[SamsterAndRocky]

i know this should probly be in the health forum, but i accedentally made a post here anyway.....ok so i think the mam rat has a mamary tumor......or an abcess....are tumors hard, i didnt want to try to see if it was moveable cuz it looks like it hurts, and she bit me for lightly touching it......ill post pics of it in the health forum when i can get her to stand up and stuff.....it grew pretty fast...in a matter of like a week or so......at this point we think she's just living for her babies, once they r weaned in a couple weeks (if she can make it that long) we think that she'll die.... i'll go and do reserch now......

 

[rattikins]

Re: looking for a new food

Why are you switching? I'm pretty sure that it can be stressful on a rat to switch it's food, make sure you mix them 25% new food 75% current food, half and half and then 25% current food 75% new food, then full new food. At least that way you transition them into the new food and it is less stressful.

However, I don't think that either of the brands you're looking at are the best for ratties. I would suggest that if you're set on purchasing at a pet store, buy Mazuri rat blocks. You can find them at PetSmart, not petco.

 

[SamsterAndRocky]

Re: sick rat

*this was a question about food for like 2 minutes........until i found the info i was looking for and realized that it was a stupid question and that there are tons of threads like this one used to be...and figured id save space and change it to something more urgent* but i appriciate ur reply rattikins (im trying to find something affordable other than kaytee to answer ur question.....but lets focus on my mama rat now)

 

[rattikins]

Re: sick rat

Okay, but just to finish helping you, Kaytee is very bad which you probably know as you're trying to switch.

Mazuri is VERY affordable. Go to PetSmart and you'll find it for about the same if not less than Kaytee.

Sorry to hear about your mama rat

 

[SamsterAndRocky]

i dont know what this is......mama rat in trouble

ok so i think the mama rat has a mamary tumor......or an abcess....are tumors hard, i didnt want to try to see if it was moveable cuz it looks like it hurts, and she bit me for lightly touching it......ill post pics of it when i can get her to stand up and stuff.....it grew pretty fast...in a matter of like a week or so......at this point we think she's just living for her babies, once they r weaned in a couple weeks (if she can make it that long) we think that she'll die

 

[SamsterAndRocky]

Re: i dont know what this is......mama rat in trouble

ok these were taken last night....the spot has gotten way bigger and ive been told that it started oozing pus and blood during the night...so now we're thinking its an abcess.....

this is a really good picture from last night...no colors have been altered:

 

[reachthestars]

Re: i dont know what this is......mama rat in trouble

Merged the two together. Please refrain from making multiple posts.

 

[SamsterAndRocky]

Re: i dont know what this is......mama rat in trouble

sorry.........



ok so another q.....is it safe to let the babies continue to nurse on her...or should we look into formula for them....they are just under 2 weeks old at this point, i think

 

[RatCrazy]

Re: i dont know what this is......mama rat in trouble

It looks like either a possible abscess or a clogged mammary duct to me. I would tr some hot compresses, My girl jsut had a tumor removed and it looked nothing like that. Have you tried squeezing it a bit? Maybe you should look at the sticky up top and follow those guidelines for an abscess. Or just take her to a vet.

 

[Kimmiekins]

Re: i dont know what this is......mama rat in trouble

I wonder if it's some sort of infection from nursing, or a blocked duct.

Why figure she'll die and not get medical care? It could be something very treatable (like an abscess). I suggest getting her to a vet.

 

[renay]

Re: i dont know what this is......mama rat in trouble

Looks like an infection to me, and that would also explain why she tried to bite you when you touched her.

 

[SamsterAndRocky]

Re: i dont know what this is......mama rat in trouble

they have no money to treat her, and no vets around here treat rats....and the car is busted.......here are some more recent pictures, i took them about 5 minutes ago......

 

[reachthestars]

Re: an abscess?......mama rat in trouble *graphic pictures*

Does that ever look like an abcess. You really lucked out this time. Please make sure you start up a rat vet fund so if you have an other emergencies you'll be able to afford proper vet care.

Put a warm damp cloth on it to help draw the infection out, and try squeezing it as though it's a zit. That scab should open right up and a thick chunky pus will come out, so make sure you have some papertowel/kleenex close at hand. Keep squeezing it untill you get just blood.

 

[renay]

Re: an abscess?......mama rat in trouble *graphic pictures*

Okay so I know I rant a lot about responsability when it comes to rats... But whenever you take on a pet you should make sure that you will have the money to take it to a vet if necessary... :s i'm not trying to be mean but I think you should try to make that clear to whoever owns these rats...

 

[SamsterAndRocky]

Re: an abscess?......mama rat in trouble *graphic pictures*

ok....i'll really try my hardest, its gonna be tough to get her out of the tank cuz she freaks out when someone even touches her........but i'll do my absolute best to take care of her.......another thing, the babies are still nursing (although they r strarting to try food) and the abscess is right near a nipple, should we try to keep the babes from nursing on that one?

 

[SamsterAndRocky]

Re: an abscess?......mama rat in trouble *graphic pictures*

Okay so I know I rant a lot about responsability when it comes to rats... But whenever you take on a pet you should make sure that you will have the money to take it to a vet if necessary... :s i'm not trying to be mean but I think you should try to make that clear to whoever owns these rats...

alot of stuff happened at once for them, they had money but then the guy had to go to the hospital, so they moved in with us...... there are people trying to kill/ scare his g/f....they slashed her tires the other nigght with a butcher knife, and she needs her car to go to work, so there went more money....lots of money cuz all 4 of the tires were un fixable,....they've just had a string of hard luck lately, and yes i know that they should do reserch on rats and stuff....i tell them that and they just say "you can take care of them sam"....so yeah, i might actually end up owning all of the rats soon, they gave me the other male they had yesterday.........but anyway i gotta go take care of mama........i'll post later and tell ya how it went

 

[renay]

Re: an abscess?......mama rat in trouble *graphic pictures*

How old are the babies? I think it may irritate the mother to have them suckling at a time like this but I also think it may stress the mother to remove them, or constantly be bothering with her babies :s blah, i think in a situation like this i'd let the mother deal with it...

 

[SamsterAndRocky]

Re: an abscess?......mama rat in trouble *graphic pictures*

the babies are just under 2 weeks old.....she doesnt really care when we play with the babies because she knows we'll give them back.....the trouble is gonna be getting her out of the tank so i can help her.

 

[RatCrazy]

Re: an abscess?......mama rat in trouble *graphic pictures*

http://www.ratforum.com/Forums/viewtopic/t=2723.html

That treatment outline is pretty much the same I have always used when anything abscesses. Even my cats tail got an abscess once and I did pretty much everything listed there.

 

[SamsterAndRocky]

Re: an abscess?......mama rat in trouble *graphic pictures*

how am i supposed to do it all myself.....its gonna hurt like **** for her......how hot should the towl be.....can i just let her sit in some worm water instead....... how long will it take to get the scab to fall off.....what if i dont do it right, is she gonna die if i cant do it right