The Pet Shop Boys!
These were my first rats. A friend had an accidental
litter, and from that litter I adopted Mumford (a black Berkshire), Mango
(a beige Berkshire, RIP), and Manderin (a beige Hooded). About a week later,
she gave me Ziggy AKA Major, a black hooded, and Benny AKA Miko, a black berkshire.
I had chosen and named Ziggy for her, so it was ironic that he ended up being
my rat! We got Ziggy out of a feeder bin as a friend for Benny, who had been
beaten up by his former (much larger) cage mates and was traumatised and is
still a bit of a wuss. He was skiddish and bitey for a while, but I am happy
to report that now he is a big sweetheart!
Ziggy was the friendliest rat I've ever met. I knew Ziggy for only nine short
months. In that time, he convinced me that rats were the most wonderful pet
ever. If he had been MY first rat, I would have either had NO other rats (because
no one could compare to him) or I would have had 100 rats, had I thought they
would all be that cool. He was the first one out of the cage, and the last
one back in. He seemed offended at being caged like an animal... He was the
smallest rat, but he was the Alpha Rat. Ziggy was Da Man.
Alot of rats are sweet with their owners, but become skittish or withdrawn around strangers - not Ziggy! I took him once to my son's Catholic school event, the Blessing of the Animals. There was a *hoard* of kids around, and Ziggy went to every one of them, sitting on their shoulders and convincing them all that rats were the greatest thing since Pokemon. He ran all over my cat and peeked into my dogs' ears. He was irrepressible. He was fearless. He was my favourite rat. He was the Rattie Ambassador. Sadly, Ziggy died on New Years Day, 2001. I don't know how old he really was, or why he died, but I know that there will never be another rat like him.
Early Photos
Ziggy AKA Major * Pile
o' Rat * Benny AKA Miko
The Rat Brothers Three
* Mandy in a tube
* Yogurt Drops
All Grown Up
Ziggy
in the Boat * Benny
on a Picnic
Mandy Posing *
Mumford Abandoning Ship
* Mango Posing
Christmas Photos
Ziggy
* Benny
Manderin and Mumford
