Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi I have a medium colony of about 25 females, some 5 males and a lot of babies. These are for my ball python collection.

To prevent endogamy I searched as much sources of rats as I could to start my colony. I keep my rats in c 30 trays that fit in a steel rack.

About 2 moths ago I found a female with its back full of scars partially disguised with its fur. I thought it was some king of agression from the other female that lived in the same tray so i took it and and place it in another one. About a month ago I found that some others rats were showing that same kind of scars and now I think it can be a mite problem cause the problem seems to be spreading to whole colony.

Does anybody had a problem like this before??
Thanks a lot to take the time to read my problem!

What are you feeding them?
It could be hot spots from too much protien or a parasite problem.

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Shannon in Reno
2.3 dogs
1.0 cat
Bunch O fancy rats and mice
50 something chickens
0.1 Black rat snake
0.2 Albino corn snakes
0.1 Chissel tooth kangaroo rat
0.1 Rosy Boa
0.1 Kenyan Sand Boa
1.0 Amazing Boyfriend

what food are you feeding to your rats. i am no expert but have done a lot of reading in the last month because i am just setting up my rats. i have read that too much protein in it can cause skin problems. moste recomend protein under 20%

Hi, thanks both of you for the reply. I feedeing my rats 21% protein dog food. As read on this page http://www.petrat.info/ I'm going to make a test changing the rats diet for 10 days and wait to see what hapend...

The dog food is more then likely the problem.
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Shannon in Reno
2.3 dogs
1.0 cat
Bunch O fancy rats and mice
50 something chickens
0.1 Black rat snake
0.2 Albino corn snakes
0.1 Chissel tooth kangaroo rat
0.1 Rosy Boa
0.1 Kenyan Sand Boa
1.0 Amazing Boyfriend

wow I agree with dave dog food sucks. I buy some rats from other "local" breeders that use them for there own stock (i wholesale) and get a 20% loss on the rats. I use two blocks locally made. 15% protine and 6% fat and 18% protine and 4% fat. Go to a farm store and get grains. wheat and barly and some corn. I just bought safflower seads with good results and shelled sunflower seeds also with good results. Research ring worm. Are the spots bald and spreading? Get tinnactin powder and dust the bedding if so. get some pics.

Do not use Tinnactin powder in the bedding! You'll scar the lungs of your rats and digestive systems if they get some on their food.

We need pictures to better tell you what it is. Tinnactin is for fungas like ring worm and athletes foot. If your worried that it is spreading, you need to quarantine them away from the main colony IMMEDIATELY.

Fungal infections can do some harm on rats, but shouldn't cause a massive outbreak. Take one to the vet to diagnose what it really is.

I also think that dog food is for dogs, and rat food is for rats. With awesome brands out there like Mazuri that's about the same price if not cheaper than dog food, why wouldn't you want to provide the proper nutrition?

Many food allergies are very passable onto their offspring, along with other diseases. Choosing only the best, biggest and calmest rats to hold back will help you weed out the bad genes and produce a flourishing colony.

In the meantime, dont treat their bedding unless you want dead or sick rats.

Dog food is for dogs, not rats. I don't care what people say. What's happening to you rats is just another reason not to feed rats dog food in my opinion.
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www.strictlyballs.ca

Odds are it is mites and NOT too much protein. I had a severely infested rat that I thought was due to protein. I let it go too long and most of my others got infested.

The protein "allergy" is quite rare and unfortunately rodent mites are quite common.

Try Revolution for cats. 1 drop per rat between the shoulder blades.

Thanks a lot for taking the time to reply

My rats eat dog food because there is no way to find rat food in Mexico, anyway if this can be the problem I'm going to try something else.

The afected areas are not bald but hanve a little less hair than the not afected ones. I'm going to try to post some pictures during the day.

Thanks again!

If they are really scabby and scratching all the time, most probably mites. Ive found the best solution is "Revolution for cats". Get the small cat version and apply 1 drop to the back of the neck (on skin) of every single rat. Even those not affected.

It will stay in their system for 30 days. The mite life cycle is about 2-3 weeks so it will effectively break the life-cycle of the mite and eliminate all of them, even those that hatch later.

I had some severely mite infested rats last year and tried Revolution and it was cleared up in a couple weeks. They never came back.

There are however 2 possible problems...I have no idea how it will affect their health as feeders. I imagine that after 30 days they should be safe to eat, so perhaps freeze off some clean feeders before you dose them all. It gas to be done to all of them and at pretty much the same time.

It also requires a prescription in the US and it may be hard to get it prescribed for rats. You can order it online from overseas pet med vendors, as it's sold OTC in Australia and New Zealand.

I ordered it from petshed.com and got it in about a week.

Unless you are feeding food that is mid 20%s or higher this is likely not the issue.
There are as many ways to feed and raise rats as there are people doing it.I have raised rats on dog food for many years and not had this issue except in pet rats that were just laying around getting fat.
Likely you have some sort of allergic reaction or parasite. I would suggest you be sure there are not dyes in the food. Likewise I would avoid cat food with HIGH protein.
Besides mites I have seen rats react to bedding that is dry or too dusty. Cedar or derivatives of it are gonna cause issues. Cat litter....seen that used against advise and turned the skin nasty.
How old are the rats it is affecting? If they are all older that may be it. If it varies I would look to the environment they are kept.
If it is mites I would treat with a small animal spray if it is available and then remember NOT to feed any off for a few weeks to a month after the last application.
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Sonya

I'm not mean. You're just a sissy.
Happy Bunny

If you've decided that it is a parasite problem like mites, fleas or lice, you can also lightly (key word here is "lightly" treat the aspen bedding. Spray a little, toss it up, spray a little more.

Let it dry completely and put the rats back in.

I have to caution that some people argue very vehemently to not use the small drops because of the concentration. The concentration for kittens is still too high for rats based on weight.

I have luckily never had to use it, but I would rather use the spray the same way as the drops. Put a drop or two on the back between the shoulder blades.

Good luck, all of the rats will need treatment.