“Our vet said, when he was younger, that he was wise beyond his years … because he’s generally so placid and relaxed,” Nicole Yates, Nuka’s mom, told The Dodo.
Nuka’s “wisdom” came in handy recently with his family.
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During the coronavirus pandemic, many shelters had to look for emergency homes for a variety of reasons. They had to go out of their way to find homes, temporary or permanent, for most of the animals they had.
In April, a local pet shop needed help because they couldn’t remain open.
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Thankfully, Nuka’s family was there to help. The interesting part? The animal that the family took in happened to be a rat! The Dodo said:
In April, a local pet shop was looking for emergency homes for their animals due to the COVID-19 shutdown, and Nuka welcomed a new addition into his busy household. The gray and white rat, named Blue, was clearly searching for comfort — and Nuka was more than happy to help.
Nuka’s owner could tell that there was an immediate connection between the dog and the rat.
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While most consider rats gross or pests, Nuka knew he had made a friend. Nicole Yates, Nuka’s mom, said:
“There was this immediate clear connection between Blue and Nuka compared with my other rats,” Yates said. “It was more so Blue who seemed to adore Nuka! He loved snuggling into Nuka’s fur and if I put him down on the floor he would run to find Nuka.”
Trained as a puppy, Nuka knows how to handle tiny creatures.
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As a puppy, Nuka’s mom trained him to lie down whenever she walked into the room with a little creature. This was to reduce the excitement and energy of the room. When Nicole walks in with Blue, Nuka is always ready for some snuggles.
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Blue will go out of his way to find his canine companion.
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Rats are quite smart. Whenever Nicole puts Blue down, he immediately runs off to find Nuka so he can play in his hair. It seems like Blue was the one who started the relationship!
These two wildly different creatures found a way to be friends.
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These two animals are more different than alike but they make do! They love playing together and Nuka loves to clean Blue with a good lick or two. With a tongue the size of the entire rat, it only takes a second or two!
“Blue is a very placid rat so he’s really happy just being with Nuka and laying there with him, either snuggled into his mane or at his belly,” Yates said. “Nuka likes to bathe Blue with licks, which Blue doesn’t seem to mind either.”
It seems like nothing can keep these friends apart.
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We can learn a lesson from this adorable relationship. No matter your differences, you can always make a new friend. There may be some lessons that a lot of humans could learn from Nuka and Blue!
