Korsakoff was always shier than his brother Rimsky.  Always a bit more timid and less inclined to explore new things, but Rimsky’s presence reassured Korsky enough that he was a friendly and comfortable if not cuddly rat.  I often found Korsky’s shyness a bit ironic since Korsky possessed superior strength, agility and health compared to his brother, but then again, it says something about Korsky’s gentle nature that he never used his advantage in strength to oppress his brother.  Both of them got along perfectly their entire lives.  I never witnessed a squabble although there were many enthusiastic play-wrestling matches.

Korsky absolutely loved his hammock, almost as much as he loved eating.

For the first two years that I had Rimsky and Korsakoff Rimsky was the intrepid explorer and would enjoy running around the floor of the apartment (rat-proofed sections only of course) while Korsky watched from the couch.  I tried to let Korsky join in Rimsky’s adventures but he always got really scared when I put him on the floor and climbed up my arm or leg back onto the safety of the couch.  He did enjoy his out-time but preferred to stay in his small safe zones.

When Rimsky died in January 2003  at 2 and ¼ I was worried that Korsakoff might become more timid without having the support of his brother.  Thankfully that didn’t happen and Korsky did not seem to be depressed or pining although I’m certain he missed the company of his brother.  Shortly thereafter we moved from Toronto to Winnipeg into a new apartment that had carpet rather than hardwood floors.  I’m not sure whether it was a change in flooring or whether Korsky felt braver now that he had made it through a 3-day car ride, but he found new confidence from somewhere and began to enjoy short forays on the floor.  Within a few days he was begging to come out for his exploring sessions and for the next 3-4 months he was as eager to explore as his brother had been.  He eventually spent most evenings as a free-range rat and had his favourite hangout places including his “throne” atop some photo albums on the bottom shelf of the bookcase near his cage.  He came out each morning for a brief run as well.  He learned to jump off the couch and also to climb back onto it when he wanted a rest so we always had to be very very careful to make sure we knew where he was at all times.  The few times I did lose track of where he was all I had to do was stand in the middle of the livingroom and click my tongue a couple times which I had taught him and his brother to mean “come get yummy treat” and I would feel a small paw on my foot and look down to see an expectant Korsky looking up at me.

Korsky was healthy his entire life despite the fact that his brother battled respiratory problems for over a year.  He did get one abscess but we got that fixed up pretty quickly and Korsky was a real trooper through that ordeal.  He lived a good long life for a rat – 2 years and 7 months.  In the last month or so he did start to show the signs of some spinal cord degeneration by weakening hind legs but he was active and happy right until the end when he had a brief, massive seizure/stroke/heart attack.  Only looking back now can I think of a few signs that he may have been feeling a bit like himself in the days before his death – the refusal of a bit of canned peach, and a very slight decrease in his enthusiasm to run around the apartment.  The evening before his death he was still scaling the side of his cage and trying to get behind the stereo.  I had already left for work the next morning when my husband witnessed Korsky’s seizure.  Toby has always been fond of R&K (although he sometimes won’t admit it) and he was pretty distraught to have witnessed the Korsky’s death.  Still, it is a comfort for me to know that it was extremely quick (5 seconds at most).  It was hard because it was a shock, I had figured that if any rat could make it to 3 years it would be my athletic, healthy Korsky.

Korsakoff was a wonderful rat and I will miss him very much.  He and his brother were a constant in my life when a lot of things were changing and having my little “furry kids” was a great comfort to me many, many times.  They will always have a very special place in my heart and memory.