Raphael rescued Spike after he was flushed down into the Sewer. Spike's favorite food was lettuce leaves and was frequently seen chewing on a leaf. Raphael had a soft spot for Spike and often talked to Spike about the important parts of his life in private. This was important for Raph, as he needed Spike as a sounding board for his inner-thoughts and feelings. He could not reveal his feelings to his brothers because he doesn't want to seem "soft" to them, so he shared them with Spike, who could not speak at the time, but was an excellent listener. His brothers sometimes teased him about this. Raph often played with Spike and cooed at him, as well as allowing Spike to ride around on his shoulder, frequently using his pet for personification.