ARG!!!!!! MITES OR LICE!

[xenrielle]

So I had noticed that Ruby has been scratching more that usual... I searched her fur and saw tiny little black things moving! 5 years with nothing! AND NOW!!! ALL 5 of my rats have it, even the 5 week old baby! AHHHHHHHHHHHHH! Off to the vet tomorrow. Awesome. Just friggin awesome!

 

[SQ]

Lice or something else.
You can not see mites, which is why we treat for them when we notice symptoms.
all the best tomorrow

 

[jorats]

It's definitely frustrating but something we all go through. I remember when we had it here, I had to treat all of mine, my mom's and my sister's rats... at the time, that was 69 or something like that.

 

[xenrielle]

Lice or something else.

I'm pretty sure it's lice cause I can see them. But will find out tomorrow. -_-;;;;;

 

[xenrielle]

It's definitely frustrating but something we all go through. I remember when we had it here, I had to treat all of mine, my mom's and my sister's rats... at the time, that was 69 or something like that.

Thank goodness I only have 5 lol. That would suck!

 

[ATez]

Oh my! And i went paranoid about having parasites on my 2 babies!

Good luck!!!! And make sure you make a clean up plan so you don't drive yourself crazy and you realise 2 days later that there's something you left "infected"!

 

[smmmiley]

Lice or something else.

I'm pretty sure it's lice cause I can see them. But will find out tomorrow. -_-;;;;;

How's it going?

How do they get lice/mites, etc...? Do you have cats too?

 

[koterasa]

Lice or something else.

I'm pretty sure it's lice cause I can see them. But will find out tomorrow. -_-;;;;;

How's it going?

How do they get lice/mites, etc...? Do you have cats too?

I too have just noticed lice on my two boys, Will and Henrhy. I am taking them to the vet tomorrow, however I have cats. Will this be a problem? Can cats catch them or carry them?

 

[lilspaz68]

"Lice are nice"...these particular lice only like and can live on rats. They are relatively easy to kill as well, one dose of Revolution, or 3 weeks of Ivermectin (with insane cage cleaning after each time) and they are gone.

Rats get lice or mites from having an infested rat come home with it. From paper/wood-based beddings that have been infested (it's best to freeze all these beddings for 48 hours to kill stowaways), or from you handling an infested rat and taking home the buggies on you to transfer to your own rats within a few hours.

All cats are safe from rat lice and mites...fleas are a whole different ballgame though.

 

[RatHeaven]

It sounds like mites i find when sam had his the lice was red and kinda looked like what people get but their could be other types of lice i would get some resloution

 

[lilspaz68]

mites are invisible to the naked eye, you will only see their symptoms. Scabs on neck, shoulders, face, chin, etc...from the rat scratching. The fur also may thin and become patchy as well.

Lice are visible to the naked eye and they love to start colonizing the rump and back of a rat. You can part the fur on the rump and look for those little cigar shaped beasties to move amongst the hair...the red colour is the blood they have just ingested from your rat.

 

[MomRat]

All cats are safe from rat lice and mites...fleas are a whole different ballgame though.

It's my never ending quest to inform the forums... There are several species of mite which are not picky as to who they eat. They can cross from Dogs to cats to Rats to Rabbits and even people. If you can see the buggies, they are not going to spread to your other pets. If you can't, they can. =)