The Rat Room

There will come a time where you will need to accommodate your aging rat or rats. You will notice your rat is aging when he starts to slow down and won’t eat as much. At this time, you need to prepare his habitat and care as well as prepare yourself for the end of his journey. Check their teeth often, older rats tend to not brux as much or eat hard blocks like they used to. This might also be the time to start offering mushy foods. The best thing to do is add water to the rat block to get it soft. You can give baby food, baby cereal or even Ensure/Boost as a supplement. If you have males, you will need to check for penis plugs which is a waxy build up inside the penis prepuce as well as keeping an eye on their coats and the sebum. Males produce buck grease but are usually pretty good in keeping it clean but as they age, they tend to give up on the whole grooming the body process. You will also need to tend to their nails, trim them before they get too long and curl underneath into their digits. Marinating is another issue with oldies. Old rats seem to urinate where they sleep, this can aggravate the genitals as well as surrounding skin. You will need to clean your ratties as they need it, possibly every day.
Older rats do require extra care and attention but they give back so much in turn. This is usually the time where cuddling and bonding is priority in their every day routine.
Loss of mobility is another big issue, but definitely does not mean the end of his life. Rats can have quality of living even if they can’t move anymore. They will develop upper body muscle and drag themselves around and continue to do the things they enjoy like eating, exploring and cuddling with rat buddies.
Some oldies are open to young cage buddies at this time. It can rejuvenate them. On the other hand, some oldies prefer a quieter lifestyle so this will be something you will need to watch for. Feel their energy and what they are telling you.
Many people are faced with a lone oldie. This is the hard part. What to do with your lone oldie. If you plan on keeping rats, I’d suggest getting him or her buddies. You will need to know if younger or older is better for your oldie. There is no magic answer, it’s up to your rat. Allow for an adjustment period before you decide it’s not working out with a buddy, all rats pretty much need to be convinced that their life will be better with a companion.
How to set up the habitat for the oldies. It might be time to remove all levels and ramps. You don’t want grampa rat tumbling off the shelf. You can set up your hammocks low to the ground. Give them plenty of boxes and tissues to make easy nests. Bring down your water bottles or better yet, offer shallow bowls of fresh water. Food dishes should be smaller so the rat doesn’t need to get up too high to get his food. Change your bedding often so not to irritate the belly of the dragging rat.
Rats go through all the stages of life much too soon in my opinion but each rat is different. Your 24 month old might be old, yet another 30 month old might still be young…each rat is different and should be treated accordingly.
Love your oldies as much as your babies… the end times are just as special.

These three are my mom’s sweeties, well over 30 months old and enjoying their retirement home.
Shhh…. sleeping oldies.

For many years, I’ve been a strong advocate for rat blocks, mainly because they are the *only* food item that contains all the nutrients required for the rat in one hard block. Not only does it ensure a balanced meal but it also satisfies the chewing need of the rat.

On The Rat Shack, we are lucky to have Sorraia (Nicole) with us. She is a biologist and has studied, cared for and bred rats for over 2 decades. Recently she has decided to tackle the difficult task of breaking down the rat’s diet. She has put together a chart of sorts, comparing different foods that are being offered to rats in the rat community. There are still people out there giving their rats, dog food, which in my opinion and that of several vets is totally unsuitable. Nicole also breaks down what is found in dog food. You’ll see that most do seem to contain a lot of what the rat requires yet all dog food is usually devoid of vitamin K which is extremely important for our rats. If you feed a dog food, you really need to supplement to ensure the rat is getting everything he/she needs.
Not only is dog food not a balanced diet for the rat but even more importantly, it is NOT ENERGY DENSE ENOUGH for our rats. Rats require their energy to come from carbs and not fats and protein like it is for dogs. All dog food is loaded with meats for DOGS!
Use the chart to compare your blocks, or to help you supplement if you find your rat diet is currently lacking.
If you intend to or already do use the Suebee’s mix, you MUST!!! follow the recipe exactly. Nicole told me that the Total cereal is really the one food that allows to make that diet complete. So if you live in Canada and don’t have access to Total, your Suebee’s mix could be harming your rat.
Another thing you need to keep in mind about the Suebee’s mix, your rat NEEDS! to eat every single piece added to the mix. Assuming your rat is eating every bit is dangerous. If one rat decides he doesn’t like the Total cereal and leaves it for his buddies to consume, you will have a seriously sick rat on your hands in no time.

I recommend every rat lover should bookmark Nicole’s blog NOM-ology. As a rat lover, diet should be very important to you as it is one factor that will determine how long your rat will live.

Rats have very sensitive lungs and are prone to lung infections. If your rat is wheezing, check to see what kind of detergent or cleaner you are using in and around your rats’ habitat.

Degreasers may contain petroleum distillates, which can damage lung tissues and dissolve fatty tissue around nerve cells.
Glass Cleaners may contain ammonia. Ammonia fumes can irritate the skin, eyes and respiratory system.
Oven Cleaners can be one of the most dangerous cleaning products, which can cause severe damage to eyes, skin, mouth, and throat.
Toilet Bowl Cleaners can be extremely dangerous cleaning products, which can be harmful just by breathing the fumes, and fatal if swallowed.

Everyone with any pets and children should do a routine check of what’s under their sink. Here are the key ingredients you need to look for and properly dispose of:
SODIUM HYDROXIDE – Inhalation is immediately irritating to the respiratory tract. Contact can cause severe damage to the eyes, skin, mouth, and throat. It can cause liver and kidney damage.May be found in: dishwashing liquids, laundry products, oven cleaner,
scouring cleansers and tub and tile cleaners.
HYDROCHLORIC ACID – Can cause severe damage to skin and be harmful to your health, just by breathing the fumes, it can be fatal if swallowed. May be found in odor eliminators and toilet bowl cleaners.
BUTYL CELLOSOLVE – Can cause irritation and tissue damage from inhalation. May be found in: all-purpose cleaners, cleaning wipes,
degreasers, floor polish, rug shampoos, toilet bowl cleaners, tub and tile cleaners and window cleaners.

Before buying and using a household cleaner be sure to research it’s ingredients. Don’t bring hazardous products into your home and putting your life and pets’ lives at risk. Educate yourself.

In my home, I rely on my vinegar and mild dish detergent. Every few months, I disinfect my pet rooms with diluted bleach and rinse them out very well. Be safe and keep your pets safe.

Well for most of us anyway. This is the time of year when you need to make sure ratties are kept warm and dry. Some rats are housed in basements or other cool areas of the house so here are a few ideas on how to keep ratties happy during the cool and cold.
You can add lots of extra fleece in the cage. It’s a good time to either get sewing or buy some hammocks and cubes, load it up with fleece scraps. Rats will soon get to work to build their little nests. Be sure to change them and clean them out every few days. You can also add a few boxes like soda pop boxes, give them shredded paper to close up their opening.
You can also cover the cages partly with cardboard or coroplast or even an old blanket or throw. I say old because those will get dragged into the cage pretty fast and shredded as that is a rattie’s favourite past time. Make sure you don’t have the cage near any windows or doors to the outside, warm air always escapes through cracks and cool air takes it’s place. You might want to run a dehumidifier or a humidifier depending on the humidity readings in your home. If you decide to run a warm mist vaporiser, be sure to be on the lookout for mold on the walls. Also, some people will place warm water bottles in the cage. Warm up the water, place in a plastic bottle, wrap it up in a sock and place it centrally in the cage.
Be sure to take extra care if you have hairless rats, best thing for them, get them their own personal fur coats… yep, extra furred rat buddies. lol

When is it time to let go? When do you do that final vet trip? All rattie moms and dads struggle with that decision, one of the hardest ones to make. Rats are prey animals so they conceal their pain and suffering very well. It’s always hard for us to see when our beloved little pet needs help moving on. For me, I wait for a sign or if I see that they’ve stopped eating and/or are panicking in the cage, unable to catch a breath. Most times I’m afraid I’ve waited too long but then bringing them in too soon is also my worst fear.
Sawyer has been battling lung disease for quite some time. We simply can’t beat this one so the poor boy was constantly on and off meds, combos and nebulizing. We did it all and finally, I decided this is it. I need to stop meds and let him go when he tells me it’s time. Believe me, that’s the hardest decision to make and not one I make fast. Sawyer started to have small panic attacks in the cage, which is understandable, his lung capacity is so low, and I’m amazed he can still walk. I had made the call to my vet on a Thursday to bring him in to be put to sleep the next day… Sawyer was going downhill fast. But as Friday rolled around, something wasn’t sitting quite right with me. I looked at Sawyer; his big bright shiny eyes stared back at me. “I still have some fight left in me Mom”, was the message I was getting. So I said ok… we’ll do this together. So I called the vet and cancelled. That was a couple of months ago. Today, Sawyer is sounding better than ever. He’s active, has a great appetite and can still compete with his cage buddies for whatever interests him. Just yesterday I caught him flipping over one of his buds, gently of course because Sawyer doesn’t have a rough bone in his body. Every day I count my lucky stars that I listened to Sawyer. We wouldn’t have had this time together. I wouldn’t have seen him recover well enough to see him enjoy his life again. I’m still getting my Sawyer cuddles.<3

A pic of Sawyer taken today during his play time.

Urinary tract infections or bladder infections are very common in rats. It’s one of the ailments to look out for. In my previous colonies, I’ve never really noticed it but then I may not have been totally aware of the symptoms. The most obvious symptom is blood in the urine. But there are also others like porphyrin due to stress, listless due to pain, loss of appetite, dehydration and the little known back end mobility change. I call it the drunk walk. A friend of mine had a rat that looked like he was becoming paralyzed yet all along he had a bladder infection. Meds cleared him up and had him walking straight again.
The best meds in my opinion for such an infection is Clavamox or Chlorpalm. Baytril seems to work as well but not as fast and possibly not as effective.
When you find small blood spots in the cage, it’s imperative that you find the sick rat and medicate him/her immediately.
In a colony, the best way to find out who’s the sick rat, separate each one for an hour or two, in a carrier or hospital cage, lay down paper towels so you can see the colour of their urine.
It’s an easy fix if caught early. Bladder infections can be extremely painful and lead to worse infections which can affect the kidneys.
If you feel your rat is off, having a bad day, be sure to visit the vet and get them feeling good again.

When rats require surgery, it’s quite common for the rat to remove his/her sutures. First thing you do is don’t panic. It’s has happen a few times with mine and once left quite a large gaping hole. If you are very concerned a call to the vet is always a good idea. But, in most cases, nothing needs to be done. Vets usually use hidden internal sutures so when the outside ones get ripped open, it’s not that big of an issue. You keep it clean, keep an eye on it and within a few days it will close up and heal. Do not put any kind of ointments that promote healing like neosporin or polysporin. This can cause for an abscess to form or worse yet, a deep infection. Rats need to heal from the inside out and not outside in. The wound stays open long enough to drain and slowly closes itself when it’s time. In most cases, a cut will be healed within hours, for surgical wounds, it can take 3 days or more. Make sure there are no foul odour coming from the area, this would indicate infection and a trip back to the vet would be a must.
Some vets like to use staples. If you have a choice, ask your vet not to use staples. Rats rarely leave it alone and will pry them off quite fast and might even cause more damage in the process. I had a rat get his bottom lip caught in a staple. Rats don’t like to have anything on them, they will be relentless at trying to take it off.
If you do find your rat is always grooming the area, or tugging at it, this could indicate pain and pain management would be required. My vet uses metacam. It’s effective and quite safe in rats. Some vets try to use an e-collar on a rat. Not a good idea, same reason as staples, they will stop at nothing to take it off…
A day or two alone, with pain management and a good mom and dad watching over rattie is all it takes to heal properly.

Nakies, naked, hairless, true hairless, some double rexes all need some slightly extra care. I have had a couple of hairless rats as well. My first one was a true hairless named Frisson TiNu and most recently I have little Meeko, he’s more a double rex who has lost 80% of his hair which is quite normal.
It has been said in the past that a certain type of hairless rat didn’t live long and had serious respiratory issues. This was true of my first little guy. Despite my efforts and his good fight, he finally lost the battle at 14 months old. But since then, more and more breeders are making these “fancy” rats, cross breeding, inbreeding, linebreeding, the hairless seems to have gotten a bit stronger and not as susceptible to respiratory issues. But they still have plenty of others. Since the hairless have their skin exposed all the time, they do dry out faster. Their skin can become flaky and dirty. It has been suggested to me by my vet to apply moisturizer once in a while, a favourite is one with added oatmeal. Don’t bathe these guys too often, it will be even harsher on their skin, the water and drying with a towel removes their much needed oils.
Although they seem like little breathing furnaces, they do need extra warmth with added bedding like fleece in the cage. They also love to cuddle with their furred little buddies. Don’t get alarmed if your nakie seems to get cut up a lot, that is all part of not having a true coat. If he had fur, his cage mate probably wouldn’t be leaving a mark on him. That’s no reason for separating the hairless from buddies.
Also, don’t get alarmed if your fuzzy double rexe loses his coat. He might very well find it again a week’s time or even a few months. It’s all part of their genetically altered coat.
Other issues are eye gunk. Without the protection around the eyes, they seem to be prone to a collection of debris under the eye lids. Their eyes might become red and swollen. Sometimes over the counter eye drops can help but it’s highly recommended you bring your rat to a vet for a proper cleaning out and the right antibiotic eye ointments.
Another big problem is keratin cysts. These are lumps on the skin containing sacs or capsules of cells and protein. The lumps are usually harmless but you must keep an eye on them because they could become infected or be part of a blocked gland. In some occasions, they may need to be surgically removed.
There was a time when people recommended feeding your hairless rat extra protein because they have a higher metabolism, but I have honestly never found any documents supporting that theory. All the rats here and at my mom’s do very well on a 14% protein and nothing higher. Don’t believe everything you read online. *wink wink*
But overall, the hairless rat is a lovely pet, with the same unique characters of your furred rats and their body heat is a welcome hot potato during the winter months. Grab your little naked and put him in your neck… you’ll be all set to go.

Frisson

Meeko

Some rats can be aggressive but it’s really not that common. But in females, their moodiness can be misinterpreted as aggressive tendencies. Intact females can be very forceful and determined.
Females go through a heat cycle every 4 to 5 days. In some rats, it’s not noticeable while in others, it’s quite obvious. A rat in heat will do funny little hops, flutter their ears and even arch their backs dramatically when you touch them. Some females like to do back kicks at their buddies, hoping to convince them to join in the chase and do the courting dance.
It’s also not uncommon to have females get pushy and cranky during their heat. The desire to procreate is very strong. It’s 100 times worse if you happen to have males in the home which is why I always strongly advise against having both sexes. It’s stressful and not fair to the rats, either male or female. The rat will constantly and desperately try to reach the opposite sex. Rats can sense them from far away, they can “talk” to each other as well and will spend their every waking moment trying to reach their “honey”. This is another reason why spaying your rats is highly beneficial.
Spats or fighting can also occur with food. Some rats and I’ve seen this mostly in females become obsessive with stashing. The rat might even hunt down, flip and pin another rat in order to remove the food from their mouth so they can then stash it in their special spot. This is not necessarily aggression, simply an addiction. You can try to alleviate it by free feeding your rats and offering several dishes with food. Also, finding the stash in the cage and dispersing the food several times during the day will help keep the peace.
All these little quirks make our rats unique and so very lovable.

Rats don’t rely much on their sense of sight. Their eye sight is weak so rats depend on their other senses like the sense of smell and feel (whiskers) to manoeuvre their way through life. Rats can have either black eyes, red eyes or pink eyes. The lighter the eye colour the weaker their sense of sight, which is why many red and pink eyed rats sway from side to side to gauge depth and to focus.
Eyes should be bright and clear of any porphyrin which is a sign of stress and/or illness. Rats also have a third membrane. Sick rats or very old rats’ eyes may sometimes appear to be dull, this is their third membrane staying up because it no longer retracts easily.
Some rats also have cataracts. There are several causes for cataracts: trauma or injury, congenital or spontaneous.
Most rats are not bothered by their cataracts; it rarely affects them since eye sight is not all that important to them to begin with. But in some cases, rats with cataracts develop chronic inflammatory in the eye, secondary to lens associated uveitis. If that occurs, long term anti-inflammatory drops would be required.
It is also not uncommon for rats to get a scratch in the eye. Most times this does not require too much care other than putting antibiotics drops in the eye, twice daily. The eye usually clears up fast enough.
A lump behind the eye is also a possible concern although not very common. This can be a tumour or an abscess which can be treated by trying antibiotics and a steroid or other recommendations by your vet. One of the first symptoms you’ll notice is a very unpleasant odour around the eye. Finally, the eye begins to bulge and starts to pop out of it’s socket. In some severe cases it may require an enucleation of the eye. I have seen a few rats undergo this procedure and came out of it quite well. Rats adapt amazingly well without their eyes. In fact, I’ve known a wonderful rat named Boo who was born with no eyes. Of course this fact had destined him to become snake food but he was saved this fate by my mom. Boo lived a full productive life, all without ever having the sense of sight.

Boo

Charlie with a congenital cataract.

Angel with a cataract due to trauma to the eye.