[blueberry&Pickles]

Hello, over the last few weeks my 2, 2 yr and 3-month-old rats have gotten some sores and scabs on their skin (usually in the neck and face area, but some on the back too). One rat has more than the others, especially in the area behind his right ear. There is also something that looks like a yellowish brown, loose scab or a growth (seen in the photo below), in that area and it hasn't fallen off and it's been there for about 2 weeks or so. They don't seem to be in pain and I've never seen them actually bite each other as they rarely get in a serious fight, however maybe they are biting when they are power grooming? Or could this be mites, or something else? Any suggestions or advice would be much appreciated. Thank you.

 

[Tinytoes]

Hi and welcome to the forum! Sounds like mites to me. They are microscopic, so you only see the areas they scratch at. Behind the ears, the shoulders, even the mouth and chin area. You can use Kitten Revolution, use just one drop, rub between your fingers and put it between the shoulder blades. Doesn't take long for it to work, and in the meantime, use your fingers to groom them and loosen the scabs. They love it! 😊

 

[blueberry&Pickles]

Thank you for the suggestion, I will try that.

 

[Ratty_123]

Hello, over the last few weeks my 2, 2 yr and 3-month-old rats have gotten some sores and scabs on their skin (usually in the neck and face area, but some on the back too). One rat has more than the others, especially in the area behind his right ear. There is also something that looks like a yellowish brown, loose scab or a growth (seen in the photo below), in that area and it hasn't fallen off and it's been there for about 2 weeks or so. They don't seem to be in pain and I've never seen them actually bite each other as they rarely get in a serious fight, however maybe they are biting when they are power grooming? Or could this be mites, or something else? Any suggestions or advice would be much appreciated. Thank you. View attachment 310426

Welcome to rat forum! Glad your here! It very well could be mites. Read this article and treat every single rat you own for mites. 💛

Rat Sicknesses & Illnesses

 

[blueberry&Pickles]

Thank you, thank you!

 

[LT_2022]

Personally I'd get the rats to a vet for a proper diagnosis and treatment. Revolution is a prescription only product and no vet will prescribe it without seeing the pet first so you're going to have to make an appointment to see the vet anyways. Sure you can buy Revolution online but any reputable place (Chewy, etc) will need the name and phone number of your vet to confirm the prescription.

Besides treating the rats for parasites, you'll also need to thoroughly clean out the cage to remove any parasites and their eggs. Anything that is washable should be washed in hot water with soap. Use a diluted bleach solution for bowls, bottles, solid plastic things. Wood, rope, etc are not cleanable so I'd discard them and buy new ones. Food and bedding can be sources of parasites so discard what you have and buy new ones. Vaccuum and clean the floor if you allow your rats free roam time.

 

[blueberry&Pickles]

Personally I'd get the rats to a vet for a proper diagnosis and treatment. Revolution is a prescription only product and no vet will prescribe it without seeing the pet first so you're going to have to make an appointment to see the vet anyways. Sure you can buy Revolution online but any reputable place (Chewy, etc) will need the name and phone number of your vet to confirm the prescription.

Besides treating the rats for parasites, you'll also need to thoroughly clean out the cage to remove any parasites and their eggs. Anything that is washable should be washed in hot water with soap. Use a diluted bleach solution for bowls, bottles, solid plastic things. Wood, rope, etc are not cleanable so I'd discard them and buy new ones. Food and bedding can be sources of parasites so discard what you have and buy new ones. Vaccuum and clean the floor if you allow your rats free roam time.

Thank you. I actually made a vet appointment for this next week, as it does now seem with everyone's input that is probably mites. My biggest concern is this rat is very nervous one and always has been, soi am worried about stressing him out by going to the vet which is a bit of a drive, as he's already 2 yrs, 3mos, but seems like it may be worth it for the treatment and diagnosis. Question: should I disinfect everything immediately AFTER they start a medicinal treatment? THanks again for the reply and insight.

 

[LT_2022]

If you want to be extra cautious, you can start a deep clean now and then again once the rats are on treatment and maybe again after treatment is completed.

You can cover the carrier with a towel to keep the rat from seeing out and getting super stressed during the trip to the vet. Are you bringing all the rats or just the one?

 

[blueberry&Pickles]

If you want to be extra cautious, you can start a deep clean now and then again once the rats are on treatment and maybe again after treatment is completed.

You can cover the carrier with a towel to keep the rat from seeing out and getting super stressed during the trip to the vet. Are you bringing all the rats or just the one?

I was going to bring them both, for support and since they both probably have the mites. Would you recommend that?

 

[LT_2022]

Yes. If one rat has parasites, the other likely also does. Bringing them both also prevents any fighting later. The one that went to the vet smells weird and the rat that was left at home might not recognize his friend.

 

[blueberry&Pickles]

Yes. If one rat has parasites, the other likely also does. Bringing them both also prevents any fighting later. The one that went to the vet smells weird and the rat that was left at home might not recognize his friend.

Ahhh, that makes sense. Thanks again for all the tips. Feeling better about how to handle this now with all the info and advice.