Congratulations to my old man Galileo! I am so happy to have him around - still! We adopted him with his brothers 3 years ago. He has outlived all his cagemates (five in total) and is still going strong! He lives in the largest Marchioro one-level cage. There is a ramp in the cage up to a lookout place where I have attached a shoebox - he loves going up there! He comes out in the rat room every day, too. He has a smaller cage there with two cube hammocks in there. When we take him out, we place him into his favorite hammock and he just hangs out. My husband says it keeps his mind going and there are memories in that room. Galileo and his companions used to come outside every night - that room was theirs primarily. Galileo has very recently stopped investigating the entire room because his legs are starting to become very weak. He is very alert, he can get up his ramp and into his shoebox (I cut a little hole on the bottom because he loves to peek out from there), he eats very well and all in all is a very amazing rat boy! Twice a day, he gets soaked lab blocks with either baby soy formula or Nutrical or Green Mush. I haven't seen him eat solid food in a while, but that's ok.
When we adopted him, he was estimated to be at least 6 months, which means he was born at the beginning of March  (or earlier) 2005.
He is the oldest living rat we have ever had! Everyone should have a Galileo-rat! He is wonderful!!!



I don't know whether this link will work...


He had a hickup here while he was grooming himself. Excuse the poop and the pee in the video above... He used to be very potty-trained but with age, when he needs to go, he just goes. Most of the times, he puts his little behind outside the box or the hammock, but sometimes, it comes faster than he realizes so I clean his box and hammock out every morning and evening. Isn't he handsome?



And in this one, he was thinking... 'Hum, do I want to come outside with mommy or do I want my box?'
You know, it's hard to decide when you are so old... Right when he gets up and goes up his ramp, his breathing is a little off (he has been on daily medication for most of his life). When he is all relaxed, he is back to normal. I chose this video because he was looking straight at me - can you see the glow around him? I just love watching him!

Special, beautiful boy! 

CongRATulations Galileo.  Love the oldies.

Wow, and he's still got spunk! What a gorgeous old gentleman. They really are sweet in their old age aren't they?

Awww, that's awesome.  I hope my babies live to be as old too!