Oz

One of the side effects of working in a pet store is having a large number of pets, often ones that fall outside of what society considers "normal". At one point, I had thirty-four pets, as well as a husband and child in a two bedroom flat. We've had hamsters, gerbils, mice, guinea pigs, lizards, frogs, birds, and snakes, as well as the more traditional cats and dogs. One of my favorite pets is the rat. Before you get all freaky on me, hear me out. If you can get past the tail, rats are smart and charming creatures.

Last Sunday night, I got home with the boys to find one of my rats, Oz, dead in the bottom of his cage. I got Oz a year ago, while I was working at Petco. He had been dropped of to be adopted off, since his owner was moving overseas. I had a feeling that he was going to end up as snake food. When he popped his head out of his hut when I took the lid off his tank I just about jumped. He was the biggest rat that I had ever seen. I took him out of the tank so I could clean it, placing him on my shoulder as I worked. I swear he wrapped his tail around my neck and hugged me. I went to put him back, and he just looked at me with those little beady eyes. That was it. Oz came home with me. Soon, I added another rat, Xander, to keep him company.


Oz was the first pets that I added after my husband and I split up. It was symbolic of me being able to make my own decisions about what animals share my home. In all fairness, Ed finally gave up trying to have any control over the pet population at the Richardson house, but it was nice to be able to just do what I wanted to do. So for that, I am grateful to the little guy.

Now Xander lives alone in his cage. He was sitting next to Oz's body when I found them. I think he was saying goodbye. He's been glum lately. I've been giving him extra attention, but lets face it, it isn't the same.

So for now, I say goodbye little buddy. Say hello to Kerouac, Piggers, Bacon, Milo, Merry, Pippin, Spike, Angel, Blue, Otis, and Jupiter, and all the other critters waiting for us on the other side of the rainbow bridge. Thank you for sharing your life with us. We love and miss you. See you someday.