feel better. I went and had pictures of my Leo printed and have them in every room of the house, so I can still "see" him.

My three other boys look sad and confused, still. They are begging for attention even more now and I am trying to give them all that I can....they beg worse then dogs...lol.

I contemplated going to the local mom & pop pet store to look at the ratties to remind myself that I don't need to add another, but I decided that that would be too risky.

With much talking with Ryan, I have decided that I won't be getting more rats right now. Once I am down to one rat, I will do what I can for him to stay happy as a lone rat. I would never rehome my last rat because I owe it to them to take care of them in their old age. Sometimes the humane society gets rats in and I can foster for them if I need a "rat fill". 

I still have a "hole in my heart" from where Leonidas lived, but I am trying to change my way of thinking and cover up that hole.


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## timetowaste (May 12, 2008)

Lone rats can do well by themselves as well Am-ster  It's okay. I've seen rats do just fine and have good lives. Plus, whichever may be your last one, will have lived a long wonderful life filled with the company of others. Maybe a little loner time is a good thing. I'd like to have that giant home all to myself, I know THAT much!! 

Tracy


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## XxMontanaxX (May 12, 2008)

I'm so sorry Amy...

RIP little Leo :hug::rainbow:


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## Bunnicula (May 12, 2008)

Sorry to hear Leonidas has passed. I always enjoyed hearing about him.

Give your other ratties a special snuggle and kiss from our furry family.

Hugs,

~Mary Ellen


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## tonyshuman (May 13, 2008)

RIP Leonidas. You were a special rat in many ways. You even convinced me that rats can be cute (which is a hard task considering how I used to think they were gross).


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## EileenH (May 13, 2008)

Amy, I totally understand what you mean about taking a break. I haven't had any rats for about a year now...it just got too hard. I had to take a break.

How I did it was, my last one (Abigail) actually was ok alone. She never liked or really bonded with any of my other girls, and when she was alone, she liked getting all our attention. So I just went with that and was able to break the cycle.

I know, I wish they had longer lives. I knew I had to take a break when I got my last baby girl, one of my first thoughts was "I wonder what she's going to get that I am going to learn about". Between pituitary tumors in two of them, congestive heart failure/uterine cancer (had her spayed @ 2 years old & learned my lesson)/and the bladder tumor that eventually took one..I just couldn't do it, so I know what you're going through.

*hugs*


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## TinysMom (May 14, 2008)

Amy,

I'm so sorry for your loss. I'm just now seeing this since I was on vacation. 

One thing that helped me with Tiny's passing was to get a mug (I actually got two) that had his picture put on it.One of my mugs has 3 or 4 of my favorite pictures on it....

Even if you don't drink coffee - you could use it to hold pens on your desk - or to have soda in....whatever...

Maybe that will help?

I have found that surrounding myself with pictures of Tiny has helped a lot.


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## undergunfire (May 14, 2008)

*TinysMom wrote: *


> Amy,
> 
> I'm so sorry for your loss. I'm just now seeing this since I was on vacation.
> 
> ...



Great idea, Peg . I think I can get one made from Cafepress. I wonder if the picture will stay on through many washings or scratch off? They also have t-shirts and stuff. I'll have to look!

My favorite picture of Leo (the one in my entry post here) is right on the fridge where you look to open the handle, so I see his little face all the time.


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## undergunfire (Jun 6, 2008)

Tomorrow will be one month since I lost my LeoSkeo .



I miss you Leo and so do your "brothers". Hanging up 3 hammocks in the cage instead of 4 is really heart breaking, but its still even more heart breaking to hang up 4 and have one always be empty.

I hope you are doing well in rattie heaven with Fayl and all the other bridge ratties. Know that mommy loves you and can't wait to see you again!

:hearts


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## undergunfire (Jul 11, 2008)

I'm really missing you lately, my Leo. I wish you could be here to enjoy the nice big cage that mommy just bought for your brothers. I hang many hammocks in the cage now, not just 4....for some reason your brothers always huddle into one little hammock together. If you were still with us, you'd be squished to the bottom, like always....I just know it.

I have thought about getting another baby or two, but I always back down because it would be weird seeing "My Boys" with two "strangers" added in.


I hope you are doing well. It is still really hard to think about you because I miss you so much.


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## FallingStar (Jul 13, 2008)

I'm so sorry about Leo. He was such a cutie. I love him in the first picture you posted. 

:rainbow:Be free in Rattie Heaven.


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## Leaf (Jul 13, 2008)

((hugs))

:rose:


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