Louisiana (March 7, 2011 - November 25, 2012)

Recently we said goodbye to one of seven girls, Louisiana. Louie was one of Mama's six daughters that we kept. She was one of a pair of blonde hoodies in the litter, so I (Ben) named her Louisiana after the shape of the stripe on her back. From the start, she gravitated towards me. (Rats, like dogs, or people for that matter, show preference for certain company.) She was an adventurer, bold and curious. She was one of the three girls on Team Explorer, with Maple and Belle. She was the one of the first to try something or to go somewhere. She was always a little rat and always was slim. I imagine that in a wild colony, she would have been one of the rats that ranged far and wide, scouting for food or shelter. She was a sweetie. We speculate that she either had a stroke or a spinal injury that greatly limited her physical abilities, but not her spirit. She eventually could not hold self up or feed herself. It was rough to see her decline physically, yet cling to life. I was glad to see her finally rest in peace. You were one of a kind and you will be missed, Louie.

Click here for more pictures of Louie.