in memory of Ben...

Ben
31.7.2005 - 14.9.2007

I finally brought Ben to the vet today to have him put down. It wasn't unexpected, his health has been getting worse for a while, but this week the decline became really drastic: He barely ate, drank only little and had trouble moving sometimes, slowly became more apathetic, and finally today he didn't even groom himself anymore. Actually when I looked in on him this morning his whole body felt cold so that for a moment I thought he must have died over night, but then he still moved after all. But I took that as the last sign that it was really time to say goodbye, and that it was better to put him down than to let him suffer a few more days.

He survived his brother Dustin by a little more than a year, and two years and a month isn't such bad age for a rat, though of course I wish he had become a methuselah among rats and lived longer. He was a great rat and a good companion, even though he caused me heartbreak when he killed little Gonzo in the disastrous integration attempt after Dustin's death.

Ben loved to cuddle with me and to groom me, especially as an older rat, when he liked to sleep on me or inside my clothing, and he developed very definite ideas what his food should be like over time. If it had been up to him he would have had scrambled eggs and cooked pasta and rice far more often than he did in any case. He was friendly and affectionate, and had a very soft and fine coat even as an adult which was great for petting. He had a beautiful silver color too that would change a bit with the seasons.

( some photos of Ben )