Does head-butting mean anything if no other signs of illness

[Godmother]

Tonight when the girls were out playing, I noticed that Anna would do a little head butt whenever I patted her. She eats and runs normally, except for a slight splaying of the back legs (which is recent). I thinks that she is almost two years old, but I am not sure.

 

[Joanne]

My opinion is no. Petunia used to head butt all the time, but never developed a PT (at least not clinically). And sometimes my other rats do it too. I think they develop a instinctual reaction to pressure from above, perhaps to pack the tunnel roof when it's hanging down?

 

[Godmother]

Thats a relief. I'm not quite ready to face another PT yet. Anna seems just fine, but I was getting worried.

 

[KatTheHippie]

My roomate's boy Roman walks up to us and head butts us if he wants to be picked up and given attention

 

[SQ]

since it is a symptom of pt, I would suggest you keep a close eye on her
or start treating her now given the info you recently shared with me re the early treatment of pt

 

[Dahlas]

My girl Phoebe who lived to be well over 3 years old and was never on meds used to head butt all the time when she wanted loving...it was very demanding. LOL

 

[lilspaz68]

It can be sooo hard to determine whether the head butt you are observing is just being irritated or opinionated, or if its involuntary. Miniel is starting to head butt and I am sure its involuntary, but there's no other symptoms like you say. At this point I watch and wait. It may never turn into anything at all and Miniel's only about 19 months old, so I hope its a long time or no more symptoms. Maybe there's a PT in there causing this one symptom but no growing any further than that. I hope we both have the same luck Godmother. ((hugs))

I personally wouldn't treat at this time yet. I would wait until I saw a bit of confusion or the clubbing of the front feet when they turned, a laxness of their body, etc. I find then is when you will get the better results to treatment.

 

[Godmother]

Thanks. I have Zeta on watch, too, although she seemed better last night.

I am sure that it's involuntary (Anna). She doesn't come up to me and do it; it's her immediate response se to a pat on the head.

 

[lilspaz68]

Thanks. I have Zeta on watch, too, although she seemed better last night.

I am sure that it's involuntary (Anna). She doesn't come up to me and do it; it's her immediate response se to a pat on the head.

yeah I know what you mean, I pat Miniel and she has her eyes closed and she bumps.

 

[jorats]

It is hard to tell, I've had some do it as part of who they are and some that did it after starting a PT and then I had my Loki do it and it was her dementia.

 

[SQ]

Bessie has been head butting when her head is patted .... pretty much the only symptom until she stopped eating independently ....
So maybe it isn't pt but wishing I had started treating earlier as she might have had a better chance

 

[victoria]

If it's a new bevaviour, I would be concerned.

 

[Godmother]

Yes, it's new.

I was reading the Rat Health Care web pages on PT last week. They've been updated recently. I was surprised to know that females can develop it as early as 13 months.

PT is such a challenge for me because of the variety of possible symptoms and because of its often-insidious onset. How I wish I'd had Bromo and my current knowledge five and a half years ago, when I didn't detect PT until the last few days with my dear Corrie. But I learn more with every rat, and I am on the lookout for any behavior or personality changes. Guess that's good for any of the possible illnesses.

 

[victoria]

I think the reason I've had such good results with Bromo (3.5 and 5.5 months) is that I started right away, I didn't wait a few days to make sure if it was an off day. I don't know if I'd start with head bumping alone but if your gut tells you something's going on and you've ruled out illness, I'd start treatment.

 

[Godmother]

I'll be watching Anna and Zeta very closely. Lethargy has been a prodromal symptom in several cases.

 

[Joanne]

How I wish I'd had Bromo and my current knowledge five and a half years ago, when I didn't detect PT until the last few days with my dear Corrie. But I learn more with every rat, and I am on the lookout for any behavior or personality changes. Guess that's good for any of the possible illnesses.

Ah yes, we are all students in the School of Hard Knocks............