It sounds like Perky may have a mammary tumour. Female rats can be very prone to these. They are often benign, but they can grow quite quickly and make it harder for your rat to move around. Your vet should be able to remove the lump, although be aware that they can grow back.

Most rats cope very well with their lumps, but of course it is a good idea to get the vet to check her as well.

Good Luck x

That is great that you are boycotting Mars. Animal testing is outdated and horrificly cruel and I don’t think we should stand by and let it happen. Well done x

Thank you for your comment. I haven’t heard of taking rats in for pet therapy, but I am sure if you have a friendly and calm rat you could ask the hospital about it. Your main problem would be people’s pre conceived ideas about rats, which may stop you from bringing him in to see people.

Let me know how it goes x

It sounds like you have already done some research, but the best idea is to take your little one to the vet. A small animal specialist is best and they will be able to advise you how to control the seizures and ensure your rat’s quality of life.

Good luck and let us know how it goes x

Thanks!

Thank you for your comment. I do not have experience giving echinacea however I have heard good things about it. With rats being so prone to respiratory infections I think anything is worth a try. I would be interested in hearing about your experience with using it.

Good Luck and let us know how everything goes.

Thinking of you x

I am so sorry to hear about your rat. It sounds like you are doing everything you can to make her comfortable. If she is still with you as I write this you must get her to the vet, even if it means getting a taxi there. I know these things always seem to happen in the middle of the night when there is no vet available.

I will be thinking of you x

It is really important that you never let your rats out at the same time as your cats are in the same room. Make sure the rats have a cat proof cage and that they are completley safe when they come out to play.

I checked with my vet (an exotic animals specialist) and they tell me that an odourless gas doesn’t seem to be an option (perhaps because of safety issues in human use). However, they can give a small pet an injection to calm it before the gas, which may or may not make them fight the gas part of euthanasia a little less. Alas, we are taking our beloved little Amelia in on Friday with heavy hearts, but knowing that this is the right time to do this for her. Thanks for all of your caring responses.

I am sorry to hear about your rat passing away. Without seeing the rats it is very hard to diagnose them (and I am not a vet), but it sounds like they could have mycoplasma pulmonis, a common respiratory problem. It can be controlled with antibiotics baytril and doxycycline. Are they the antibiotics Bubbles was on? You should also make sure they are kept warm and if they are a bit wobbly be sure they are in a one level enclosure to avoid injury.,

Try supplementing their food with Nutrical, which is a vitamin filled gel (tastes of caramel) to give them a boost. It is made for cats and dogs, so your little ones will only need a small amount. You should take them to the vets asap, especially your little girl who has injured her leg. The vet may pick up on other symptoms that could indicate a different illness and course of treatment.

Good luck x

I am unsure of the name of the gas, but there is a gas that has no smell, which your vet can use although they may have to order it in. Hopefully the vet will be able to inform you of the name of the gas,

Best wishes x

I hoping to get two male rats. I have one dog and two cats but one is a kitten. the dog is not allowed up stairs. the cats are allowed up stairs. the rats well be keep in my room. my door is open all time. when I am not home

Talk Soon james

It is great that you play with your rat every day and give her lots of love and attention. You are right rats are happier with ratty company. They like to snuggle together when they sleep and play and groom each other when you are not around.

It would be great if you could get your rat a companion (another female) and it should be easy to introduce them, but if you are not allowed just try to spend as much time with her as possible. Also ensure she has plenty of toys to play with and warm bedding to snuggle into.

Good Luck

The best idea is to take Davey to the vet. That way they can check his overall health and give him the necessary treatment. Hairless can be prone to getting chilled, which can then lead to respiratory infection so be sure that he has plenty of bedding to snuggle into. You should ensure he is eating and that Roscoe isn’t eating all the food. Davey needs some extra calories as the body fat will help keep him warm. Perhaps you could place 2 bowls in separate areas of the cage so that they can both access food easily.
You could try giving Davey a vitamin boost by supplementing his diet with Nutrical, a caramel tasting vitamin gel usually meant for cats and dogs. You only need a pea sized amount to give him a good boost. You can also get vitamin drops for small animals to add to the water.
Is there any bullying going on? Or do the rats seem to get along well?
Be on the lookout for any other signs of ill health such as red porphyrn around the nostrils or a change in breathing or lack of appetite, which may help us diagnose the problem. I would advise taking Davey to the vet as by examining him they should be able to help you.

Good Luck

Thank you for your question. You should ensure whichever bedding you choose is not dusty as rats are very prone to respiratory problems. I use shredded newspaper (unprinted pref) as they like to make nests out of it and it doesn’t do them any harm. Do not use pine shavings as they can damage your rat’s respiratory tract.

Good luck with your new rats.

Thank you for your comment. I am sorry to hear your little one is ill. Ginger, one of my first ratty friends suffered with a mammary tumour and like your rat she did very well until eventually it started to effect her quality of life.

Euthanasia is always a hard thing to deal with, but it is lovely that you are making the effort to ensure Amelia will not suffer. I am so annoyed at myself because I can’t remember the name of the gas my vet uses, but it is the same one used to put them to sleep before surgery. It does not seem to cause any suffering and makes them unable to feel the needle.

Ask your vet for the most humane way to put your little girl to sleep, as they should be able to advise you which gas your pet won’t be able to feel.

Best wishes

Thank you for your lovely comment. I am glad that you have found the tips useful. I wish our ratties lived longer. It is so sad when they pass away, but at least we know we have given them the best life possible.

3 – 3.5 years is a great age for your rat. You should be proud.

We have a dearly loved elderly rat, Amelia, who has two increasingly huge mammary tumors that are becoming hard for her to manage. Lately, off and on her breathing is a little puffy and her hind legs are not strong anymore (muscle atrophy? related to the tumors?), so we now have to pick her up and move her around her pen to give her a change of scenery. Yet she seems still to derive quite a bit of enjoyment out of her life. She is still alert, affectionate and bright-looking, she still enjoys her baths and blowdrys and she still loves lying on a fuzzy blanket on our laps as we work or watch TV. She still boggles her contentment and looks up when she hears my voice. We are all going to be asbsolutely heartbroken when she dies (we lost her cagemate last year, an adorable Dumbo rat, Lotte, who battled mycoplasm for most of her life. My husband’s allergies prohibited us from bringing home a new friend for Amelia, so we’ve all tried to fill in). My question is, is there a more humane way to euthanize an ailing rat than what our vet uses, which is to gas it to sleep and then do a lethal heart injection? Our guinea pigs hated the smell of the gas, and sick and all as they were, they fought it hard even though they were very sick and weak by the time they were put to sleep. Amelia is disabled and beginning to ail now. None of us want her to get to the true suffering stage, but the thoughts of taking this mentally alert, intelligent, gentle, adorable, trusting and dearly loved family member in to be held in the gas is quite heartbreaking. Is there no nicer or kinder way to put a little rodent to sleep?
Thank you for any input.

That’s great that the boys got along well. Rats are so much happier with company

Yes rats can eat cucumber. It is good to offer them a wide variety of fruit and veg to make sure they get lots of vitamins.

It sounds like you take good care of your rat, but it is always best to have at least 2 rats. That way they can snuggle together as they sleep and play with each other when you are not around. See whether you can find her a female companion.

My rats love Weetbix cereal so that is the main thing I use for a reward. You should try out different things and see what your rats love most.

Good Luck

Thank you for your comment. Your rats Jason and Freddy sound adorable. How brilliant that they live a free range lifestyle. I am sure you will be an inspriation to other rat carers. It just shows that by taking extra care you can provide your rats with the most wonderful life. Sorry to hear about Jason’s condition, but I am sure he still has a high quality of life with you.

I am sorry to hear Susan is not very well. The best thing to do would be to take her to the vet asap. Being wobbly can be a symptom of an inner ear infection which would need to be treated with antibiotics immediately. My little rat Pea displays similar symptoms when she is dealing with a respiratory infection, which can also be checked by the vet.

You should change to a single level cage to prevent injury from falling over. It sounds like you are doing a great job at nursing Susan and I know you care for her very much, so taking her to the vet will help put your mind at ease and hopefully will bring her relief too.

Good Luck

You should definitely get a male or you will end up with a lot of babies and won’t know what to do with them. 2 male rats can get along well. Just spend a little time when introducing them to make sure they don’t fight. We have some tips on this here: http://www.ratsratsrats.com/102/introducing-rats/

First things first think very carefully before you breed your rats. Would you be able to find loving homes for all of the babies? You should never just give them away to a pet shop as they may go to unsuitable homes or be used as snake food.

If you do decide to breed please do your research first. You need to make sure you set up the right environment for the doe with lots of nesting material. If a baby is born deformed, ill or dead the mother may eat the baby. Otherwise there shouldn’t be problems.

Before breeding ensure both parents and very healthy and they won’t be passing on any undesired traits to the babies. Please read as much as you can and think carefully before breeding.

Thank you for your comment. Yes rats can be neutered. It is important to use a vet that is knowledgable and compassionate to rats. If your rats are aggressive and you have tried other methods or if you may be keeping females with males you may consider desexing.

other than that, she’s still got spunk! its not that she’s sleeping in a corner all day- she’s active, but she’s super wobbly, falls over a lot, and can’t handle food, which makes me worry that she’s hungry when i’m not there to feed her.

i’m really worried about her. i did a lot of research, but i can’t understand the crossed hands, preventing her to eat. i read a lot about hind leg deterioration, but it seems the deterioration is happening in the front legs.

i’m really sad. i love her so much, and although i know she’s getting older, and i know her time may be limited, i still want her to be comfortable while she’s still here.

do you have any ideas on why her hands are crossing, preventing her to eat on her own? i want my baby to be able to eat when i’m not there.

thank you

You can tame your rats with love, kindness and patience. If they are very nervous start by leaving the cage door open and sitting down on the floor next to it. Have some treats on your lap and let the rats come to you. Pick them up to put them back inside at the end of their free range time and they will begin to associate you with safety.

Spend at least an hour with them every day and they will soon come around,

Good Luck

It is not too hard to make a website. Just google for some more information. You will probably be amazed at how easy it is.

Good Luck

Here is a mite treatment for small animals: Click here

A vet will be able to provide a more effective treatment, so you may want to make an appointment for Munchie,

Good Luck

I am so sorry to hear about Rat. You did everything you could for him and gave him all the love and care in the world. It is heart breaking that he has passed away, especially as you couldn’t be there, but you must remember what a good life you gave him and that your mother was giving him excellent care whilst you were away. My little rat Summer passed away when I was in the UK last year and I felt awful. I was sad and guilty for not being there, but it is important to focus on good memories. What a lucky little rat Rat was to live his life with you so happily.

Give yourself time to grieve Rat and don’t let others tell you that it is wrong to be upset over your loss. To them he may be ‘just a rat’, but to you he was a friend.

Thinking of you

Catherine

Female rats go into heat at about 6 weeks old and will then be in heat every 5 days or so. I love both male and female rats, so cannot really advise you which is best.

It sounds like your little rat may have been mistreated before you got him. It will take a lot of patience and love, but he will trust you in the end. Sit quietly with him and let him come to you. Have some treats on your lap to encourage him. Speak softly to him and always handle him gently. Pick him up to place him back in his cage and he will begin to connect your hands with safety.

Good Luck

It sounds like she is very nervous. Perhaps she was mistreated before you got her. Spend as much time with her as you can. Sit quietly on the floor with the cage door open and some treats on your lap. Do something quiet like read a book and if you do this she will gradually begin to trust you and come to you. Pick her up to put her back in the cage so she begins to think of the comfort of her house when you pick her up.

Good Luck

Only give your rat a bath if they have got really messy. Usually they will groom themselves and the natural oils in their coat keep them healthy. You can get pet shampoo from most pet shops.

Continue to be patient with Mazie and do your training sessions in an area without many distractions. You will get there in the end.

Are you adopting a pregnant rat? Usually you the Mum rat will take care of the babies, but if not you can hand raise them. Check out this article for advice. http://www.ratsratsrats.com/116/hand-raising-baby-rats/

You should take your rat to the vet to be sure there is nothing wrong. It is hard for me to tell, but it could be an inner ear infection, which needs to be treated with antibiotics. A good vet can tell you for sure.

I have a hairless rat named Mazie and i have beeen using her favorite treats, sunflower seeds, to teach her to come to her name. I have done about 1 or 2 short sessions with her and she seems to want to climb under things and make mischeif and then i end up having to get up and go get her because she doesnt respond to me calling her name. what should i do to make her more interested in learning her name rather than getting into trouble?

Thanks!