29/09/2024
It is with an extremely heavy heart that I share of Jay's passing across the rainbow bridge this morning. I had felt like it was coming for months, but he always had this "brightness" to him when he knew I was around, and despite his handicaps and old age, he'd hurry to the front of the cage to greet me anyway. I'm pretty sure these last couple months were spent deaf and blind. I had to shake this old man awake pretty aggressively as he wouldn't hear or see me come some days and it'd take almost a solid minute to wake him up haha
I knew for a long time his time was coming, but I didn't imagine he'd be with me for another several months after the passing of his best friend Squish and his buddy Bob. He was the last of my foundation rats I got in 2021 and I did my best to keep his last months happy and exciting. I put him in a cage with babies and this really seemed to liven him up these last several months. He was so depressed after losing Squish. He was really the only one to stay by Squish's body and almost seem like he was mourning the loss of his bestie. I truly thought Jay wouldn't be far behind because of how strong their connection was and I did everything in my power to keep his life exciting and happy despite that loss.
Jay would've been 3 years old in 2 more months. By far one of the longest surviving rats I've had - but I've also only been in operation with the rats for 2 solid years now, so hopefully he won't be the last to make it that far.
Jay really didn't face any health issues either in his lifetime. He had one little weird growth on him, but it wasn't cancerous or didn't seem to bother him at all. It looked unsightly, but it never affected his quality of life. He never had a URI or any other illness. His sons were always some of the best rats to come through here too. So much attitude and personality in such a small package. These rats weren't afraid to be themselves and I'd always find them in the funniest of positions (half the time giving me a heart attack thinking they were dead). He produced such a goofy and quirky line of rats here and I hope to keep a little bit of that in my lines always.
You were so very loved Jay bug... It won't be the same without you
