rock/booger/cyst...thing. WTH is this?

[temblabamomo]

Ages ago, I noticed a tiny lump under the skin behind Obie's left shoulder. It was hard, not attached to anything, and seemed not to bother him. It got to be the size of a maybe half a pea and stopped growing. Didn't feel any others, assumed it was just a harmless little cyst, and as long as Obie wasn't bothered by it, I wasn't going to worry too much.

About 2 or 3 months ago, I noticed it seemed to be migrating outward. Eventually, a tiny hard knot of a thing began to poke through the skin. Again, Obie didn't seem to care about or even notice the thing. Over time, it has pushed outward to a point where it seemed almost the entire thing was outside his body. Examining it last night, it finally wiggled right on out. I said "Look Obie, we finally got it!" He looked at me, indifferent, and wondered when I would bring him more tasty foods to nom, as it had beennearly 30 minutes since his last nommings.

What is it?

The hole it came out of did not bleed, looked quite healthy. Cleaned it up anyway, just in case. The thing itself was hard, but not so hard that I couldn't scrape at it and eventually crumble pieces off. The "roots" of it were soft whitish stuff that smelled reminiscent of toe jam...

 

[mamarat]

It looks to me like a keratin cyst. I've had lots of double rexes with those and they just kind of pop out.

 

[lilspaz68]

sebaceous cyst if it was on the back? Definitely some type of cyst...awesome you got such a cool pic of it!!

 

[jorats]

That's definitely a sebaceous cyst, more accurately a keratin cyst, especially since it's on the skin. Keratin cyst is a bunch of junk from skin cells to hair follicles. Most of them are easily popped out while others just stay under the skin and doesn't cause any harm.

 

[temblabamomo]

I've already read about those, but never actually seen one. Glad to know that's all it was.

 

[ratkin412]

My little hairless girl, Eve, had one just like that (this was a decade ago).

Now I know what it was.

Once it ejected itself the hole was clean and healed up completely. It was on her left shoulder, just like Obie's.

 

[Joanne]

Cool! Haven't had one on my kids yet, but good to see...

 

[jennifervb]

yum. :laugh4:

Guess I can only blame myself for opening this post up right after finishing lunch.... :sick2:

 

[hopefloats]

Templeton had one just like that it was under his neck. It was horrible looking!

 

[fumblesquid]

Reminds me of a growth I had once. It was called a cutaneous horn, though I doubt it would just fall off. I bet the others are right, anyways.

 

[maria-mar]

It seems exactly the same thing my hairless boy has on his back. It's been there for a while and appears to be just the exact same size for over three months. It doesn't seem to bother him, but i have an eye on it in case it starts to grow...

Is this more common on hairless and rex rats?

 

[jorats]

It is very common in hairless and double rex.

 

[RattieLover<3]

My double rex girl Eleanor had one a couple months ago. It was on her right shoulder as well. Although when it came out. It did bleed a little bit. I just cleaned it out with saline solution and it was basically healed the next day. :thumbup:

 

[Bundyrats]

The "roots" of it were soft whitish stuff that smelled reminiscent of toe jam...

:laugh4:

Just have to ask... WHAT is toe jam??? :lol:

 

[temblabamomo]

The "roots" of it were soft whitish stuff that smelled reminiscent of toe jam...

:laugh4:

Just have to ask... WHAT is toe jam??? :lol:

lol exactly what it sounds like. Go for a a couple of week without ever washing your feet and let me know what you find between your toes...