# Rat health check list



## Akai-Chan (Feb 21, 2009)

I've had a couple of people asking me to compile a list of thing to look for when doing ratty healthchecks, so I wrote a guide on my site to the health checks I do on my rats that I thought I'd post here in case it's of any use to anyone 

*When buying your rat*
Firstly, make sure you buy from a reputable breeder, who has details of health lineage for their rats. Pet shop bought rats tend to be from rodent farms who breed with no thought to health or genetic strength, only profit. You are also less likely to come away with a pregnant rat if you are buying females, as many shop staff aren't trained to sex rats properly and females often end up in with males.

When choosing your rats, check over their body for general lumps and bumps. Make sure their eyes are clear and they are alert and active. I tend to avoid rats that are overly skittish, and rather prefer to go for rats who are lively, but not to the point of running away all the time. Make sure you listen to their chests too. Chests should sound clear, with no wheezing or clicking noises. Noses should be dry, as a wet nose can indicate some sort of repiratory infection. Check for signs of any parasites.

Make sure you don't just concentrate on the rat you want. Have a look at other rats in the litter and make sure they are also in good health. Also ask to see the parents and grandparents if possible. Don't be afraid to ask questions, good breeders will be happy to answer and questions, queries or worries you may have.

*Checkups*
These checkups are a good habit to get into, as they only take a few minutes and are the easiest way to tell if something is wrong with your rats. All my rats undergo these and I keep a written record in the form of a weekly tickbox chart for all my rats as a health record. I also make sure any rat I breed passes these before they are rehomed.

*Weekly*
*General -* Make sure your rats is lively and alert, responsive to external stimulus (clicking, rustling, moving your hand in front of their face etc). In older rats I also like to to test their back legs to see how their reflexes are. Rats who have or are developing hind leg paralysis will have little to no reaction when their legs are tested.

*Eyes -* Make sure the eyes are clear and bright, with no scratches on the eye itself, no debris (such as bedding or dirt) stuck under the eyelids or in the eye and no poryphyrin around the eye. If there is poryphyrin, wash it off with warm water and keep an eye out in case it develops frequently. Check for signs of cataracts.

*Ears -* Make sure there is no waxy build up inside the ears. Also keep an eye on the edge of the rats ears for any abnormal small pimpe like bumps - usally white, yellow or red - as this can be a symptom of sarcoptic mange mites (these mites prefer furless skin), which can transferred to your other rats.

*Nose -* Keep an eye out for poryphyrin build up and the symptoms of sarcoptic mange mites (see above). Also make sure your rats nose is dry, as a wet nose can be a sign of a respiratory infection.

*Feet -* Make sure all toes are intact and clip nails if they are too long or sharp. Nails not only hurt you when you handle your rats, but they can also hurt your rats cagemates when fighting or playing, and can lead your rat to hurt itself when grooming.

*Tail -* Make sure the tail is in one piece and there is no damage to it. Check for signs of mites. Also make sure your rat is using its tail properly when climbing or walking.

*Body -* Check over for any scratches or scabs. Check around the head and shoulders especially for any sign of parasites. Feel (gently) for any lumps or bumps, especially under the rats legs. Make sure your rats is walking using all its limbs and is climbing normally.

*Fortnightly*
*Steam Baths -* I use steam baths to help keep my rats lungs clear of too much myco bacteria. This seems to work as I haven't had a myco outbreak in the 10 months since I started doing this, which can only be a good thing in improving the strength of my ratties lungs!
*To steam bath you need a bowl (washing up bowl is good), a towel and a kettle*
1) Boil some water
2) Fill up the washing up bowl with the boiling water
3) Hold your rat about half a foot above the water
4) Drape the towel over your rat and over the sides of the bowl
5) Keep your rat there for as long as you can, 4-6 minutes is usually good.
And that's it! Your rat may sneeze a bit while this is done but don't worry, that's their way of getting rid of any nasties in their body.
*PLEASE be careful when holding your rat over the water and make sure they cannot escape and fall in.*

*7-8 monthly
Vet Checks -* Every 7-8 months my rats go to the vets just to be checked over to make sure everything is ok. They also recieve veterinary treatment (No expense spared!) between times if they need it.

Please note that if you feel anything could be wrong with your rat, please take it to a vet. This is intended just as a guide to basic health checks, not as a comprehensive medical list.

©2008/2009 Four Paws Rattery. If you wish to copy any of this information, please ask me first. I have spent a lot of time writing and compiling this list and don't appreciate people taking my work without asking.​
Keeping Your Rat Healthy

Hope this comes in use to someone!

Peace
Akai-Chan


----------



## Phenobarbie (Sep 28, 2009)

Wow, this is really helpful 

I've been wondering how exactly to clip my ratties nails, because i am COVERED in scratches!
They dont mean to, they just like crawling up my chest onto my shoulers down my back up my arms 

What do you do to keep them more blunt?


----------



## Akai-Chan (Feb 21, 2009)

Phenobarbie said:


> Wow, this is really helpful
> 
> I've been wondering how exactly to clip my ratties nails, because i am COVERED in scratches!
> They dont mean to, they just like crawling up my chest onto my shoulers down my back up my arms
> ...


I have their water bottle lifted a little higher and a brick underneath it so they have to climb on the brick to drink which wears down their nails. For the more docile rats I give them a tasty treat and get out the file and hold eachtoe and file the nail down very carefully and clip if I can 

Peace
Akai-Chan


----------



## owieprone (Nov 6, 2008)

instead of holding rattie over the boiling water, stick your rats in the bathroom with you when you're having a shower.. same effect adn they get a run around at the same time. make sure the down-pipes for the bog and sink are blocked well with planks or immovable objects as rats can get under the flooring from there.

i wouldn't bother clipping the nails tbh, you'll get used to the scratches just make sure you wash them afterwards or have a dettol-type liquid/spray and cotton wool handy after playtimes to wash them out.

younger ones are more scrabbly than older rats.. once they're older they will be less scratchy when they clamber on you as they get better at holding on.


----------



## Akai-Chan (Feb 21, 2009)

owieprone said:


> instead of holding rattie over the boiling water, stick your rats in the bathroom with you when you're having a shower.. same effect adn they get a run around at the same time. make sure the down-pipes for the bog and sink are blocked well with planks or immovable objects as rats can get under the flooring from there.
> 
> i wouldn't bother clipping the nails tbh, you'll get used to the scratches just make sure you wash them afterwards or have a dettol-type liquid/spray and cotton wool handy after playtimes to wash them out.
> 
> younger ones are more scrabbly than older rats.. once they're older they will be less scratchy when they clamber on you as they get better at holding on.


The nail clipping I put more to prevent them hurting themselves/eachother . I don't care that my ratties scratch me, but one of my rats having too long claws is what made another ratty of mine lose an eye after a particularly rough play session. 

Good idea with the shower though, although I would be a bit hesitant to let them roam around without supervision (quite difficult to shower and rat watch?) I just use the bowl method as it's a lot easier to steam bath a lot of rats quickly like that 

Peace
Akai-Chan


----------



## owieprone (Nov 6, 2008)

see through shower curtain, and OH keeps a watchful eye, if he's not about i stuck the cat beds under anywhere they can fall.. that way they land on something soft. they tend to stay on the floor while i'm in the shower or attempt to join me so usually not a problem.

i only clip my older rats nails that can't keep them to a good useable length. but each to their own.


----------



## Akai-Chan (Feb 21, 2009)

owieprone said:


> see through shower curtain, and OH keeps a watchful eye, if he's not about i stuck the cat beds under anywhere they can fall.. that way they land on something soft. they tend to stay on the floor while i'm in the shower or attempt to join me so usually not a problem.
> 
> i only clip my older rats nails that can't keep them to a good useable length. but each to their own.


Ah fair enough. I have an opaque shower curtain and the OH tends to be watching the dog if I'm in the shower. Whichever method works best for you I guess 

I only clip my ratties nails if they aren't using the brick. To be honest, I'd rather do that than have another accident happen like last time. Clipped nails > a rat losing an eye + a very expensive vet bill  I just seem to have rats that don't like to self manicure....

Peace
Akai-Chan


----------



## owieprone (Nov 6, 2008)

i've never had aproblem with rats causing injury to each other with their nails, it's usually over zealous preening that causes the problems.

poor one-eyed rattie


----------



## Akai-Chan (Feb 21, 2009)

owieprone said:


> i've never had aproblem with rats causing injury to each other with their nails, it's usually over zealous preening that causes the problems.
> 
> poor one-eyed rattie


It was only one incident but I'd rather not repeat it to be honest!

The one eyed lady herself 










Peace
Akai-Chan


----------



## spoiled_rat (Mar 24, 2008)

Akai-Chan said:


> *Steam Baths -* I use steam baths to help keep my rats lungs clear of too much myco bacteria. This seems to work as I haven't had a myco outbreak in the 10 months since I started doing this, which can only be a good thing in improving the strength of my ratties lungs!
> Your rat may sneeze a bit while this is done but don't worry, that's their way of getting rid of any nasties in their body.


Sorry, but thats VERY incorrect advice. 
ALL rats have mycoplasmosis, you cant clear it out by steam baths 

Steaming them wont get rid of any `nasties` at all?


Akai-Chan said:


> *3-4 monthly*
> *Ivermectin -* Every 3-4 months (Once they reach 4 months) I treat all my rats with ivermectin as a precaution. Just like you would worm and flea your dog or cat every month, I use ivermectin. I will also use it if my rats show any sign of having parasites between the 3 months.


ALL rats have mites, they are endemic...no point treating them unless necessary, and Ivermectin can kill, and present with serious neurolgical damage as a side effect, aswell as burning and scabbing on the treatment site, amongst many other things.

Please dont treat them unless necessary and please dont give out incorrect advice like this unless you have a basic knowledge of what you are talking about


----------



## Lavenderb (Jan 27, 2009)

I must admit I don't treat my rats with wormer or anything for parasites etc....
I was under the impression dogs are wormed because of the things they can pick up from other dogs who arent wormed and because they tend to eat things that are contaminated outside. 

Rats kept in an indoor enviroment won't be exposed to the same things and if they are healthy their natural immunity should keep the myco in check.

I would be wary of exposing my rats to so many chemicals seeing as they have such short lives anyway.


----------



## Akai-Chan (Feb 21, 2009)

spoiled_rat said:


> Sorry, but thats VERY incorrect advice.
> ALL rats have mycoplasmosis, you cant clear it out by steam baths
> 
> Steaming them wont get rid of any `nasties` at all?
> ...


I know all rats have myco, however they are prone to flare ups due to the build up of bacteria, as well as other illnesses which leads to a weakened immune system or stress. To be honest I have found that steam bathing every 2 weeks helps, and in 10 months I haven't had any flare ups atall.

I was advised to start steam bathing occasionally last year after one of my rats started getting myco flare ups every other week and no amount of different medications would help. The vet suggested steam bathing as they breath in the steam and it helps to clear out their lungs of bacteria and it worked. It's no harm to the rat and it has stopped flare ups amongst my rats which can only be good IMO.

The ivermectin is just my way of doing things, I am aware of the dangers if used in the *wrong *dosage, however I make sure I use the correct dosage and it has never done any of my rats any harm, however I will remove the comment from my original post as I realise that people might not know the correct dosage which could be lethal. I would suggest removing that part of my post from your last post so that it is gone from this thread.

I have done my research on this. Just because you don't agree with some of my ways, does not mean it is wrong.

Akai-Chan

[EDIT] ivermectin comment has now been removed


----------



## Lavenderb (Jan 27, 2009)

Yes Red you are right we all have our ways and to say a treatment that works for someone is wrong... is silly and judgemental. However The treatment you are 'saying' you are exposing your rats to on a regular basis is 'unecessary'.........

Its like treating a child constantly for head lice when they dont have it.....these chemicals are pesticides and can cause long term effects.

I also found it odd that you have never mentioned Ivermectin before in almost the whole year that I have been reading your posts. However on reading a post on another forum recently I saw Ivermectin mentioned and I would imagine another poster to this thread also knows which site and post I am referring to as they also posted in it.
So therefore I do find it amusing that you suddenly appear to have been using it...

I found this link http://ratguide.com/meds/antiinfectives/ivermectin.php and on reading further down the page there are complications in giving it to a pregnant rat, so I do hope you arent treating 'your' pregnant rats with it.


----------



## Akai-Chan (Feb 21, 2009)

gr33neyes said:


> Yes Red you are right we all have our ways and to say a treatment that works for someone is wrong... is silly and judgemental. However The treatment you are 'saying' you are exposing your rats to on a regular basis is 'unecessary'.........
> 
> Its like treating a child constantly for head lice when they dont have it.....these chemicals are pesticides and can cause long term effects.
> 
> ...


I haven;t had reason to mention it before. Have I mentioned any of these things before? No, so why do you concentrate on the ivermectin? And no, I don't treat my pregnant rats with anything unless they desperately need it, same with rats under 4 months old.

Just because someone else mentioned it somewhere else, that doesn't mean I have instantly thought 'oooh yeah, that'd be good to write'. I don;t trawl the internet like you seem to. It's just coincidence that I happened to write a health list to try and *HELP* people which included my procedures using ivermectin or spot on treatments.

Either way it;s been removed from the original post now. Don't let this thread turn into yet another argument about 'lets all say how much red sucks' I want this to be a help thread, not an argument >_<. I cannot remove it from my site just yet cos I've been really clever and locked myself out of it.

Akai-Chan


----------



## Lavenderb (Jan 27, 2009)

I *trawl* the internet to find out information, to research things...its a valuable tool in the right hands....in anothers hands its a tool to give misleading information......I'm certainly not here to argue with you or cause others to argue with you....

I'm glad you have now said you don't treat your pregnant rats with unneccessary treatments as I got the impression from your previous post that your treatments included all your rats.

Overall I wish you well with your rats and hope you have learnt and continue to learn from them as we all do....

Hopefully anyone looking into keeping Rats or in fact any pet will also '*trawl*' the internet, come across your information and use their own common sense as to how they follow it.


----------



## Akai-Chan (Feb 21, 2009)

gr33neyes said:


> I *trawl* the internet to find out information, to research things...its a valuable tool in the right hands....in anothers hands its a tool to give misleading information......I'm certainly not here to argue with you or cause others to argue with you....
> 
> I'm glad you have now said you don't treat your pregnant rats with unneccessary treatments as I got the impression from your previous post that your treatments included all your rats.
> 
> ...


Apologies if I gave the impression that I do treat my pregnant rats with it - I should have made it clear that I don't. I just hope the list can be of use to someone. My methods have worked for me and for others I know in keeping their rats healthy, but it won''t be for everyone, hence why I stated that they are the method I use for my rats 

Peace
Akai-Chan


----------



## zany_toon (Jan 30, 2009)

I'm going to ask a really silly question and it's only because I know that young mice should be checked for it: when gettting a new at should you check for bends in the tails on the rats??? I read in a mouse book that this is a sign of problems with the spine/twisted bones/deformities which can lead to problems for the mice in later life orproblems in the next generation if they are used for breeding. Would this be the same for rats??
Sorry Red!!! It's just that I don't feel quite so silly asking a question like this if it's some one I know!!!


----------



## Akai-Chan (Feb 21, 2009)

zany_toon said:


> I'm going to ask a really silly question and it's only because I know that young mice should be checked for it: when gettting a new at should you check for bends in the tails on the rats??? I read in a mouse book that this is a sign of problems with the spine/twisted bones/deformities which can lead to problems for the mice in later life orproblems in the next generation if they are used for breeding. Would this be the same for rats??
> Sorry Red!!! It's just that I don't feel quite so silly asking a question like this if it's some one I know!!!


I've never encountered a problem with tails so I;ve never really thought about it to be honest. I'll see if I can find anything about it on the internet  It's not a silly question, I'll do some reading and see if there's anything said about it....

Peace
Akai-Chan


----------



## Marcia (Mar 10, 2009)

zany_toon said:


> I'm going to ask a really silly question and it's only because I know that young mice should be checked for it: when gettting a new at should you check for bends in the tails on the rats??? I read in a mouse book that this is a sign of problems with the spine/twisted bones/deformities which can lead to problems for the mice in later life orproblems in the next generation if they are used for breeding. Would this be the same for rats??
> Sorry Red!!! It's just that I don't feel quite so silly asking a question like this if it's some one I know!!!


A kink in the tail usually is the result of inbreeding or perhaps a broken tail. Gerbils can have the same thing.


----------



## spoiled_rat (Mar 24, 2008)

Marcia said:


> A kink in the tail usually is the result of inbreeding or perhaps a broken tail. Gerbils can have the same thing.


Inbreeding dosent cause problems, it just brings them to the surface.

The msot common reason of tail kinks in rats statistically, is from early in the nest, often an accident, or over-zealous mother.


----------



## Phenobarbie (Sep 28, 2009)

One of my rats only has half a tail 
its weird, because when they are sat on my shoulder and i play with they're tails, normally the end bit is floppy and the rest is 'tensed' (couldnt think of a better word)
But his is all tensed 

Do you think it will affect him that much? He seems to be the least good at climbing along the sausages in their cage
(I'm not mad, i bought them a sausages on a rope dog toy and tied it across as a ladder )

I feel really sorry for him, but i wouldnt be able to tell him and his brother apart if not for it!  [email protected] didnt even mention it when i got them, and i only noticed when i got home 
They were from the adoption bit, btw


----------



## Akai-Chan (Feb 21, 2009)

Phenobarbie said:


> One of my rats only has half a tail
> its weird, because when they are sat on my shoulder and i play with they're tails, normally the end bit is floppy and the rest is 'tensed' (couldnt think of a better word)
> But his is all tensed
> 
> ...


Tailless rats only tend to have problems with balance and overheating sometimes as their temperature is regulated through their tails. The balancing thing is somethine they'll get used to though and overheating shouldn;t be a problem so long as they have some tail.

Peace
Akai-Chan


----------



## Marcia (Mar 10, 2009)

spoiled_rat said:


> Inbreeding dosent cause problems, it just brings them to the surface.
> 
> The msot common reason of tail kinks in rats statistically, is from early in the nest, often an accident, or over-zealous mother.


Well i know that's what can cause it in gerbils, i just took a guess with regards to rats  Either way, it's an unwanted, often genetic defect which you don't want to be breeding from.


----------



## zany_toon (Jan 30, 2009)

Found the info about the mice:

"Most mice will have a sleek body, bright eyes and tails with no kinks in them. If a mouse has a kink in its tail there are two possible explanations; 1) The mouse was picked up incorrectly or was in a fight and injured the tail at a young age or 2) The mouse was born with a kink in its tail. If the mouse's tail was injured and has healed crooked then as long as the mouse is in no discomfort this is fine. However, if the mouse was born with the kink it is not a good idea to breed from this mouse because it may pass on spinal defects to its offspring that would be very painful. Although the mouse may not be suffering itself, the kinked tail is an indication of possible problems. "

from Fancy Mice


----------

