My two big female rats are great girls. They have both given me a couple of wonderful litters and are really sweet. Although I'm not going to be breeding rats anymore, until my snake collection is larger and it makes more sense, I was going to keep my big girls because they have become much loved pets. I never thought I'd love a rat

A couple of weeks ago Dumbo got all stressed out (one day she was fine, the next whammo), and had swelling on one side of her face. I've nursed her back to health and the swelling is gone, but there was a lump under her wiskers on one side. It hasn't gone down at all. I've kept my handling to a minimum to keep from stressing her and she is with the white female rat (her name is blondie but I just call her white girl lol).

Today I noticed something pretty sad though- she has a lump the size of a marble on her chest (looks like a mammary tumor). This is really heart breaking, and quite shocking. Dumbo is a year old at the most, but probably younger! I know rats don't have long lives and a lot get cancer, but it still is a big surprise. I'm afraid I'll have to put her down soon, once she is in obvious discomfort. It seems to be spreading really fast...

I'm just glad that for now, she is her perky, fiesty self. I guess all I can do is give her as much love as possible and comfort her until the time to say good bye comes