Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I posted this in the Feeder forum, but I am not sure how much traffic that gets. I noticed today that in one tub all the babies (about 2 weeks old) appear to have a golden yellow diarreha. The four mothers have no signs of wet-tail or any loose stool. Can anyone give me suggestions on a possible cause and cure. I am thinking of getting some Dri-tail to treat the mothers just incase but don't know if this will benefit the babies. Any help would be appreciated.

Jeff

some baby rats get a lil' diarreha when they start nibbling on the rat food for the first time, it goes away shortly. unless they start dying on ya, then you got a problem.
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MikeJ-solar serpents

Might be the beginning of megacolon, or a similar disease. Google megacolon and see if the symptoms match up - I can't remember them off the top of my head.

Might also be just the normal color of stool from babies that are still living primarily off of milk. Most babies that I've seen do poop yellowish soft stuff at first.

Check the diet, check fancy rat breeders' sites for information on possible diseases, and be prepared to scrap those moms and the dad if they've got something inheritable.

~jenny
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"Polysyllabism in no way insures that what you're saying is actually worth being heard." - Blake (an e-friend of mine)

"I have never made but one prayer to god, a very short one: "O lord, make my enemies ridiculous." And he granted it." - Voltaire

Thanks for the input. Except for the diarreha itself they show no other syptoms associated with megacolon. Also the diarreha is yellow gold (not greenish) and has no desernable odor. As far as diet they are fed Mazuri lab blocks. The pregnant and nursing mothers are supplimented with Iams dog food (no red dye).The parents are all animals that I produced myself and held back. I am think either the dog food is making the lactate to rich or theres a viral agent. I am dosing the mothers with Dri-tail as a precaution, but I am not sure if it will be passed on through the lactate. I guess I will just watch them and see what happens.

Jeff