An Ode to my Dexter

When I went to get my two rat boys, Smokey came running up to me and jumped all over my hands, popcorning around like the crazy little boy he was. I said that I would take Smokey, and then he ran over and grabbed hold of his brother. When I tried to separate them, they wouldn't let go of each other. So Dexter came home with me, too. While Smokey was an active, tenacious rat, Dexter was always more reserved. He liked cuddles and kisses, but he mainly liked naps and being chill.

Smokey spent his life bothering Dexter, laying on top of him from the beginning until the end of their lives together. Dexter never really seemed to mind all that much, though.

One thing that Dexter definitely was, was smart. When presented with a new object or situation, he would cautiously but thoroughly examine it until he was satisfied that it wouldn't bother him, and then go back to sleep. Mandula, my old roomie's cat, once got into my room while the rats were out. While Smokey pinned her and pulled out her stomach fluff, Dexter ingeniously hid himself between my pillow and the seam of its case, emerging calmly some time later to retrieve a snack.

While Dexter was certainly a clever and cautious rat, when the mood struck him, he could be quite the adventure patkany.

He was incredibly food-motivated, which helped him to become a giant hulk of a bear rat.

After I left Budapest, Dexter lived with my beautiful friend Magdalena and her husband Bela for the last eight months of his incredibly long rattie life. Smokey passed away in September, and Dexter enjoyed his last six months of life as king of Magdalena's apartment, stealing food and squirreling it away in her sofa, digging in her garden, and, when his legs started to go, receiving daily massages and being placed on pillows to nap. He passed away an old, happy rat after a long life full of love.

Rest in Peace, my sweet Deki. I was so lucky to have had you as a pet, my stoic and clever fluffy. I like to think, when I look at the pictures of you towards the end, that you knew that you had been loved, and were content.