Rat babies

I work it the rat lab here at school. It's my work study location as one of my bosses is the one who does all the rat stuff.

I walked in today, just a few minutes ago and decided to check up on the rats and see if their room was warm enough as it is very cold today. I walked in and didn't see the heater but decided to check out the really cute and now fuzzy rat babies (did you know that they are called kittens, too?) I look in the large cage and see the mum and then I noticed something red. It was half a baby. I continue looking around the cage and I see other babies. One looks like it had it's neck bitten. Another half was lying next to the mum and about 2 or 3 very still ones were just lying there. I couldn't help but stare at first. I'm shaking as I type this. I named one them. I watched them grow, open their eyes, and get fur. I petted them and loved them while I could. I knew they would be used in an experiment later on this school year but I didn't want them to die like this. At least in the experiment they would have died in a less gruesome way than being ripped in half.

Out of all of this I hope that the mum isn't the one who did this. But I really hope that the other babies are safe some place else. It was 15, then 2 died, now it appears that maybe 5 more were killed. Isn't this the reason you take the male out of the cage after they are born? Sigh...I wish this wouldn't happen when you get attached to little ones. I just hope the others are okay, for the experiment and for my heart's sake.

Funny thing is, I never really pegged myself as caring a lot for animals. I guess working with them and wanting to take care of them does that to you.

Why do things have to die? Especially this way. Death can deal with (I'm sure those who know me know that), but murder by evisceration is another thing entirely.

::UPDATE::
Okay, so the babies were all eaten by the mum. Dr. S will have to wait to continue with her experiment. Basically everyone was upset by this. All those who knew the rat babies anyways. Dr. K (the person I work for) was very upset when Dr. M (the other person I work for)called him to ask him if he knew about the babies. Lucky me. First person to see them. At least everyone else had warning.

I think I accidentally worried some people. One of my friends heard about it and asked me if I was okay. Al truth be told, I don't know. I think so but then there are moments when I don't think so. I'm kind of dreading going to work tomorrow but looking forward to it as well. (I would like to know what will be done as far as the experiment and about the mum). And earlier in the evening when I got back from SCSDB, I went in to the science building and saw a white napkin on the stairs and freaked out. I thought it was a dead rat and was horrified at finding another.

At least now I don't have such a vivid picture of the babies. I keep thinking about them and how cute they were and how happy they made me. But I will continue to think of them. I know that people think that isn't the best when you see something that makes you sad but I'll try (and am trying) to think of the happiness they brought me and all the other people that interacted with them.

Self