My rats are so stressful sometimes.

[Lourice]

I thought owning rodents is easy, but i'm learning that it really isn't.

So, I've mentioned before that my rat Louis scratches a lot, to the point where he has fur missing from his front paws. I've given him two doses of revolution (2 weeks apart, of course) but he hasn't gotten better.

Now, I've noticed that he is starting to have fur missing from his chest, as well. I've also been noticing, since his second dose of rev, little black things kind of like dandruff on his fur, but i'm not sure if that is dead mites or something else. he didn't have these the first time I gave him the rev so I don't know.

However, he is going through a rough time with his hormones/puberty right now. He's aggressive and extremely territorial, and he lives alone because him and my other rat do not get along.

Could his scratching be from stress due to hormones/puberty and living alone/living next door to another male? Or is it just mites but the revolution isn't working? Or is it something else?

I know you will ask for photos, but it's very hard to do that right now because he is so aggressive from the puberty. He has already attacked me a few times, only once he actually bit, so i'm a little nervous doing anything to piss him off. lol. i will try to get a photo of his legs, at least.

 

[victoria]

Fur missing from the front paws is usually barbering, not mites. Mites are microscopic so you would not see them dead or alive. Perhaps if was dandruff or lice nits.

 

[Lourice]

Fur missing from the front paws is usually barbering, not mites. Mites are microscopic so you would not see them dead or alive. Perhaps if was dandruff or lice nits.

I haven't heard of this before now, and it's a real eye opener!!

I googled it and a website says that one of the reasons that he might be barbering is due to hormonal imbalance, which makes sense.

he's been checked for lice, mites, and all other critters, and i've given him the revolution so i don't think it's that. i take him out multiple times a day, so he probably isn't doing it due to loneliness. and I did sort of notice him start doing this around the time that he started going through puberty/hormonal time.

This is suuuchhh an eye opener. I'm going to get him neutered as soon as possible, and see if it gets better.

thank you soo much for this!!!

 

[victoria]

It may very well be from loneliness, at least in part... no matter how much time you spend with them, you can't measure up to another rat. They'll both be so much happier after they're neutered and bonded

 

[jorats]

Ah, it's barbering! I've had a few rats do that too in the past. At least you know it's not buggies.

 

[temblabamomo]

It does sound more like barbering. But, for future reference if you're worried about mites, be sure to freeze any store bought bedding for 48 hours to kill any buggies in it - just as a preventative measure!

 

[Lourice]

It may very well be from loneliness, at least in part... no matter how much time you spend with them, you can't measure up to another rat. They'll both be so much happier after they're neutered and bonded

i just hope that they will actually get along and be intro'd successfully after the neuter.