Does Ayone Love Their Rats Like I Do?

I love my rats. I adore my rats. They are such gentle, joyous, loving, precious beings, and so curious! Little Bimpkie came down with something last weekend, and I can't believe how emotional I got over it. She spent most of Saturday in her igloo while her sister did her normal thing.... begging for food, taking shoulder rides, eating her cookies, drinking and, of course, sleeping. When we pulled her out of her igloo for just a look, her eyes were all set-in, and she seemed really lethargic, just sittling light dead-weight in our hands. My heart just dropped, and I was so sad for the baby girl. I wished she could tell me what was wrong, where it hurt, if there was anything we could do for her... Bernie force fed her some water infused with a little Advil, and after a few doses she seemed to perk up a bit. But when we picked her up again Sunday, we could feel a big bump (cyst, tumor?) in her lower belly. Its still there today, and is pretty prominent, about the size of a grape. You can really see it when she stands up, begging for food. I'm so glad to see her beg though, and she seems to have gotten back her apppetite and desire to drink. We see and hear that she and Timki are resuming their beauty-shop routine (we can hear the little squeaks, I think of pleasure?), and that makes me relieved. I hope that precious little baby can live wiht us and her sister for a long time (without pain, of course). I can't believe that I'm so attached to them, but I am. I love my rats. I adore my rats.