I know I had a tear in my eye over the story of Skittles. It reminded me so much of my beloved "girls". I bought my first rats about 5 years ago. When Daisy and Lily passed I said I couldn't do it again. Then I bought Hoover and Eureka and on their passing I said not again. I then had the opportunity to foster a rat (I am now her permanent mom) and of course I said yes. Foster needed playmates, Addie (for adoption) and Aurora "Rorie" (named for a town on the way home from the Humane Society) and so they came to live w/me too. And although these 3 misbehave constantly I have now decided that I will never be w/o a rat-girl in my home. They have all pulled me through some really hard days. Rats are under-rated as pets. With their love, devotion, some times love-licks and nibbles they are a joy to have. I'm so glad Skittles mom was able to feel all of that even if it wasn't as long as we would have liked. I have become a rat "advocate" since I brought my first girl home so it makes me very happy that people share their stories of the love.