TheHermit
Senior Member
It is much harder to lose a baby without other babies at home. For almost five years I've been able to find solace in cuddling another rat and continuing to care for cagemates left behind.
Waking up to an empty cage was a lot more painful than I had anticipated.
The worst part is the subconscious instincts. I literally cannot do anything without thoughts flying into my head like a bullet train along the lines of "I should get the boys out."
Making any food and "I should make extra for..."
Watching tv or playing games and "I should bring ____ to the couch..."
Even vaccuuming!! "I should close the door so it doesn't bother..."
Literally every single instinct I've gained since having rats is still on at full power. I even had to stop and take a deep breath when I turned around while doing laundry and the cage door was open and I had that moment of panic like "OMG WHERE ARE THEY?!"
I'm not ready to take down my CN yet. Maybe in a few days.
Has anyone ever gone through a grieving period with an empty cage? How long does this last for?
Waking up to an empty cage was a lot more painful than I had anticipated.
The worst part is the subconscious instincts. I literally cannot do anything without thoughts flying into my head like a bullet train along the lines of "I should get the boys out."
Making any food and "I should make extra for..."
Watching tv or playing games and "I should bring ____ to the couch..."
Even vaccuuming!! "I should close the door so it doesn't bother..."
Literally every single instinct I've gained since having rats is still on at full power. I even had to stop and take a deep breath when I turned around while doing laundry and the cage door was open and I had that moment of panic like "OMG WHERE ARE THEY?!"
I'm not ready to take down my CN yet. Maybe in a few days.
Has anyone ever gone through a grieving period with an empty cage? How long does this last for?