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An update on the rat boys

Mizzely

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I haven't had the heart to say anything but Wilson and Stark are no longer living with me, and haven't been since end of August.

My landlord hired a property manager this year while he moved out of state, and the new guy has been awful to work with. We've been looking for a new rental since April, but my area is in a severe housing shortage, and pet friendly units even more so. Plus with COVID, things have been even crazier.

So, we looked into buying a home, and we're pre-approved! But because mortgage rates are so low and again, housing shortage, they are going expensively and quickly. Like, sold for cash 20k over asking price within 24 hours fast. So we can't catch a break either way.

My lease renews every September and I have to re-sign; no month to month. My property manager asks me beginning of August if I plan to renew my lease. It's less then 30 days before my current one expires, so of course I reluctantly say yes.

A week before the end of my lease, he sends me the new lease to sign. My rent is going up another $20 (it's now gone up over $100 since I first moved in) and it specifically says I can have my bird, cat, and gecko. He knows I have rats as he has seen them. I ask him about it and he says, "we've decided that we are no longer allowing dogs, snakes, or rodents as pets."

My rat boys turn 3 in November. What am I supposed to do? I have a week to either find a pet friendly place, or find someone that wants a couple of senior rats.

I went to Craigslist, and was going to post a cry for help. I checked the animal section first, I'm not sure why. To delay the inevitable? And I see this ad.

Screenshot_20200802-235442~2.png

This couple had an older rat boy who was currently alone, as his cage mates had all passed on. Rats do not do well alone, and with mine being older I was already stressing about what to do when I was left with a singleton.

It just seemed kismet.

I met up with them, and I loved them. They were very nice people. I let them take Wilson and Stark home as friends for their loner for their final days.

So in the end, it was bittersweet. It broke my heart, but it worked out the best way it could have considering the circumstances.

And now I'll hopefully be able to buy my own home before I have to renew another year, and I'll never again be at the mercy of someone else's demands.

IMG_20191014_163257_429.jpg

IMG_20190901_152907_421.jpg
 

Mizzely

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This year really isn't the best one, is it?
I'm super happy for your rats and the adopters rat too.
I really wish your housing situation gets sorted out too.
:grouphug2:
It's been a whirlwind, that's for sure.
 

Ankou

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That's so perfect but sad, how wonderful for their lone ratty that you just happened to see that when you did. I hope they all have a nice retirement and depart this world together.

Your property manager sounds like a truly horrible person. I hope you can escape soon.
 

Mizzely

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That's so perfect but sad, how wonderful for their lone ratty that you just happened to see that when you did. I hope they all have a nice retirement and depart this world together.

Your property manager sounds like a truly horrible person. I hope you can escape soon.
He is. When the shut downs happened and unemployment was sky high, he made sure to text all his tenants and let them know that bank drive thrus were still open and that rent would be due like always.

Not an ounce of compassion.

I agree though about the other ratty boy. How fantastic for him. :heart2:
 
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Zara

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I´m so sorry Shawna! :( What an awful heartless so and so that guy is!
Nice to hear they will be getting a new friend though, sounds great :) I hope Nikolai is adjusting well to the changes.
Good luck house hunting, the sooner you get your own place the better :hug9:
 

fashionfobie

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That is so hard. I am very touched that the couple wanted to find an elder companion for their single guy. They are clearly very caring and I believe your two will have a lovely retirement. That said I empathize with your grief. My partner has had amazing rats! I have had my share of wonderful mice. Rats and mice are intelligent and highly emotional beings. It is really really hard when they move on. I had a single elder female mouse who I rehomed. She was the last of a little colony of 4 mice. That was hard, she was over two and we had a pretty close relationship. Though I can't be everything another mouse could be.


I hope you find your home soon. I also rent and I am fed up with it. My landlord is amazing about my animals, but as a consequence she isn't that great at following up with repairs. We didn't have a light in the kitchen for 5 months because the fixture failed to function. Though I would rather rent from her because in qld renters are treated pretty poorly generally. Frankly I am lucky because my landlord is a more relaxed and kind person. Every other place I lived the agents come to your home every 3 months to take photos of the property, and all your things basically... It drives me up the wall! Like I am in a lease, why come and bug us?

Fingers crossed you find the perfect place!
 

Mizzely

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I´m so sorry Shawna! :( What an awful heartless so and so that guy is!
Nice to hear they will be getting a new friend though, sounds great :) I hope Nikolai is adjusting well to the changes.
Good luck house hunting, the sooner you get your own place the better :hug9:
He was sad but he bounced back quickly. Luckily 6 year olds have a short attention span lol

That is so hard. I am very touched that the couple wanted to find an elder companion for their single guy. They are clearly very caring and I believe your two will have a lovely retirement. That said I empathize with your grief. My partner has had amazing rats! I have had my share of wonderful mice. Rats and mice are intelligent and highly emotional beings. It is really really hard when they move on. I had a single elder female mouse who I rehomed. She was the last of a little colony of 4 mice. That was hard, she was over two and we had a pretty close relationship. Though I can't be everything another mouse could be.


I hope you find your home soon. I also rent and I am fed up with it. My landlord is amazing about my animals, but as a consequence she isn't that great at following up with repairs. We didn't have a light in the kitchen for 5 months because the fixture failed to function. Though I would rather rent from her because in qld renters are treated pretty poorly generally. Frankly I am lucky because my landlord is a more relaxed and kind person. Every other place I lived the agents come to your home every 3 months to take photos of the property, and all your things basically... It drives me up the wall! Like I am in a lease, why come and bug us?

Fingers crossed you find the perfect place!
It is both a blessing and a curse that I will not have to be there to see them at their final hour. My rat girls years ago really tore me up when they died, and I know Wilson is in the early stages of hind limb degeneration. Poor Stark was going bald. I know it's selfish but I'm thankful in some ways to not have to watch them deteriorate further.

Yes my landlord checked in once or twice a year just to make sure things were going well, but he just was too busy with his own family and other properties to keep up on things. This manager even makes me do Zoom inspections now since I told him to bug off with coming into my home during a Pandemic :shifty:

He also drives by to see if my lawn has been mowed and if it's longer than my neighbor's (who mows his once a week, who has time for that? Not someone with 2 young kids, that's for sure!) He reminds me that lawn care is part of my lease. For the record, my city didn't start to care until it's 12 inches high, and it's never been over 5 inches. Yes, I measured, because that's a thing I do now apparently.
 

budgieluv3

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I'm glad you found a good home for them, but sad you had to give them up in the first place.
 

Kassiani

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I'm so sorry you had to go through all of this! It sounds like the best possible outcome under the circumstances, and that your boys landed in a place where they will be loved :)

I wish you every possible luck with the house hunting!
 

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I'm so sorry that happened. But it does sound like you found the perfect situation for them. Will the new owner give you updates?
 

Mizzely

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I'm so sorry that happened. But it does sound like you found the perfect situation for them. Will the new owner give you updates?
They did let me know the three of them were getting along just fine! :) I haven't asked for more updates yet as I'm afraid for the answer, as they turned 3 years old this month, and that's very old for ratties!

(I said 3 in November in my original post but my calendar told me otherwise haha)
 

rockoko

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I’m glad they found a new loving home. :hug8:
 

Mockinbirdiva

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Boy... Kismet for sure! I know it was heartbreaking to part with your ratty boys but to luck out with someone who will give them the love and kindness in their senior days... such a blessing. I completely understand how you feel about not having to see them to the end and torn for not being there when it does. Your heart must feel good to know that they will be in good hands when that time does come.. Big hugs for you Shawna and may you find the home of your dreams!!!
 

tka

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I'm so sorry that someone forced you to rehome your boys. It sounds like you've found them a really caring home for them to live out their days.

I rehomed a rat for similar reasons: my friend had one old lady left, I had my old lady left, so Fern went to live with my friend until her old girl passed. Then Fern came back to me and I adopted Fergus to keep her company. Fern had been spayed so no chance of babies.
 
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