Elaine
(named after the Monkey Island character)

May 2001 - June 16, 2003

Elaine is Sharon's rat. Elaine decided that she was Sharon's rat before she even got her eyes open, and has never looked back. She is the most hyperactive rodent that I have ever seen, and is afraid of nothing.

When Elaine was little, she would pick fights with her siblings and rely on her brothers running to rescue her. Boy, was she ever surprised when we moved the boys off to their own cage! Like all bullies, Elaine is essentially a wimp, and squeaks constantly whenever her sister or mother pins her down to groom her - still hoping that her brothers will show up...

"Let me out so I can eat that camera!"

Chase adopted Elaine early on and began training her in all of her bad habits... including, it seems, growing tumors.

Elaine had two tumors removed on Halloween 2002. She came through the surgery frustrated but healthy (Elaine hates anything that restricts her activity).

Elaine taught herself (and her sister) to jump out of the cage whenever the door was opened. I worked on teaching her to jump back with varying levels of success. Her habit of leaping out of the cage at whoever was handy scared both guests and the nice folks at the vet's office! Luckily, Elaine came when called when she was down on the floor she'd crawl right up your leg.

Elaine continued trying to be active, climb three stories of ramps, and jump out of the cage even as her tumors returned and then some. As the end neared she developed two tumors that I think were in her lymph nodes in her armpit and hip, a mammary tumor, and several internal ovarian or uterine tumors that we could feel. There was also a very odd lump on her spine that the vet guessed was a wart but which kept growing larger and harder. The euphemism we invented was that "Elaine was growin' brains" so that she could be a smart rat. If we chanted this in a singsong voice she would let us examine her; otherwise she would squirm away from prodding fingers.

Despite her multitude of health problems, Elaine kept fighting, and we kept helping her as long as she had the will to live... her cagemates cleaned her when she could no longer wash herself and carried food to her if she was resting. Finally in June 2003 Elaine let Sharon know that it was time to go and Sharon and Mom took her to the vet to end her suffering. The release from her pain was immediate and she died clicking her teeth to the end, obviously happier than she had been in days. She will always be missed.

Sharon and baby Elaine