u/RatWrestl3r

Hello all, so I have three senior ratties. Two of which are at the end of life care stage due to large tumors. The 3rd has had an upper respiratory infection that has been treated with two doses (each ten days a piece) of medication. It seems better however it never completely went away. Unsure if it is truly a URI or if it is something more.

My concern comes from when the two pass away from their tumors and she is living alone.

Would it be a bad idea to get more rats? I’m unsure of what she has is a URI like the doctor said. Medication hasn’t helped and the other two rats symptoms cleared within the first week.

I’m really lost what to do here. Any suggestions or thoughts would help.

So I have three female rats all over the age of 2. Two of the three rats have large tumors which affect their movement to some degree. One has a mammary tumor on her front leg which she oftentimes walks with a hunch for better ease of moment. The other has multiple small tumors on her belly and one larger one on her rear which tends to rub on the ground. They eat and are still curious and playful but I worry that I won’t know when it’s their time. How do I know when it’s their time to go? I worry so much about feeling guilty about putting them down too soon or too late and letting them suffer.

Additionally the third rat is healthy so I would hate for her to be all alone without another cage mate for an extended period of time. But I don’t know if getting another rat when she is so old is a bad idea.

Any suggestions would be appreciated. I just feel so unsure about it all.