I am making a miniseries on our  website about our pets!  They are so important to us and have been such a source of love and joy throughout the years.  Today, you will meet Lily and Petunia.

I adopted them two female rats from the shelter I was working at around 2011.  Petunia was a Hooded Fancy Rat and Lily a Hairless Rat, named after the sisters in Harry Potter.  They were very sweet girls who loved their tunnels.  They made the move with Evvy, Sissy, and Fiyero to our apartment when Brandon and I got married.  Caprica loved watching them and would try to bat at any tails that flung toward the edge of the cage, though never successfully.

I had always thought a hairless cat would be cool, but after having a hairless rat, I wouldn’t get one.  Every little scratch and bruise shows up on their poor skin.  Lily and Petunia were the last rats I had in a line of them which started since I was in about third grade; Squeakers, Patches, Prince, then Pinky and the Brain.  Rats usually live about two years.  They make amazing pets; affectionate and inquisitive.  Mine never tried to escape and were very social.  I had to beg my parents initially to get a rat, but they agree that they make good pets and are very friendly.  They also keep them selves very clean and can be litter box trained.  Many people find their tails gross and snake like.  That was Brandon’s biggest issue with them.  I think their tails are cute and very useful in their climbing and exploring.

When Lily and Petunia were about 2 years old, they were put to sleep after growing tumors.  All the female pet rats I know of ended up getting cancer.  In all my years of owning rats, I did convince a few family members and friends to hold and pet them, and even to get them for a pet themselves.  I loved all my rats, but dislike how short their life expectancy.  I had forgotten how much Austin liked playing with my rats until I was looking through pictures for this post.  So cute!!