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I have never seen a rat lie on its back, I kinda wish it was summer so I could.
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Jun 6, 2011 06:06
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Where I live, the apartment company considers broken A/C with temperatures above 85F outside to be an emergency situation, and they're required to come fix it immediately. Maybe look into that? 
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Jun 6, 2011 13:48
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Amiss posted:if it's super hot, you might see your rats lying on their backs with their feet in the air to cool off 
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Jun 6, 2011 16:26
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Slidje posted:My air conditioner has been really sluggish and not really cooling like it should lately, and management is taking their sweet time sending a maintenance guy out to fix it. It works fine in the morning and evenings, but during the hottest part of the day it still gets into the 80's in here and the rats have been laying sprawled out on their back like big fat dead loafs during that part of the day. I'm gonna try to get pics next time I see them doing it. 
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Jun 6, 2011 16:29
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Thanks to this thread, we now have two rat companions. We got them from a local pet shop who had them in his feeder selection, but they seem like good animals. Meet Acorn  and Mishka.  We opened the tank he was using and Acorn ran out onto my girlfriends hand and stood up on her hind legs looking at us, so we picked her and then selected Mishka for our second rat mostly based on coloring. By that point all of the rats in the tank were so worked up there was no hope on getting any feeling for personality there. We have been socializing them and shoulder training them.  It's much easier to keep them up there when they have food.  We've been letting them wander a bit in the apartment too (supervised, of course).  They are also insatiably curious. What's that!? What's that?!   Right now they are living in a 10g aquarium which is already too small and it's only going to get worse. I'm going to try and see about building a cage for them because the nice cages are too expensive  but I think I can build something relatively nice for a lot less.
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Jun 6, 2011 23:50
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I just caught Joan on her back for the first time, but I think it was just because they were all flopping around wrestling and she is lazy. I only ever let the thermometer get to like 76.
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Jun 7, 2011 00:18
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Delta-Wye posted:Right now they are living in a 10g aquarium which is already too small and it's only going to get worse. I'm going to try and see about building a cage for them because the nice cages are too expensive I also have a rat called Mishka! She's a gem.I don't know where you are, but I couldn't afford a brand new rat cage so I looked for ones second hand and found a really big, decent cage for under a third of the original price. I was looking on Gumtree (maybe UK only?) but I'm sure there's similar websites wherever you are. Definitely worth a look! I think aquariums are a not reccomended for rats because the lack of ventilation is bad for their poor respitory systems. Hope you find something better for them soon. 
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Jun 7, 2011 00:37
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Delta-Wye posted:Meet Acorn Oh dear... Have you heard of Exploding Rat Syndrome?
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Jun 7, 2011 00:56
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Chakattack! posted:I think aquariums are a not reccomended for rats because the lack of ventilation is bad for their poor respitory systems. Hope you find something better for them soon. This is what we have also heard. There wasn't much of an option when we first got them. However, we have been keeping them out as much as possible and are about to run to Home Depot to look at materials for building a cage. They both really like shoulder rides, Acorn more than being in hands or a lap. Is this enough forced socialization, or should we try to keep a little more skin contact with them? Also, neither seems to hot on scritching. We have only had them for three days, so maybe things are all still too new?
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Jun 7, 2011 01:00
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Amiss posted:Oh dear... Have you heard of Exploding Rat Syndrome? Rats... explode? Oh gawd 
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Jun 7, 2011 03:36
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Delta-Wye posted:Rats... explode? Oh gawd Don't worry, it can be avoided by posting lots of pictures of them on the internet. Yours look like they are high-risk though so you better drain off the excess cute with loads of pics. before it becomes lethal.
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Jun 7, 2011 03:48
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Cassiope posted:Don't worry, it can be avoided by posting lots of pictures of them on the internet. Yours look like they are high-risk though so you better drain off the excess cute with loads of pics. before it becomes lethal.  That would be bad. We wouldn't want that, would we? Now the rats won't explode.... my fellow goons, however...
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Jun 7, 2011 03:58
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Rats love racks, its a known fact (fun when they get really big later on and still insist on all squishing down there)
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Jun 7, 2011 07:35
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Cassiope posted:Don't worry, it can be avoided by posting lots of pictures of them on the internet. Yours look like they are high-risk though so you better drain off the excess cute with loads of pics. before it becomes lethal. This goon is clearly well-versed in veterinary science.  Here Delta-Wye, have another relevant Jin Wicked webcomic!
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Jun 8, 2011 00:37
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Want to thank everyone for all the awesome advice on keeping the babies cool. The apartment's offsite repair guys finnaly got around two days ago to take a look at the AC, apparently a rusted bit had allowed all the freon to leak out (mind you, the AC unit is INSIDE our kitchen in a closet, so awesome to know thats been in the air). We had a wonderful day of cold.. and now its broken again and 105 inside the apartment, time to bitch the landlord out again. Glad I bought extra frozen peas and tiles, I'm thinking of housing the rats at a friends house in the time being.
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Jun 10, 2011 05:37
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Enzer posted:Want to thank everyone for all the awesome advice on keeping the babies cool. The apartment's offsite repair guys finnaly got around two days ago to take a look at the AC, apparently a rusted bit had allowed all the freon to leak out (mind you, the AC unit is INSIDE our kitchen in a closet, so awesome to know thats been in the air). We had a wonderful day of cold.. and now its broken again and 105 inside the apartment, time to bitch the landlord out again. Glad I bought extra frozen peas and tiles, I'm thinking of housing the rats at a friends house in the time being. You can also freeze water bottles (I use glass bell jars, just don't fill them all the way) and toss those into the cage. I did that the other day when it was supposed to hit 95 here. My rats spent most of the time pushing it around and trying to make a nest out of it, but I imagine they used it to cool down some too.
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Jun 10, 2011 19:06
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Hi I'm new to this forum but signed up for the specific reason of finding some help for my pet rat. His name is Clark and he is around 1.5 years old. Currently he has a very large open wound on his rear end, mostly on the tail. It is towards the bottom side of the tail. The wound has been there for nearly two months and he has been to a vet that specializes in small animal care on 3 occasions. He has received two shots that were supplementary to local wound care that I was instructed to follow. In these two months the wound has grown in size but, according to the vet, does not appear to be infected, yet it does not heal and close. The only reason I can think of this occurring is because of the location of the wound, being that is constantly in contact with the ground (which consists of carefresh bedding), as well as the rat's ability to easily access the location with his hands and mouth. Everyday I clean the wound with a diluted iodine solution and scrub gently with a cotton ball. Afterwards, I apply CarraVet wound gel that I purchased online. It does not seem to be getting better. What I decided to do for the first time today was to use thick gauze and wrap the location after sterilizing and applying the wound gel. I then use a cloth tape and seal both ends of the wrap. I'm concerned for Clark and I don't want the location to get any worse, nor can I afford to keep seeing the vet who has offered failed solutions (they even told me not to wrap it, but then how the hell can it stay free of irritation??). I was hoping that someone perhaps has experience with this kind of issue and can lend some advice or help regarding how to care for this wound. If necessary I will supply a picture of the wound, but at the moment it is wrapped up and I would like to have it that way for a while, unless someone has a reason why this is a bad thing (he doesn't chew on it or anything). I would greatly appreciate any advice or help and if anyone needs any more information please let me know. Thanks. kabo0se fucked around with this message at 00:38 on Jun 12, 2011 |
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Jun 12, 2011 00:04
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kabo0se posted:I would greatly appreciate any advice or help and if anyone needs any more information please let me know. Thanks. Do you have access to another vet? That does not sound right to me. Is the wound actually on his tail? That sounds like degloving and may require amputation. You can read an overview of degloving here: http://ratguide.com/health/wounds/degloving_injury.php For injuries on the body, my vet typically cleans them out and closes them with sutures of some kind. The rat may have to have a body wrap or be otherwise restricted if he chews at the sutures. Wound treatment would also include a course of oral antibiotics to prevent infection.
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Jun 12, 2011 05:22
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Jin Wicked posted:Is the wound actually on his tail? That sounds like degloving and may require amputation. The wound originally started as a small ulcer-like spot on his testicles, and has since grown and moved to his tail, while very little remains on his actual body skin now. The three trips to the vet have also actually been two different vets, both of which kind of said and did the same thing. So I don't think that degloving is occuring or has occured, the damage has been caused by a small open wound from wrestling that never closed properly. I think a picture can better explain the situation which I will certainly upload once my power comes back on in my house (I am actually typing this reply from a cell phone so taking and uploading a picture would be quite diificult). Thank you for the reply and I hope this new information can help.
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Jun 12, 2011 06:30
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kabo0se posted:Thank you for the reply and I hope this new information can help. Your additional description sounds more like an abscess. Though I have to say I have never seen an abscess migrate on the body. Is anything here familiar? http://ratguide.com/health/integumentary_skin/abscess.php We always use an oral antibiotic for large abscesses. Which one depends on the bacteria present. The wound gel is probably not doing anything, but keeping it clean is a good idea. Where are you? Maybe I can help you find a better vet.
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Jun 12, 2011 07:13
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I moved recently and am now located 10 minutes north of inner city Baltimore. Based on the description from the page you linked, I can't say that it is an abscess (at least not any more it isn't). The most recent vet I used, which was roughly three weeks ago said the area did not look infected and even took a tissue sample of part of the swollen area (which is a small fraction of the actual wound). She called me two days later and said it was nothing serious, just that the wound is too large to seal on its own. This is why I am now considering wrapping it in a gauze tape. I am now, however, not applying the wound gel any longer. I think the gel is designed to dry and seal the wound, and when wrapped in cloth, it sticks to the cloth as well, so I would not have any way of removing the bandage safely. You don't think if I clean it and wrap it every day that it will begin to close? I say this because it appears the only reason it won't heal is because of the constant irritation of dragging, licking, and clawing at it. He also has a brother that he wrestles with, but i have had them separated for two days now, in hopes that his brother, Joe, won't irritate it either. EDIT: He acts completely normal as well, no lethargy, no timidness. He eats normally and poos normally. You wouldn't know anything is wrong with him even if you had known him since birth unless you saw the wound. kabo0se fucked around with this message at 17:13 on Jun 12, 2011 |
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Jun 12, 2011 17:02
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Did the vet say why they couldn't put a couple of stitches in it? poor little guy.
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Jun 13, 2011 02:35
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kabo0se posted:You don't think if I clean it and wrap it every day that it will begin to close? Those were the only two possibilities I have any experience with, I'm sorry. And I do not know. You say there is no degloving, but if he has a gaping wound on his tail, the tissue is not likely to grow back. Otherwise, based on your description, the wound probably needs stitches or staples to aid the healing process. This is what I found... perhaps locals can point you in the direction of a more knowledgeable vet? http://ratfanclub.org/vetref.html http://www.meetup.com/baltimore-pet-rats/messages/boards/thread/7241808 http://www.goosemoose.com/component/option,com_smf/Itemid,118/forum,rat/topic,19879.msg296241/,#msg296241
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Jun 13, 2011 04:04
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KaboOse is my brother so I feel like I elaborate a little on this as I had to help bandage poor Clark this weekend. It can't be stitched up because there isn't anything to pull together to stitch, as it's on his tail and is an open area. The wound area I would say is about one square inch, but it's longer lengthwise down his tail. It also looked as if he had been chewing it, as there was a deeper and bloodier portion in the middle, and another smaller wound was found the next morning slightly below it. He starts licking it right after it's treated, which the only solution we figured would be to wrap it up after treatment. It might be important to note that he lives with another rat, Joe. I will try to get him to take a picture to post it. I'm sure that will be a little more helpful. This just stinks, Clark is the nicest rat ever. Edit: My mom just took him to the vet (brother had to leave for work). They're going to amputate his tail. Ugh. Hopefully it will go well but the area is really close to his rectum so nothing is assured. She's pretty broken up about it. I know how most people think of rats as disposable, but we really love him. I'm going to be very anxious until I hear back from them. Pooptron2003 fucked around with this message at 14:38 on Jun 13, 2011 |
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Jun 13, 2011 13:16
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Pooptron2003 posted:KaboOse is my brother [...] Your name would be Pooptron2003... In any case I think he will be ok. Based on what my mom said, the vet/surgeon seems to think that at some point he must have broken his tail, and has been recently trying to chew it off. There was apparently no movement in the tail at all. I had not noticed this, but now that it is apparent I feel like I should have. Jin Wicked posted:This is what I found... perhaps locals can point you in the direction of a more knowledgeable vet? Also, thank you, Jin, for your willingness to help. But I'm afraid nothing more can be done at this point. I will certainly let the forums know how his procedure turns out this morning. Hopefully it will be good news...
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Jun 13, 2011 15:18
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Pooptron2003 posted:They're going to amputate his tail. Ugh. Hopefully it will go well but the area is really close to his rectum so nothing is assured. I suspected this was the most likely outcome without having seen any pictures. Make sure he cannot chew at the stump, especially if you have evidence he was aggravating the wound already. He can receive a body wrap or body cast, scroll to the bottom of this page: http://ratfanclub.org/surgery.html My vet makes them a little vest with armholes that extends down the torso. My rats are escape artists. In addition to any antibiotics he should receive pain medication (usually Metacam) as well.
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Jun 13, 2011 15:43
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I will certainly make sure the vet provides some kind of medication and pain relief, as well as a protective device. I do believe my mom said that they would be supplying a "rat cone" so that he cannot chew on it. Thanks for the advice. EDIT: I am pleased to say that Clarkis has made it out of the OR and is doing well. He has all the proper medication and will have to wear a rat-cone(lol) for a few weeks. I now have a tail-less, but healthy pet rat Thanks to anyone who offered a helping hand, but ultimately it was the expertise of the vets (on the 4th go around...) that was able to help Clark recover. kabo0se fucked around with this message at 19:36 on Jun 13, 2011 |
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Jun 13, 2011 17:12
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He's out of surgery. The people at the vet's office were really nice. Hopefully he will recover quickly. poor little guy. Thanks everyone for the info.
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Jun 13, 2011 19:25
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Poor little guy I'm sure he will adjust nicely and be better off. edit: VVV lol yes, please Big Bug Hug fucked around with this message at 05:54 on Jun 14, 2011 |
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Jun 13, 2011 23:11
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Please post pictures of him wearing the cone.
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Jun 13, 2011 23:28
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 Only picture I have of him because I'm not actually at home with him. I'm at work and this is a picture my mom took yesterday. edit: poor guy can't eat with his hands
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Jun 14, 2011 17:13
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I recently got 2 males rats and I'm dying to play with them. But I've heard kind of conflicting info about their first couple days... some places say to handle them asap, others say to give them a few days to get used to their new surroundings. It's also almost midnight, should I leave them be and pick them up tomorrow? I don't want to neglect them OR overwhelm them. Puppies were much more easy to understand.
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Jun 15, 2011 06:40
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dustbin posted:But I've heard kind of conflicting info about their first couple days As long as you show your rats you like them and wont hurt them, there isn't much you can do wrong. If your rats are scared of you, you don't wanna rip them out of their new home and carry them around. That`ll scare them even worse. If they're not scared then the sooner you start carrying them around the better. It all depends on the rats you have. Just make sure you give them treats after every time you handle them.
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Jun 15, 2011 06:45
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Thanks Slidje, they are pretty shy still and not super food driven. They accepted crackers through the bars earlier, and ate some grapes, but they weren't super eager to take food out of my hand. I've love to hear how other experienced owners have handled new rats.
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Jun 15, 2011 06:48
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dustbin posted:Thanks Slidje, they are pretty shy still and not super food driven. They accepted crackers through the bars earlier, and ate some grapes, but they weren't super eager to take food out of my hand. I've love to hear how other experienced owners have handled new rats. Avoid giving them food through the bars. Rats have a great sense of smell and a not so great sense of sight, and oftentimes this'll lead to them nailing people's fingers and arms through the bar because they'll continuously be in orgasmic excitement that OMG FOOD may come through at some point.
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Jun 15, 2011 08:09
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Rodent Mortician posted:Avoid giving them food through the bars. Rats have a great sense of smell and a not so great sense of sight, and oftentimes this'll lead to them nailing people's fingers and arms through the bar because they'll continuously be in orgasmic excitement that OMG FOOD may come through at some point. Hehe this is so very true. Related story: My rats always run to the corner of the cage when I'm eating so they can beg. I usually give them tidbits there so they've kind of learned it as the "food corner". Last night both rats were out playing on the desk while I was making dinner. When I came back with a plate of food and set it down on the desk, they both ran back inside the cage to beg for food at the "food corner", instead of just standing next to the plate.
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Jun 15, 2011 12:22
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Oh god yes never feed them through the bars. They do get more impatient when taking food that way, cause they feel they have to grab it quick and pull it through. One of my guys is getting a bit blinder in his age (he's a pink eyed rat), and is sometimes a bit quick to grab for food, or fingers that smell like food. He is really good and pulls back quickly once he realises the mistake. But you don't want to get bitten by rats. polyfractal posted:
 yes! My guys all line up on the top shelf leaning down over the door where I normally open to give them treats. Especially if I'm cooking or eating. I've even seen them grab the actual cage door from the shelf with both hands, hoping it'll open I guess.They line up at about 7pm every night too 'cause that's when I feed them their "meal". Even if I forget, they remind me. Running back to the cage is hilarious, though.
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Jun 15, 2011 15:08
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dustbin posted:Trust training is slow but very rewarding. Watch them, try to put yourself in their place and wonder what is going through their heads. Learn from them and they learn from you. Every rat is very distinct and different. Theres no single way to trust train any rat. You need to figure out their personality before you know how to train them. Buy a hoodie with a front pocket you can stuff them inside when they are a bit more comfortable with you. Mine love to hide in the sleeves. Try and keep the cage next to your PC, Bed or anywhere you you sit stationary for a length of time. The very first thing they need to learn is your smell and that you aren't a threat. When I start out with new rats I keep them in the cage on a high shelf next to my PC and bed. Its high enough they wont jump off, not till theyre comfortable around me anyways. I leave the door open so they can get out when they want to. Every time they feel curious about me they approach. If they don't run away when I approach I let them sniff at me and I make sniffy noises back. If that works I pick them up for a fondle then treat. If it doesn't work then I keep my hands near them and try to follow them wherever they run to. Yoghurt drops are the absolute best treat you can give them, but don't overdo it. They're very fattening so no more than 5 a day. They LOOOOOOOOOVE them. Give them a treat whenever they do anything desirable. Its like crack for rats, they'll do pretty much anything for one. Chew up some buttered toast, roll it into a ball. Make a fist but leave your thumb open enough so that they can get their head inside your hand and nibble the breadball. I find thats the easiest way to stop them biting fingers and not fearing your hands. If they bite you, never ever ever hurt them or shout at them. You can give them a gentle nose tap or pinch their bum. Don't do it in a way that will hurt them. If they draw blood, show it to them. Try to learn a rats pain squeel. Every rat I`ve had, even the worst tempered one will clean the wound and feel bad about hurting you. This happens to me a lot because all my rats are rescued and cant find homes because of their behavior. It shouldn't be a problem for most pet rats but I always get the rats no one else can handle. If they're rough rats, get a drat tetanus shot.
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Jun 15, 2011 16:45
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We give them a lot of Little Puffs Puffed Grain Snack I get from the baby food aisle at Target. It takes about 4 to even get to 1 calorie, so they can have a bunch if you want to train them to do something. Also, they start to learn the sound of shaking it so you can call them to you with the container. There's also a lot of flavors: right now we have sweet potato (their favorite), banana, apple-strawberry, and blueberry. Earlier I saw Trudy cleaning Joan but it took me a bit to get my phone's camera up so I ended up accidentally with this great picture where Trudy is clearly hatching a scheme.
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Jun 15, 2011 22:34
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I like the "Forced" Socialization method of getting your rats used to you. Force doesn't mean to handle them roughly- when you reach in to lift the rat up, go slowly and avoid jerky movements. Fear is normal, but you don't want panic. Hold them close to your body, firmly, and cover their eyes. Inside a jacket, in a pocket with your hands around them, whatever works for you. Most rats will calm down pretty quickly and if you keep them on you for at least ten minutes at a time, also giving treats during/after the time, it only takes a few days for most young rats. If your rat actually does panic (screaming, thrashing) definitely put him down and let him relax. Trust training would be good for a rat like that. But for the most part, once you actually have them in your hands, they calm down. Once they are calm, touching and food and touching and food and touching and food. They love food, and pretty soon they will love touching also.
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Jun 16, 2011 00:37
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