New rat w/ stained fur

[halcyonday]

This isn't an emergency, I don't think, but it didn't seem to fit anywhere else.

Three weeks ago I went to the pet store to get a pet gerbil, but was so attracted to a particularly friendly rat I ended up going home with her and a litter-mate instead. Though she wasn't marketed as a pet rat (she was snake food...), she was only a few weeks old, and quickly took to human companionship. She never bites and loves to cuddle.

Now she's developing a discolored reddish patch on the back of her neck, which I think is porphyrin from talking to other rat-owners. If I study her eyes very closely I can see traces of it, but it's clear she cleans it away very carefully. She's eating well and is very active. Should I take her to a vet for a checkup? I checked her breathing, but I'm not sure what else to do.

 

[victoria]

Sometimes white/light coloured rats get porphyrin staining on their fur as they wipe it from their face back towards their neck/shoulders. Some porphyrin production is normal, but rats will produce excessive amounts when sick or stressed. As long as she is able to groom it and does not have large amounts on her face (i.e. resembling a nose bleed) and she doesn't have any other symptoms of illness (frequent sneezing, congestion sounds, lethargy, poor coat condition, etc.) I would just keep an eye on her. Some of the staining should decrease as she gets comfortable with her new surroundings.

 

[halcyonday]

Thank you so much! She's curled up on my shoulder right now while I type, and making happy-rat-noises, so I'm pretty sure nothing too bad is wrong other than a little stress, I just wanted to make sure it wasn't a health issue of suddenly switching to hand-raising from her mother.

 

[victoria]

How old is she?

 

[halcyonday]

Eight weeks; four with the breeder, one at the pet shop, three with me.

 

[temblabamomo]

Any pics?
Is it a stain that wipes away, or does it stay put? Reddish "staining" on the back of the neck instantly brought rusting to my mind. I've got a PEW boy whose nape fur became ticked with reddish brown hairs here and there, as early as 11 weeks. I was certain it was porphyrin at first, but it's just his fur. At over a year now, it's come in all around his neck, kind of like a mane or beard. Just occasional reddish hair that I try to wipe away as porph until I realize oops, it's his fur.

 

[lilspaz68]

When a rat grooms its head, it rubs the inside of its wrists over its eyes and nose, cleaning off the porphryin, but then they do the arms over the neck scrub and it can cause the transfer of the porph to the back of their neck. It always amazes me how far back those little arms can go!

Can we see pics?

 

[jorats]

I would be concerned that such a young rat has that much porphyrin. Keep an eye on her breathing and listen to her lungs periodically.