Ziggy, my heart rat.
by Rowan
(U.K, S.Wales)
I had my beautiful blue marten at 6 weeks on the 26th of May 2013 from a breeder in Somerset who had raised her. We concluded her birthday was probably the 16th of February. She was the most affectionate little girl even from the start. When I first met her, I had the choice of a group of rats but Ziggy ran up my arm, behind my hair and wouldn’t come down. I know Ziggy was the one for me.
She always groomed me, eye boggled and bruxed when I cuddled her, cuddled up to me, slept on me, made nests in my clothes, gave me ratty kisses on the lips all the time. I miss her so much. She was always so cheeky to people other, she used to nip others on the lip or behind their ear and then run off.
Ziggy was so close to me, I saw her as my daughter or sibling and I think she felt the same. She always slept on me every time I was around her, always gave me kisses. She trusted me so so much.
She started to deteriorate around January/February 2015 from general old age, just slowed down slightly. Then in May her mycoplasma flared up(she had myco from birth but never affected her, only occasional flare ups but was treated with an antibiotic.) the antibiotics didn’t do much this time but she was still the strong girl she has always been. She still played with the other girls and me. We fed her baby food which kept her strong, cleaned her with baby wipes, and kept her healthy.
She was still very happy to be with us, but by July she had really deteriorated as she became underweight(I think it was muscle loss more than weight as she wasn’t moving much at all). The week leading up to the 14th of July when she passed away was a tough one, she had become very very old and sick, we kept her hydrated and comfortable in a cage that was padded with cushions.
On the 14th of July I left her for 5 minutes after giving her a kiss on the head as I went to the toilet. When I came back at I found that she had passed away, the exact time- 13:30. Only 5 minutes away from her out of the week I had taken off school to be with her. We had given her some anaesthetic mixed with baby food in the morning that helped her on her way as she was uncomfortable. I wanted to be with her when she went but
My father tells me that animals and humans can sense when their loved ones leave the room and then pass away quietly so they don’t have to see them leave. I love her so much
We had her cremated professionally in a little birch box with her name engraved in a metal plate on the top.
I love you so much Ziggy I can’t begin to say how much you were a part of me, see you one day on Rainbow Bridge.
16th February 2013 – 14th July 2015 at 13:30