Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have a rat thats gotten a rash with some hairloss right behind her shoulders and a little on her face. She's gotten it twice. My friends rat did the same thing before and it just seems to go away. Now another friend also has a rat doing this. What causes these "rashes"? Should they be treated, or is it fine to let them just go away?

Maybe try some triple antibiotic ointment.

>>Maybe try some triple antibiotic ointment.
>>

I'd try that first too. If it doesn't work I'd start thinking about the possibility that it's mites or lice. Lice especially start to show up in the fall months & it's getting close to that time of year.
Is there any itching?
If there is no itching then is there redness? If not another thing to look at is the cage mates. Sometimes rodents do what's called barbering.. they over groom one another & it can lead to hair loss which in that case isn't a big deal.
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PHRatz

Is it normal for them the barber to the point of bleeding? Its odd because its always in the same spot. I've been keeping an eye on her and I dont see to much in the way of itching. How do I treat for mites, just in case? Like I said, its not only in my rats. I know 2 other rats living in different homes that have this also. This will be the third time my rat has gotten it, and only this rat. The other 2 never got it. My friend had 2 rats and one of them got it twice, never the other. And another friend has a pair and one of them is starting to get it. I dunno, I just to make sure she is ok.

I use Sevin Dust for bug treatment. I just sprinkle a little in the bedding once a month.

Rashes or spots of skin that look irritated, swollen, red or bleeding..and hairless..can be caused by many things. Excessive grooming by cage mates (why they are over breeding could be caused by several things, stress being one of them), allergic reaction to food, bedding or something else, various parasites (ticks, lice, fleas etc), fungal or bacterial infections (ringworm) etc. Stress can cause rats to over groom eachother and themselves, rub or bite at their fur/skin etc.

To find out if its parasites, bacteria, (infections can be a secondary symptom, as bitting, scratching etc can leave open wounds that get infected, and thus compound the problem..and taking care of the bacteria won't necessary solve the underlying cause), or other reason, I suggest taking your rat to a good vet. He can do various tests and determine what is causing the hair loss and redness.
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PHLdyPayne