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RIP Sugar
Well, last Thursday (right when my computer died) my eldest mouse passed away, Sugar.
Sugar was three years old.
Three years ago, we had a baby anaconda. It was dying of an illness it caught at the breeders and we were desperate to get her to eat. Frozen mice didn't work..not even thawed out and dipped in chicken broth like a snake forum suggested to us.
So we bought two feeder mice.
The snake ignored them for days and finally passed on. We decided to keep the two mice as pets. One was definitely younger (Sugar) and one was a bit older. Several months after the older mouse died.
I did not realize for the longest time that mice are social and can get depressed when they lose a friend.
Finally, just a while back (you may remember), I added another female named Spice. All was good and Sugar was happy to have a friend again.
Then K was hospitalized. A lot of bad things were happening and I wasn't paying much attention to the mice other than feeding, watering, and cleaning. I wasn't home enough to observe them really and my mind was elsewhere.
What seemed out of the blue (but was actually progressive) is that Sugar had a tumor. I was sad but knew it was coming. However, she still ate and played so I didn't think it was time yet to let her go.
After K was released, he brought home a small "gift". It was a baby mouse that I named Nice. He knew Sugar's time was going to be up soon and didn't want Spice to get depressed.
Sugar and Nice got along surprisingly well. Nice even tried to clean Sugar's tumor for her, it was getting hard for her to turn her head as much as she used to. However, Spice and Nice had some spats. Nothing serious but not exactly best of friends.
I worried and time went on...
About two weeks ago Nice and Spice started bonding. They would check in on Sugar but she wasn't as active.
My cat, Kuan Yin, well those are "her mice". She loves to sit and stare at them and I swear she thinks they are her responsibility. Last Thursday, I was going about my chores and realized Kuan Yin seemed to be standing vigil at the mouse enclosure.
Sugar was gone.
I dabbed my eyes and knew I had to dispose of Sugar and clean out everything in there. I pried Kuan Yin away from their tank and she gave the most high pitch pathetic cry. Kuan Yin's not a talker so when she does meow, it says a lot.
I will miss Sugar. I know it was a good time for a mouse to live, especially a pet store feeder one but it kind of feels like an end of an era.
I am just so happy Nice and Spice are leaning on each other and appear to be okay with the loss of their friend.
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