This post may contain affiliate links. This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, we earn a small affiliate fee, at no extra cost to you. All opinions remain honest and our own.
Losing a pet is always hard, and it’s something all rat owners will have to deal with at some point. What to do after losing a pet can be a difficult decision.
You may know that at Rattie Ratbags, we recently lost our old girl Moira. Many rat owners find themselves in the same position as us, and have to make a difficult choice about what to do with your rat after death. Burying her at home wasn’t an option for us, as we live in a rented property. Owners without gardens sometimes opt to bury their rats in pots, but this wasn’t something we liked the idea of. Cremation is offered by most vets, but usually this means a group cremation. To get ashes back, a solo cremation can be very expensive (at our vets, this was nearly £200, whereas the standard option was just £15), so again, is not an option for lots of owners. If like us, you don’t have the ashes or a burial site for your rat, you might want to look into other memorial ideas.
If you’ve recently lost your pet, we hope you can find a way to remember them that you like. After Moira’s passing, we looked at a lot of options, and thought our findings might help others.
Art
If you have good pictures of your lost rat, you could have some custom artwork made. Pencil sketches or paintings can make lovely pieces. Your rat is remembered in a way that is beautiful, and you get ratty art to add to your home. There are lots of artists who offer pet portraits if you look around on Facebook and Etsy. Art by Anna is very popular, and we also recommend Joshua’s Pawtraits (he’s a friend of the Rattie Ratbags humans). Anna also offers custom hanging hearts (we have some for Christmas tree decorations) and boxes, which could perhaps be used to store ashes.
Figurines
There are lots of options for rat figurines out there. You could just look out for a toy or ornament that looks like your rats, or you could have a custom one made. There are lots of options, depending on your budget.
If you’re tight on room and budget, you could choose a small figure. Art by Anna does custom pebbles painted to look like your pet. Solstice Minis are also very popular. Get custom minis, with or without wings, as standalone figures or added to items like boxes or candle holders.
If you have a larger budget, Clarity Studios creates exceptional figurines. Each piece is sculpted to look exactly like your pet. For a softer option, Rachel Allsop makes gorgeous felted replicas of pets.
Jewellery
If you want to keep your rat close, you could chose memorial jewellery.
Phoenix Glass offers custom charms made to match your pets, with a sterling silver tail. Get one to wear on a necklace or bracelet, or get two made into earrings.
If you have your rats ashes, these can also be made into jewellery. Clarity Studios experimented with setting ashes into beads, and with a bit of googling you can also find companies who will turn ashes into jewels.
Photo Items
Got a favourite picture of your lost ratbag? Have it printed on a mug, a keyring, a t-shirt or printed out and framed. You can have custom images printed on everything from cushions to cups at lots of photo printing shops. Look at what’s available near you.
Slates and Stones
If you have room to display them, slates and stones are a very popular choice. These can be used on a burial site, or just as memorial pieces. There are lots of custom items available online from places like Not On The High Street.
Whatever you choose, there are options out there for all budgets to help you commemorate a much loved furry friend.
