The first in a new series focussing on wildlife
Benjamina the rat
Upload an Image:
My neighbour has a pet rat named 'Benjamina' - who is the most amazing rat you will ever meet...In fact, some of the other neighbours often invite her and Benjamina 'round when they have visitors, only to watch their stunned faces - it's so precious!
'Send her home Gin', we'd say..This is while we're in another neighbour's unit...So, Gina says to leave their front door open - then tells Benjamina ' Ben - go home Bubs - go home - Mummy will be there in a minute!'...
There of course, would be the visitors we wanted to shock all crowded near the front door - and all watched Benjamina race from the balcony (where she was with her 'Mum') - across the lounge room - to the front door - through it - she sat there for a few seconds - her little whiskers twitching away - and away she went - across the landing right to their front door - and enter through her little hole (like a cat or dog door)...
Stunning party trick I must tell you...
One other time - I was saying goodbye to a friend at my front door, when we heard my neighbour say 'Ben wait a sec'...We could hear her at the bottom of the stairs struggling with shopping, and then saw a white flash racing up the stairs - past me and my guest on the landing - and go directly to the front of my neighbour's door...
My neighbour came up the stairs and I introduced her to my visitor...We had been chatting for a few moments when we heard Benjamina scratching on their door, impatient to get inside...'Sorry Bill,' my neighbour said to me. 'She gets so excited when we go shopping...She thinks everything's for her!'...
I replied, 'It usually is, isn't it?'...
'Yeah yeah', my neighbour laughs, 'so I spoil her a bit'...
Well, the look on my friend's face was just so precious! 'Crikey Billy', my visitor exclaimed. 'I thought it was a little white baby chihuahua, but it's a rat!!!...If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes I'd never have believed it'...
'That's nothing,' I replied...I told her how Benjamina was once lost by a baby-sitter about 700 metres away and found her way back home, right to the front door...It took her 5 weeks, and after interviewing a number of people (witnesses), we pieced together how this incredible animal found her way home...
You see, poor little thing would have had to cross the local park, head down a long laneway next to the Community Centre, turn and go down another laneway next to the Kindergarten, through the Kindy carparking area, down a 2-way road to the end, find the right block of units, get inside the unit block, and up 6 flights of stairs to her home...She did this - and arrived at her front door exhausted, skinny, and absolutely filthy...My neighbour wasn't home and didn't arrive till 5 hours later - and there Benjamina still sat, waiting...We tried to catch her, but she kept scuttling off down the stairs, then reappearing to continue waiting in front of their door...
As my distraught neighbour had a huge reward advertised for her - many people spotted Benjamina, but couldn't catch her... Over the 5 weeks, the regulars in the local park saw her, then schoolchildren spotted her racing down the laneway, other neighbours saw her near the Kindergarten, and our building Electrician saw her whilst he was working in our basement carparking area, couldn't catch her either (he knew it was my neighbour's rat), and days later our neighbours from Number 8 saw her near the basement security door, and when one of them tried to catch her, Stevo said 'hey that's Benni - just wedge the door open a while and she'll run upstairs herself'...Which she obviously did...
I can't tell you how ecstatic my neighbour was, and although she still says to this day she can't believe it - the rest of us are not the least bit surprised... If you saw them together you'd understand...They are like two kindred souls,always together somewhere, my neighbour chattering away to her like she understands (probably does), one or the other following close behind...
My neighbour believes that each time she took her for their daily walk, Benjamina watched intently the paths they took..Nowadays, Benjamina watches my neighbour like a hawk...'It's as if I was the one lost', my neighbour very happily says...And most thankfully, our entire block of residents knew it was Benjamina - and no one tried to kill her or call the pest exterminator the days she had to spend downstairs trying to figure a way through the security door...And thanks to Stevo for wedging it open!!!
1 paw
True Story?:
yes
What a precious precious
What a precious precious 'tail'.
'That' Lady
...she LOVES her rat...BENJAMINA
Benjamina is obviously
Benjamina is obviously something special to you.
I heard about this amazing
I heard about this amazing rat from a friend at school and he gave the website to look it up, and WOW... I knew rats were intelligent, but this really surprises me, GO BENJAMINA!!!
People never give rats enough
People never give rats enough credit..
What a sweet story and what a determined little ratlet!
benni sounds absolutely
benni sounds absolutely amazing. what a beautiful little girl!
Wow What a lovely story, and
Wow What a lovely story, and a amazing rat, not surprised at how smart a rat can be. They make great pets and so trainable just like a dog, but use a littler tray instead.
wow, see rats are not gross
wow, see rats are not gross they make great pets.
Wow, great rat you got there.
Wow, great rat you got there. Must be very proud.
Wow, great rat you got there.
Wow, great rat you got there. Must be very proud.
Cool rat.:) this proves that
Cool rat.:) this proves that rats are intelligent:)->***** special rat:>