The Saga of _______

What do you name a rat who survives 6 days in a freezer (2 days of which you turned the freezer to maximum)?

I leave it up to you. I would think something Norse would do… Ratgar?

I had two rats. They were purchased as snake food, but my snake (a Royal python) decided they were too large or something so wouldn’t eat them. I’ve kept them alive for at least 6 months, even moved them twice (to East Flat Rock NC and then to Blaine TN). I have a friend who has a snake large enough to eat them, but she only eats frozen. So at some point, I would have to freeze them, or he would.

Well, I took them one at a time. Took the first one on Tuesday. He was dead by Thursday, so I put him in a plastic baggie and went to get the other one.

I don’t remember if I put the second one in the freezer on Thursday or Friday. On Saturday I checked, and he had chewed through the box and eaten my frozen veggies. I got a much thicker box, and returned him to the freezer.  I was gone Sunday, Monday, and most of Tuesday.

When I came back, I checked the freezer, and he had chewed through the box and was back to eating my frozen veggies, and had added a frozen chicken leg to it (although he had barely scratched the surface). I made sure the rest of the stuff in the freezer (I don’t have much) was safe from him and moved it to where he supposedly couldn’t reach it.

Today I got up, and he was still doing just fine. Kinda looked like he wanted me to turn the heat up a little, but he was actually cleaner than when I put him in. My freezer wasn’t. So I went out and bought some pine litter (the solid stuff, couldn’t find the fine stuff), cleaned his old cage out, got him some water, and put some cat food in there, and returned him to the cage.

I then cleaned and sanitized my freezer, throwing a little more food away. Not much left.

So. This rat has lived through the Norse version of Hell, and is doing fine. I’m sure he deserves a sage of his own… not that he’d appreciate it. But if he’s going to be a pet, he needs a name.

That’s where you come in. As I said, I’m kinda partial to Ratgar, but I’m sure someone has a better idea.

Also, if anyone would like a large white rat of their own, let me know. I really am not into rodents; that’s my snake’s job. But I don’t like being cruel to anything, and finding him an owner who really would appreciate him would be better.

Hugs,
Me