Bradley – August 2006 to May 29/08

The Rat Shack Forum

Help Support The Rat Shack Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

lilspaz68

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 21, 2007
Messages
24,427
Location
Toronto, Canada, Earth
I am trying to figure out why I am sooo upset, and I realized that Bradley was only with me since mid-January, only with me for 4 months! :shock:

Bradley actually lived with my niece for a year (he was part of a joke for a friend of her bf's), I kept trying to get him but my sister kept insisting they knew how to take care of a rat. I never met him until this past Christmas (my niece had him at school). They told me that he “didn’t like to be out of his cage and would bite to let you know that” . He was alone, on a bad diet, in the same small cage I gave them when he was much younger (they had him in a hagen hamster cage).
My sister got quite offended the first few times I said I would take him or gave them advice…sigh. Family are the hardest to deal with. :undecided:
But at Christmas I decided that as soon as I got there I was going to hold Bradley. I went up and found him in his cage. I opened one door and he ran to it, then I opened the other door and pushed his butt out. Boy was he surprised!!
At first the claws dug into my arm, but about 10 mins later he was lying draped over my arm, legs dangling, eyes closed as I gently scratched him and stroked him. I came down to the kitchen where the family had gathered and my sister said “Is that your rat?” (I had brought Dolci and Mattie up with me… and Dolci was a pearl merle just like Bradley).

I told her no, and got the inevitable…”That’s not our rat!” “You can hold him! What did you do?” “He has never acted like that with us!” LOLOL

Within 2 weeks Bradley came home with me. He was a happy dude, and even happier when I intro’d him to Rennie right after his neuter (she is spayed but has never really bonded with any other rats). Until Bradley. He put up with her weird behaviour and put her down on her back when she became too much. She obviously needed a real man to keep her happy.
The first time I saw them cuddled and grooming in a hammock I cried. Bradley who had never had a friend and Rennie who wouldn’t let another rat near her. :heart: :heart:

He’s always been a bit of a chronic with crackles but last week he got very quiet and cuddly and I popped him on baytril and zithro, but his crackles didn’t go away like they used to. Tonight I came home to a very sick boy and by 8:45 he passed in my hands.

I wish he could’ve stayed a lot longer, he was only 21 months old and a complete surprise to lose him. But he was soo happy while he was here. My poor Rennie is alone once again...sigh.

He had this wonderful habit of freezing with his head down so I could scratch and stroke him...he would be immobile. As soon as you stopped his big athletic body would be bouncing and humming with energy again :)

Just home
What are these smells??? They smell like me?
Bradley73Jan20.jpg

Bradley8Jan20.jpg


Intro's with Rennie
WHAT the heck are you?
Bradleyintro2.jpg


C’mon with me Ikea Rat!
Bradley-cmonwithme.jpg


The best things in life...

Hammies
BradleyandRennieFeb9.jpg


And especially Friends
BradleyandRennie2Feb9.jpg


I will miss you Bradley. :sad3:
 
I am so very sorry Shelagh.
So glad that you were able to bring some joy into Bradely's :heart: life.
Thank you for sharing about Bradley :heart: such a dear boy...

:hugs:
 
Shelagh, I'm so sorry for your loss of the lovely Bradley. :sad3: Doesn't matter how long you have them, week, month or year it still hurts just the same.

:hugs: :hugs: :hugs:
 
he lived so much in those few months that you had him. he learned what it was like to be loved and that is the most important thing in the world. I'm so sorry for both you and rennie...poor girl must be so heart broken... :sad3:
 
Methinks the loss of Bradley is particularly upsetting not because you had him such a small amount of time, but because you wanted him so long beforehand.

He really was a gorgeous, handsome man. And I'm so sorry for your loss.
 
:sad3: I am so very very sorry for the loss of Bradley :heart:

Poor Rennie and Bradley, it would've been nice if they could live together for a bit longer.

I hope you are coping well.
 
I'm so sorry, Shelagh. :( Bradley had the bestest months of his life since you got him. :hugs: He's now forever grateful and happy to be your angel. :angel:
 
Back
Top