In return for looking after the babies, my friend allowed me to pick two baby girls, they both looked alike except for the size of the white patch on their bellies, so I named them Huggs and Tuggs. Huggs was the more in control then her sister, but was still picked on by the then-boss rat Won-ton. Nugget became a surrogate mother and protected them from harm, eventually they all got along great.

After a year I wanted to breed Tuggs, but neither she or Huggs cooperated with the donor male but got along with the babies of the mother rat that did cooperate. Huggs was a very good aunt.

Early in April Huggs developed a mass under her arm, I assumed that it was a tumor and she would die once it got bigger, I also found it odd seeing as she was just 1 year old. At the end of April my husband checked on the rats one morning and they where all fine, I then brought him to the airport but when I came home, Huggs was dead, but the real shocking part was half of her face was gone. There where no sharp objects for her facial skin to latch on to, and thus her death and condition after death is still a mystery to this day. Good-buy Huggs, I am sure that you suffering was brief, but your happiness at the Rainbow Bridge will be eternal.