Felix, brother of Oscar, father to Hercule, Dusty and Kato, was as an ideal pet you could ever ask for.  He was friendly to all rats and humans.  When other people would bring their rats over, either because I was transporting them somewhere else or just to see, I'd bring my rats out and of all the rats, it was Felix they'd always flock too.  Baby rats would try to climb on him or follow him everywhere.  Whereas others would run away or fight them off, Felix, like an old, trusty grandfather, would simply be there for them.  He wouldn't run or fight. He might move around a little, but never turn away other rats.

All rats that came to my household were all befriended by the big guy.  He was, from the time of his brother Oscar's passing in December of 1998, the head of the house for the rats.  Because he was my first rat pet (as an adult), he was always allowed to run around all of the house, whereas others might only be allowed in the room (so I could keep track of who was where).   Felix always initiated the "nests" all around the place.  He was the one who first realized that ferret treats were good.  He was the center of all the other rats, whether it was in the middle of a big fur ball of rats in the hammock, or at the dish of veggies.  Felix had all traits great for a pet.

He was originally purchased at a now defunct petstore at the Fox Hills Mall in Culver City along with his brother Oscar.  It was Oscar I went into purchase and Felix ended up coming because he was the only other one we could catch in their cage.  As it turns out, he was a great catch. 

When they were little, Oscar and Felix were allowed to run around the couch the entire time I was home, because they couldn't get off.  As time went by and they got bigger, they figured out how to get on and off the couch, but were so used it, used it as a "central" location of the house.  Oscar passed in December 1998, six days after Felix (and Brook's) offspring were born.

Felix fathered seven rats.  Dusty, Kato and Hercule were Felix's sons.  I kept them (finding homes for his daughters) and they all have traits of their father. Kato was the closest to Felix.  They both looked so much alike, yet they didn't know it (they don't know how they look).  When I'd take them in for shots or check ups, the doctor could never tell Felix and Kato apart, despite the fact Kato has a white dot right in the middle of his forehead and Felix was a little fatter.

Felix loved corn, peas and apples.  Whenever I made macaroni or some kind of pasta, Felix would sit right by the stove, waiting for his portion, half of which he'd devour, the other he'd hide somewhere. I'd find pieces of noodles around the house that Felix would drop on the way to his storing areas. He'd always try and take more food in his mouth than he could actually hold.  He liked crackers, carrots and cheese. Of course, his favorite thing in the whole world were those ferret treats (both carob and peanut butter).  He would go nuts for those.

Felix was great too all the rats that have come and go here, whether they were just passing through or became part of the family.  As he got ill the last week, the others played around or with him.  As each day passed and I wondered at what point Felix would pass, I wanted to keep him out of his cage, close to me, even at night.  But as he would be sitting on my bedroom floor, he'd eventually move back to his cage, into his favorite hammock and I knew there was no place Felix wanted to be more than in that hammock with his family all around him.  I'd check on him throughout the night to see if he had passed and Felix was hanging on.  I have this small tupperware container with ferret treats. Whenever I'd shake that thing, no matter where Felix was, he'd come running (and he taught all the rats this).  Even on his last day, weakened and not able to move well, I'd shake that thing, and Felix would perk up.  Finally, with the other five rats snuggled with him in the hammock, Felix passed at around 5pm on December 23, 1999, a little over a year after his brother.  I hope if you're reading this, you'll take a little time and go over some of the older stuff on this website about Felix.

He was a great pet and I miss the guy a lot.