Please Keep The Class Pet Alive

Natalie is in Critter Club. It means she meets once a week and can hang and help take care of the different critters. There are rats, hamsters, and guinea pigs. Over Thanksgiving Break, the members could take home the critters. Natalie came home with this:

I was all, "You have to make sure Ruby doesn't eat it," as I signed the permission slip.

That was my biggest fear. Then she'd be known as the kid who killed a class pet. Not on purpose, obviously, but still.

The next day Natalie informed me that she was taking home two rats: Nova and Luna. They hang in the same cage.

I had to pick her up from school and help, because the kids couldn't take the animals home on the bus. For obvious reasons. (I picture a loose rat on the bus and people jumping on seats screaming.)

I went to help Natalie and at first the teacher shows this GIANT cage.

I had no idea how I was going to get the cage out of there. I pictured myself slamming into walls, lockers, students...


"But we have a smaller one if you prefer," the teacher added. She probably noticed my horrified expression.

I told her yes please, I'd take the smaller one.

"But will the rats be okay? Happy?" I pressed. I picture them protesting. What if one died out of anger? I didn't know how rats operated. Were they spiteful?

"They'll be fine," the teacher assured me. "Happy is another story."

Well, lovely. But sorry rats, there was no way I'd be able to get the giant cage into the car without hurting myself.

The rats were put in a small carrying case.

"You need to hold that down," the teacher told Natalie. "They know how to get out."

What?

I pictured rats escaping down the middle school halls. More screaming.

"Hold that down tight," I told Natalie.

We were also given a bag of food, plus paper for the cage bottom. Plus instructions.

It was still awkward getting out of there. I did bang into a wall once. But luckily the rats were with Natalie.

We made it into the car.

"Remember to hold the lid down," I told Natalie.

I pictured the rats escaping.

Me screaming.

Suppose one went under the brake? Then what?

We made it home.

"These rats want out," Natalie told me. "One just pooped."

"Make sure you take proper care of them," I reminded her. "I won't be doing anything."

"I will!"

We hurried into Natalie's room. Ruby was all, "WTF is that?" as I went by with the cage.

We shut Natalie's room door. Natalie put the rats in their cage. They seemed happier to be out of the carrier, but still were miffed on not having their larger cage.

"Hi," I told them.

They blinked at me as if to say, "Why are you so weak? Why couldn't we have our larger cage?"

Sorry.

Nova and Luna were pretty sweet though. Natalie did play with them. She fed them, Got them fresh water and offered treats. She even cleaned out the cage on her own. Mind you, I did have to help watch the rats, because, as I said before, they knew how to get out of the carrier. So I held it down while Natalie cleaned.

Or we'd let them run around in the enclosure, but they knew how to hop out of that.

Rats are smart, yo.

The good news is, Natalie kept them alive! I was so worried one would die out of anger over not having the larger cage.

But Natalie would play with them daily, because rats need to be handled daily, and they were okay.

Natalie is hoping she can take home more critters over Christmas break. Maybe even Nova and Luna again.

"That's fine," I said. "But just don't let Ruby eat it."