What is this!

[MaryCayden]

I have 2 ratties who were infested with lice. They had their second treatment of revolution yesterday and still have these white flaky stuff all over their fur. Plus their skin is an orange flaky color. What could this be? Is it still lice? and what will make their skin go like that?

 

[lilspaz68]

Boys right? Looks like nits (lice eggs glued to the hair shaft) and buck grease as well. Nothing too scary.

 

[MaryCayden]

How do i get rid of the eggs? Theyre not coming off. And will buck grease turn white fur orange to? I never saw it on seven before

 

[MumsyRat]

A couple of good baths and combing with the finest possible comb you can find should have them looking good as new! I had a boy who had a terrible problem with buck grease and the only thing I could do was bath him regulary. (Although I read in another thread that regular doses of olive oil will cure it. Can anyone confirm this?)

 

[fenshae]

The orange *might* still be lice -- take a good look and see if you can spot them moving.

As for the nits, they're glued on veeeery tight and you pretty much have to pick them off one at a time. The easiest way it to use a flea comb and rinse it in soapy water between uses. But the nits themselves don't hurt anything -- they stay on the hair follicle after they hatch and don't go away. So if you can't get them all off it's not a huge deal.

I would definitely check to make sure the orange flakes aren't lice, though. I had a pair of boys I thought were just greasy but were definitely lice infested

 

[MaryCayden]

but its like a coat of orange skin almost. It reminds me of jaundice.

 

[jorats]

but its like a coat of orange skin almost. It reminds me of jaundice.

It's buck grease. Boys get this when they get older or when they reach maturity and become hormonal.
I've also heard that a bit of olive oil helps with removing it... but not sure on that.

 

[lilspaz68]

A good healthy diet, and a bit of olive oil on toast everyone once in awhile is supposed to help with buck grease production.

If the fur ends up greasy and dirty from it, you can bathe just the affected bit with dishwashing liquid.

 

[SQ]

My sister's children caught lice at school several years ago. After everything was dead, it took her quite awhile to pick/comb off all the dead eggs from the hair shafts.
As everyone has said, the orange discoloration on their skin is buck grease. It is a hormonal secretion that unneutered boys get.
As previously mentioned, if they get too greasy and dirty you can wash/wipe those areas off and rinse well.

 

[MaryCayden]

Ok thanks guys

Seven was neutered and I never saw this on him. Plus I had 2 girls. So i'm new at this un-neutered situation lol

 

[LA]

I was under the impression that regular bathing can in fact increase buck grease production.

 

[henry's_mum]

I was under the impression that regular bathing can in fact increase buck grease production.

this was my understanding too LA....

 

[jorats]

I was under the impression that regular bathing can in fact increase buck grease production.

this was my understanding too LA....

Yes it does. So bathing shouldn't be done too often.