Hobo and Jumbalaya were put down an hour ago... :(

[seth16]

My two rats, Hobo and Jumbalaya were put down today at my work. They had a common disease that rats get called Mycoplasma. The disease is comparable to pnemonia (sp?) in humans, as the disease slowly fills their lungs with fluid until thei suffocate( or drown). Their brains would loze oxygen causing them to lose sense of vision, hearing, and balance, their bodies would literally be deprived of the needed oxygen and they would shut down. I did not want to see or let my rats go through that, as they have been my baies for over a year now, so i tried to find the most humane way fot them to go. I dont believe in taking animals to the vet to be put down, they give it a shot, then throw the body away. I have been talking to many of my co-workers at Gatorland and i decided to let them go a more natural way. They were put in a freezer, which slowly puts them to sleep (freezers emit gasses that act just as the gasses would in a surgery room) and then they dont feel anything as they die peacefully and painlessly. they will (after a week of freezing) be fed to a juvenile alligator. It is the natural way to go, the circle of life, and i couldnt bear keeping them alive as it would be selfish and cruel. I am devastated, i spent all of last night with them and because of communication problems with the Vet today, i had to spent all day at work with them in a cardboard box next to me, waiting to be put down, it was terrible, i could barely make out a full sentence withouht choking up (and i am a photographer who has to deal with HUNDREDS of people a day) so it was embarassing. But they are not suffering and they wont have to, and they can be part of what keeps another animal alive. I can get over it, i will never forget them, but i can get over the pain of losing them. they were my baies, my companions, and the best pets i have ever had, and a couple of you guys have seen them, and know how gentle and nice they were. I am hoping to get two new rats soon that i can nurture and take care of just i did for Hobo and Jumbalaya.

Thank you
Seth

 

[A.T.DAWG]

That really sucks dude my grandman lost a couple rats to Mycoplasma too. I really like the whole circle of life thing that you did too.

Andrew

 

[flfirefighter13]

Sorry for your lose Seth, Im not much for rodents but they where neat critters full of character.

 

[seth16]

Yeah...i know, i miss them

 

[loosbrew]

so how many animals do you take care of at your age?

 

[Fuzzy]

Hey Seth,

Sorry to hear about your loss.....

But I have some good news for you.
I finally got a day off and finished my new lights!
So the Teklight is ready to go if you still want it.
Let me know,

Thanks,

Fuzz

 

[mfp4073]

I have had about 10+ total rats in my time. Most died natural deaths, but I had to put 2 down....at the age of 28 I cried and cried....they were so sweet, but one had gotten a pretty bad sized tumor and the other was beginning to loose control of its rear legs...they were both over 3 years old.... I was very sad....their names were browning and tennyson.

sweet little girls both of them

 

[seth16]

: (... im sorry about that, yeah, it is one thing to cry on your own time, but when you have tears runnign down your face wthile you are smiling and tryign to not let the guest that you are taking pictures of know that you are utterly torn form the inside, it is embarassing, and i work with a bunch of guys who wrestle gators and handle venomous snakes like theyr were beanie babies, so, looking weak is not the way to look good where i work.

FUZZYY!!!!!!!!! YES WHOO HOO, Yes i still want the light, totally. Will you be at this months meeting? or can i get it sometime this week after 4?

 

[Fuzzy]

Hey Seth - I don't know if I'll be at the meeting. There's a Bike Fest in Leesburg - so I might be off riding.

But, my office is just a couple miles north of Gatorland. Central Fl Pkwy and OBT area.
I can bring it to work one day next week if that will work. I'm usually there till 5:30 or 6pm.
Let me know.
Fuzz

 

[seth16]

Well, i work tomorrow, mon, tue, and wed, so thrisday or friday i could probably swing by and pick it up. Wheere is your office? like what is it, the address and all?

 

[seth16]

Fuzzy, i am not available all this woeek after school.....let me know when you can bring the light to work and i will work out with my dad picking it up. Can you tell me where you work and the address and all?

 

[Fuzzy]

I'll send you the info in a PM tonight.
Pretty much any day except tomorrow works for me.