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Something is going on, but I'm not sure what. I have 4 tubs of rats going right now. 3 rats from 2 different tubs have come up with these wounds about the head and neck. It is the male in one tank, and the male and one female in another tank. Both tanks have other rats that do not seems to be effected. The rats with the wounds only appear to have wounds about the head and neck area. They look like infected flea bites to me, but I do not see any fleas, and none of the other rats in those tubs are showing symptoms. I'd say a bully, but it is happening in two different tubs.....so two bullies with exactly the same wound pattern occuring in two different tubs?

I tried to take pics, but it was hard to get a good pic. Mostly you can feel the raised scabby areas more than see them, but this pic shows some of it on one of the males.

What do you think?

>>Something is going on, but I'm not sure what. I have 4 tubs of rats going right now. 3 rats from 2 different tubs have come up with these wounds about the head and neck. It is the male in one tank, and the male and one female in another tank. Both tanks have other rats that do not seems to be effected. The rats with the wounds only appear to have wounds about the head and neck area. They look like infected flea bites to me, but I do not see any fleas, and none of the other rats in those tubs are showing symptoms. I'd say a bully, but it is happening in two different tubs.....so two bullies with exactly the same wound pattern occuring in two different tubs?
>>
>>I tried to take pics, but it was hard to get a good pic. Mostly you can feel the raised scabby areas more than see them, but this pic shows some of it on one of the males.
>>
>>What do you think?
>>
>>

I would lean toward self inflicted scratching. I would think possibly bugs or even just dusty bedding. I would thoroughly clean cages and mop down around them with a simple flea spray on a rag. See what happens.
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Sonya

The appearance is that of typical self-inflicted scratching trauma. I'd say, without examining them, that your rats are most probably infested by lice.

Lice are species specific (human lice are Pediculus humanus, rat lice are Polyplax spinulosa, and mouse lice are Polyplax serrata). That means that they won't cross over from rats to mice or to humans. This makes them very easy to eliminate. The best and simplest method, is by administering Ivermectin injections (0.1 cc per 100 grams), two doses at a ten-day interval. There's also an Ivermectin-containing feed that you may be able to obtain. If feed is used, it should be fed for at least two weeks.

Clean the cages, and then just let the drug do its job. Because it is ingested by the lice when they feed on the animal's blood, and it takes about ten to 14 days to completely be eliminated from the bloodstream, you're guaranteed to get ALL of them. Once you've completed this treatment, be very sure not to re-introduce the problem, by thoroughly quarantining for four weeks - and treating - any rat that you subsequently purchase.

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tricia