Stroke?

[rainbowbrat23]

I had Strider out today for freetime and I noticed his back legs are getting worse. It's like he drags his back feet/legs now, and kinda waddles his backside.

Should I put him in a one level cage now? He seems to do ok with the bars in his cage, but they like drag and just flop behind him as he walks down them. I covered the top set ramp with linoleum, but left the bottom one because it was kinda hard/awkward to reach.

I can't take him to the vets until the 18th, so I thought I would ask you guys.

Thanks.

Edit: We are not sure of his age, but we are thinking close to 3 years old.

 

[jorats]

It's called rear end degeneration and very very common in our aging males. Some females get it too but mostly our old men.
You could put him in a one level cage, to make his life easier but don't stress him out if it means pulling him away from his cage buddies.
I've got a few with rear end degeneration and they are still living in a 3 level FN. My old girl Loki now has it too... she's my first female that I've ever seen have rear end degeneration. She's 41 months old.

 

[rainbowbrat23]

oh...that was a quick response..LOL..thanks!

OK, so it's common...ok...I have never had males beore, he was my first, and then I got X at 4 or 5 weeks, and introed him and strider at 9 weeks.

He seems to get around ok, but just real slow, and it looks soo uncomfortable!

I dunno if he would be ok alone, he has had X with him for about 3 months, but he was a lone rat before X and before I got him...according to the crazy lady I got him from

I dunno...should I separate him?

 

[jorats]

I wouldn't separate him, not yet. Can you cover the ramps to make it softer? I know it looks painful but mine get around pretty good even though, they drag their legs and their little feet get stuck behind.

 

[rainbowbrat23]

ya, I have the top ramp done, I will have hubby do back ramp..lol

Thanks Jo!

 

[jorats]

You're very welcome!!
Close to 3 years old is amazing!! lucky little guy!

 

[rainbowbrat23]

Just to give you a little info on him, he was found from craigslist...and Elvira is his daughter...The ad said they came with a "large cage and a smaller cage" So I emailed her and she said that she would bring them to me.

They showed up, and she tells me she has had him for almost 2 years, and he was like 6 months old when she got him (I have had them since jan 07).
Strider escaped and was "in the wild" for a week. When I brought him to the vet he had lice and was malnutritioned. They had sesame seeds in their food bowls, and newspaper for bedding....

This is what Strider came in...The "large" cage:

And this is what Elvira came in...the "small" cage:

And strider when we first got him:

and Strider now:

So ya....I didn't even intend to get them....My email stated that I hoped she would find someone, and they were really cute, buit I was WAAAYY to far...she emailed me back and said she would deliver, so how could I resist?? I had the extra cage, and at that point the RUUD was on it's way!

 

[jorats]

I know what you mean... loads of time, I just email for more info and end up getting them after all. lol
It's so hard to resist. But good for you and good for Strider that he's with you now.

 

[ratswentberserk]

There is a product in the UK called Senior Aid which is a nutritional supplement and which was recommended to us by the rescue were we adopt our ratties from.

We have elderly girls in the house and Gretchen's legs started to get weak a while back. We have been giving Gretchen and her sister senior aid for maybe 2 or 3 weeks now and the change is amazing. Senior Aid contains vitamin B12 the lack of which I understand can cause hind leg degeneration. Maybe you can look for a similar product over there.

This is what I'm talking about:

http://www.ratwarehouse.com/shop_view.php?cat=11

I would love my ratties to get to such an amazing age as yours!

 

[rainbowbrat23]

thanks for the info