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Thanks for the advice. Rats are neat! One of them is crazy curious, but another is really chill, he's sitting on my shoulder right now. Edit, tried to take him off my shoulder and he squeaked and hung on to my shirt.
dustbin fucked around with this message at 01:00 on Jun 16, 2011 |
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Jun 16, 2011 00:41
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Is there any way to make giving liquid meds easier? One of my girls is on doxycycline and Baytril right now for suspected bronchitis. They're both flavored and she was super happy to suck them down on the first day! Today is the 4th day and she's fighting me so hard about taking them now, shoving me away and wriggling. I've had no problem in the past just scooping her up by the armpits, letting her back feet rest on my lap, and then getting the syringe in through the corner of her mouth but I don't know what to do now. I've heard of soaking bread or cake in the medication but I'm afraid of her not liking it and then me having wasted meds. Any suggestions?
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Jun 16, 2011 01:14
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Try a goopy medium like pudding or baby food. Alternative: just shove that poo poo in there and be done with it. Quick and dirty. That's how I do it; I don't have time for making tasty medicines. 
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Jun 16, 2011 03:07
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CompactFanny posted:Alternative: just shove that poo poo in there and be done with it. Quick and dirty. That's how I do it; I don't have time for making tasty medicines. This. I shove the syringe back in their mouth, then massage their throat until they swallow if I have to. One cookie later and no one holds any grudges. That medicine costs money!
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Jun 16, 2011 03:57
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Jin Wicked posted:This. I shove the syringe back in their mouth, then massage their throat until they swallow if I have to. Yep. Scruff rat, stick syringe/dropper behind teeth, squirt medicine in, hold rat/massage neck until they swallow. Don't have time for all that "waaaah I'm a rat I dunno if I waaaant itttttt  " BS. You are a rat and are therefore vermin that most people poison and throw in the trash, 3rd world children would kill to have access to modern medicine like you, a loving rat, are having handed to you. Swallow the freaking antibiotics. 
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Jun 16, 2011 04:04
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haha. I take 5 seconds to squeeze the syringe into a tiny bit of yoghurt and cause my rats are dumb they eat it. YMMV though, sometimes they are very picky. At which point I grab rat, hold rat and squeeze it down their mouth before they can react.
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Jun 16, 2011 10:05
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One of my rats has been sneezing quite a bit today, but she's not exhibiting any other symptoms and seems to be lively/healthy as ever besides that. Just a fair bit of sneezing! Should I bother with the vet, yet, or just see if it will pass? Her eyes/nose/mouth all look clear and fine, she's not behaving strangely at all. Edit: one of the other ones is sneezing a bit as well, but not as much. Does this point to environmental sources or big scary contagious diseases? Invalid Octopus fucked around with this message at 14:53 on Jun 16, 2011 |
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Jun 16, 2011 14:50
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My rats and I sneeze a lot. Texas is a dusty place and we live in an unusually dusty old townhouse. I worry only when there is chest congestion or atypical porphyrin discharge accompanying it. So to answer your question, with no other symptoms it is probably environmental.
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Jun 16, 2011 16:42
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Invalid Octopus posted:One of my rats has been sneezing quite a bit today Beluga Smoothie posted:doxycycline and Baytril Baytril you can mix into their water bottles but you gotta use a lot of it and wash the bottles every week at the latest. I get huge bottles of Baytril cheap from my vet. They're the bottles farmers use to treat pigs and cattle so its like a bulk item. Look for the concentration and mix it according to the capacity of your water bottle. I keep a special 100ml water bottle for sick rats and a seperate cage. If their health is declining really badly I mix it into the food I usually give them after chewing it up, like toast and vegetables. I regularly give my rats a pot of some baby food, like chocolate pudding. Baby food also has the strictest quality requirements so it's totally safe for the rats as well as being dirt cheap.
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Jun 16, 2011 17:14
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Thanks all.  I was worried about scruffing and shooting it down cause I didn't want it to get into her lungs by accident somehow, but you've made me feel better. She really liked it when I put a teensy bit of chocolate milk in each syringe last night but my mom said that she's heard milk can cause more phlegm/mucus production in people and we wondered if it's true in rats? Anyways, I put a little V8 in the syringes tonight and she did pretty okay with them so I think it'll work out.
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Jun 18, 2011 04:41
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Whew! I've read this thread from the start and I have completely made up my mind to get a trio of rats next month. I have a very nice cage for them and I'm stocking it with awesome stuff and I have located a small animal vet. I just have one question though: If I only take one out at a time to play with will it make the other ones upset? Should I always take all of them out at the same time?
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Jun 18, 2011 23:55
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Olive Bar posted:Whew! I've read this thread from the start and I have completely made up my mind to get a trio of rats next month. I have a very nice cage for them and I'm stocking it with awesome stuff and I have located a small animal vet. I just have one question though: If I only take one out at a time to play with will it make the other ones upset? Should I always take all of them out at the same time? Nah. I take one out at a time all the time, although they do like running around together. They're pretty easy-going creatures.
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Jun 19, 2011 00:10
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Olive Bar posted:Whew! I've read this thread from the start and I have completely made up my mind to get a trio of rats next month. I have a very nice cage for them and I'm stocking it with awesome stuff and I have located a small animal vet. I just have one question though: If I only take one out at a time to play with will it make the other ones upset? Should I always take all of them out at the same time?
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Jun 19, 2011 01:49
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I lied, I have one more question. How often should I give them vitamins? Is it an every day sort of thing, or like weekly? I looked back over the OP but couldn't find it.
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Jun 19, 2011 03:27
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Olive Bar posted:I lied, I have one more question. How often should I give them vitamins? Is it an every day sort of thing, or like weekly? I looked back over the OP but couldn't find it. If you're feeding a balanced diet, you shouldn't need to give them any vitamins.
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Jun 19, 2011 19:16
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Awesome, thank you! Are cockroaches bad for rats on special occasions? Would they even be interested in them? I know too much protein is an issue but I am a blatticulturist so I have tons of parasite free roaches.
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Jun 19, 2011 21:29
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Olive Bar posted:I use them to check if things like yogurt or chicken has gone off. If the rats wont eat it, you know its bad. Some people give their rats meal worms and crickets. Show them one and see what they do.
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Jun 19, 2011 21:50
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I got my rats crickets for their birthday and they were big dummies and wouldn't catch them in the cage, I figured because of their relatively poor eyesight or something. So, instead, I let them crawl into the plastic bag o' crickets. It was a massacre  So far at a little more than a year old, none of my three have had any health problems beyond a little wheeziness now and then which goes away if I turn the heat up or give the wheezer a little coffee. Sometimes their unusual vigor combined with all the stories about pneumonia and cancer worries me, like they're going to hit a year and a half and start growing gargantuan tumors or something. Has anyone had rats that were healthy their entire lives and died just of old age?
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Jun 19, 2011 22:14
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Another health problem with one of the boys! I noticed some flecks in Bartleby's fur and ending up giving him a good shake-down over a piece of white paper. Too dark to be dander, I think - looks like a bunch of tiny scabs? Or pieces of skin? Slightly translucent, orange/brown. Not moving. He's about two and a half months and my first hope was that it was a buck grease thing, but from what I've read it could be mites. His brother has a bit of flecking in his fur, too - not as much as Bartleby, but I haven't given him as thorough a scritching to make sure. They're both going in for neuters tomorrow morning, so I guess I'll bring it up with the vet while I'm there. Just nervous that'll be another $200 on the bill, since that's what it cost altogether when I got Bartleby's respiratory troubles looked at and medicated. Anyway, a picture for you - this took only about a minute to gently rub off him (just by scratching at his fur, especially around the base of his tail). BIG OL' PICTURE So please, tell me what you think I should bring up with my vet and do in the meantime. They don't seem to be scratching, but they have been pretty lethargic these last couple of days. And because I don't want it to be all gross stuff, here he is eating a pancake. 
Aerobe fucked around with this message at 03:30 on Jun 20, 2011 |
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Jun 20, 2011 03:27
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I took a rat for a friend and she was covered in mites. She had the scabs that fell off but when you looked closer you could even see the little bastards! I'd treat him for lice and if it doesn't clear up look at other factors like skin reactions to new bedding or dust....
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Jun 20, 2011 07:00
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IT'S LICE! Their neuters went great, but yeah, yick. They've got their first dose of Revolution down with another on the horizon in two weeks. And now for an epic cage clean, I guess! Aerobe fucked around with this message at 19:28 on Jun 20, 2011 |
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Jun 20, 2011 18:58
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 RIP Shiloh.  Will miss you more than is healthy.
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Jun 21, 2011 00:26
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Wrinkles has a new game to play: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R1Trzc1nfgs
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Jun 21, 2011 00:32
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If I make my rats a house out of yarn and plastic canvas would I have to worry about them chewing on the plastic? I don't care if they destroy it, I just want to make sure it won't harm them in any way. Will they just spit the plastic out if they get a piece?
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Jun 21, 2011 13:36
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I wouldn't worry. Mostly they spit out what they don't want to eat, unless it's soft like rubber or foam.
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Jun 21, 2011 18:11
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Boco_T posted:Wrinkles has a new game to play: There are few things cuter than the way a rat popcorns into the air when it's carrying something that's too big (e.g. Wrinkles @ ~0:07).
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Jun 21, 2011 21:30
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Amiss posted:There are few things cuter than the way a rat popcorns into the air when it's carrying something that's too big (e.g. Wrinkles @ ~0:07).
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Jun 21, 2011 22:41
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Oh god, we lost Crowley this morning  He would have been 2 years old tomorrow.  He's always had recurring respiratory problems, and been off-and-on Baytril when he got uncomfortable, and that always helped for a while. But over the weekend he suddenly got worse than I've ever seen. I took him to the vet on Monday and put him on meds again, but he kept getting worse. This morning I gave him a small bath, and as I was drying him, he just . . . lay down in my lap, and that was it. I'm sorry to spill like this, but he and his cagemate are the first rats I've ever had. I don't know what I'll do about Aziraphale now (who's plump and active and has never had any health problems at all). He needs a buddy, but I'm not ready to start with a new pair of babies. Maybe look for a rescue? Aziraphale's a big bossy guy, but not aggressive. I just don't know RIP Crowley, my sweet cuddly scruffy lump.  Stealin' a chicken bone. He loved all things chicken.  The boys together in happier times.
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Jun 22, 2011 18:30
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Lady Stormcrow posted:Oh god, we lost Crowley this morning I'm so sorry for your loss. It's never easy, and it seems like it's almost always sudden. He sure was an adorable little chubbus.
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Jun 23, 2011 01:52
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Sorry Lady You could try a rescue definitely. I'm not sure how rats adjust to new adult rats (I've only introduced babies) but I'm sure you can judge how Aziraphale will react. I hope you feel better soon. (Awesome names, by the way)
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Jun 23, 2011 08:55
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I'm so sorry for everyone's losses. I still get upset when I think about my rats that have passed away, but at least they sure as hell had great lives while they were around. Here's Indy and Taylor, who were always getting into poo poo together:  (Bag was empty but they insisted on going in and looking a few times anyway.)And here's Taylor after I got him a new bed for his birthday:  Taylor was always too adventurous for his own good. We let them roam free in our room most of the time, but if we had our bathroom door open, he would usually try to sneak in and not get caught. We'd almost always be in the room when they were out so he would try to be clever about it.. he'd get down off the bed, walk around a little bit, then slowly start to sneak towards the door. My husband or I would say "Tayyylorrrr" in that condescending I-know-what-you're-up-to parental tone, and he would pause. A few seconds later, he would try to sneak a little bit ahead, so we'd call his name again. He'd still try to get in and one of us would stand up to get him and he'd go ABORT ABORT and turn around and high tail it to the darkest corner underneath our dresser. He was the best. Oh, and he once snuck into my purse one time and a few seconds later BURST out of it with a $5 bill in his mouth, trying to hop away before getting caught. Here's two of my alive and kicking rats being as cuddly as possible even though the "ferret furniture" I got them has 3 available slots:  They both turned 1 yesterday. 
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Jun 27, 2011 02:25
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I need some dietary advice for my rat. He won't eat lab blocks, he won't chew on anything that would grind his teeth down. What can I get him to work on his teeth?
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Jun 28, 2011 02:15
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Xeras posted:I need some dietary advice for my rat. He won't eat lab blocks, he won't chew on anything that would grind his teeth down. What can I get him to work on his teeth? Bones are probably the best thing.
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Jun 28, 2011 02:28
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Yep, bones which are guaranteed to cause squabbles as each rat plays capture the bone (at least mine do) If you don't eat meat with bones often, like me, you can try rawhide bones or chews too. I use both I bet your picky guy would enjoy chicken or chop bones though!
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Jun 28, 2011 05:08
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I'll definitely be getting a trio of male rats next month and this is the cage I have set up for them, please let me know if you guys see any problems with my set up.
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Jun 28, 2011 16:38
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The petco rat manor is pretty small for 3 males, but that is not an issue if you are letting them out regularly. Also, that water bottle seems small. You may want to get a bigger one and/or add another.
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Jun 28, 2011 18:02
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Get a bigger one. I tried adding another and they still all drink from the same one, at the same time 
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Jun 28, 2011 23:53
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Xeras posted:I need some dietary advice for my rat. He won't eat lab blocks, he won't chew on anything that would grind his teeth down. What can I get him to work on his teeth? Dry pasta! Just not too much, or they'll get super pudged from all the carbs.
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Jun 29, 2011 00:29
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Xeras posted:I need some dietary advice for my rat. He won't eat lab blocks, he won't chew on anything that would grind his teeth down. What can I get him to work on his teeth? Bones, definitely. Mine ignored all the "fruit flavored" wood blocks I got them but they love apple wood sticks. Almost as much as they love chewing on my dresser
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Jun 29, 2011 00:39
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Thanks for the advice I will get a bigger bottle. And as for the size issue, I thought it might be a bit small but I unfortunately can't work (permanently disabled) so fortunately for them I'm home all day and they'll have free roam of most of my room almost whenever as long as I'm home. I decided to move the cage to the floor so I can just leave the cage door open when I'm in my room and they can come and go as they please.
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Jun 29, 2011 00:58
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