Haru and Momo memories

[oyceter]

Because I reread all my old rat entries and realized I had forgotten stuff, and because I don't want to go to sleep yet because I hate that moment of waking up and then remembering that they're gone.

CB remembers when he first met them, one of them ran away and hid inside the treadmill, and I tried to get him back by taking out the other, who proceeded to run and hide as well. Then I tried taking out Ed-rat. Except, of course, it didn't work, and Ed-rat just ran in as well, and I was stuck with the three of them inside and no way to get them out. He thought they were so mischievous and trouble-making, and he said right then he liked me because I liked them so much.

And when he was babysitting them early on in the relationship, he did something he thought would make me break up with him, and he was talking to them, saying, "I like you guys, and I'm so sorry I won't see you again, be nice to her."

Momo and Haru also hated being at CB's place, and when he let them out, he figured they wouldn't run too far. So of course Momo ran out to the farthest corner and hid under the bed and groomed himself. After that, Momo didn't venture out from the cage because of the evil tile floors, but Haru kept exploring further and further and made it past halfway up the stairs. He also for some reason hated the laundry room even though it was connected to the kitchen and would never cross the little silver line between the two.

They chewed holes in two of my nice dresses, and of course there was Momo's penchant for electric cables (but only when I didn't want him to!).

I made them chew on the corners of CB's birthday card as a signature of sorts.

When the pet store ran out of my usual litter, I got them some new crinkly paper, and Haru discovered the joys of stacking the paper into the food bowl. I would also stick empty toilet paper rolls on their heads because I am mean.

He drew me Gentleman Rats, with Haru in a top hat and kerchief, and Momo with a bowler and a mustache.

I was always amazed when I lifted up the igloo they slept in to find it stuffed full of all the blanket Haru managed to pull through the cage bars. Of course, since I am evil, I dissembled all of Haru's carefully made stacks.

CB was so weirded out by the way they would completely clean cherry pits while eating them and then crack them open to get at the inside.

They were terrible escape rats for what was probably a short period of time, but it felt like forever because they would hide under the bed where I couldn't reach, and Haru would pee on stuff. Once, I couldn't find Momo for forever, and it turned out he was nestled IN the bed, happily asleep. I would be on the phone with CB, and he would hear me swearing at the little evils.

Anytime I mock yelled at CB for something, he would always turn around and go, "Momo did it!!" Or he'd just do something silly and annoying, like offering me an empty wrapper and saying it was candy, and when I glared at him, he'd blame Momo. Once, I retorted, "He couldn't have! He is in his cage!" CB answered, "He coordinated it all from the cage from his corn cob! It is wireless!" And I said, "WAT NO IT'S NOT."

Except, you know, technically it was wireless.

I would sing "Hello, Momo" to the tune of Jean-Jacque Perry's version of "Hello, Dolly."

CB's grandma was terrified of them at first, but then she decided they were cute and kind of edge up to the cage, but then jump back if they moved.

Haru would always climb up me to get at anything, probably because they were shoulder rats and got so used to me as a playground. And he loved being scritched on the cheeks and would just lie there with his head turned to the side and his eyes closed.

CB would draw them on little cards and place them around the house to say "Hope you have a good day!" or to bolster me for my first day at work, and they signed my Valentine's cards and birthday cards as well.

Haru absolutely loved the wheel--to sleep in.

Like all my rats, they loved anything that was stuff like empty tissue boxes, toilet paper tubes, or paper bags, and nothing I bought for them ever got played with.

Momo and Haru were so terrified after their stay at CB's that Momo hid behind the litter cage the entire time, and Haru tried to hide by sticking his head under a towel. If I moved the towel, he'd just move and stick his head under somewhere else, completely unaware that, you know, I could see the entire rest of him.

Momo especially got sick of me picking him up, but whenever I would take either of them to the vet, they would just stay in my arms, completely quiet and well-behaved. The vets would coo over them, and I would roll my eyes, because they were never like that at home. Even at the very end, me holding them or scritching them would quiet them down for the vet to check on them.

Poor Haru was always more pliable than Momo, so he got to be in my imitation picture of Bolin holding Pabu. He also got to be my rat telephone receiver, where I would listen to his chittering and talk into his tail. He was so floppy and squishy.

Momo hated his anti-inflammatory medicine so much, but if I accidentally left the syringe in the play room, he would go to town on the thing and chew it to bits. I am fairly sure it was in revenge and so I couldn't use it again.

I'm going to miss rattie kisses and chittering and bruxing and just having them there. I love them as crazy young popcorn ratlings and fighting adolescents and lazy fat boy rats.

Hey mister babies, you guys were the best rats, and I miss you. Thanks for hanging out with me and CB so much; we love you guys.

Comments

[littlebutfierce]

Aw, this made me cry. I'm glad you & CB had so many good memories w/them.

[starlady]

They were great. ♥

[lilacsigil]

I'm glad you have so many good memories of two awesome little guys.

[qian]

Aww, they were the cutest. ♥ I am sorry they are gone, but glad you got to have them and have such good times with them.

[loligo]

Aw, I wish I could have met them. Your posts often make me think about getting rats, but with 5 cats in the house, I just can't see that working out well.

[wcynic]

Sometime last year I finally donated the last of my hamster things. By that time all my hamsters had passed on, but the finality of it --- and going through everything and remembering which wheel belonged to which hammie, which food dish they liked best --- it made me cry like a crazy grieving person from a Greek drama. I'm glad that I had them but their lives were too short. I miss them. I still dream about them sometimes.

[oyceter]

Yeah, I had to go back to the apartment yesterday and disassemble the cage. I'm not sure what to do with everything yet, because giving it away feels too final. It makes me cry just thinking about it =(.

[umadoshi]

I'm glad you have so many good memories of them. They were wonderful. *hugs*

[jinian]

Rat telephone receiver! Such the best rats. And best Oyce too.

[mme_hardy]

Awwww.

[forthwritten]

I'm so sorry you lost them. Haru and Momo were wonderful rats.

[bluerabbit]

I haven't been checking dreamwidth so I just saw your posts. My condolences on your loss. I'm so glad I got to meet both of them. From what little I saw, they were such cuties. It sounds like you gave them both very happy lives. *hugs*

[glass_icarus]

Aw. *hugs* ♥

[laughingrat]

*cries* Aw, this is beautiful.

I would also stick empty toilet paper rolls on their heads because I am mean.

Rollie has taken to sleeping with just her head in a toilet paper tube. Bless.

[oyceter]

Ahaha, that is best! I love that she does it willingly.

[kate_nepveu]

These are great memories; thanks for sharing them.

[troisroyaumes]

I'll miss them. They were the best rats I knew. <3

[thistleingrey]

Aww. So many good memories.