Zippers & Buttons, Help!! :(

[sandragonfly]

as a WORRIED mother, there was a scene this morning that I didn't understand.. when I got up, pouring in gourment giant seeds and fresh chopped apples & oranges, one of my rats, a year old and half Zippers (not Buttons) didn't look so well.

I decide to take him out and take a look at him to see what's going on. he.. um how do I describe? (my camera batteries died.. grr) there was some "dried blood" bumps/scabs maybe..? on his head and all way of his chest - the first thought was Buttons (male too) has fought with him.. but no, impossible. first, they have been in their cage for almost a year and 1/4 and never seen any kind of bumps on Zippers. second, Buttons's SOOO sweet and very intilligent, housebroken trained, gets along with my cats.

the questions are.. (beside vet, I can't afford a BIG bills right now, need to pay off the vet bills first before they can help me more and I might get help from you guys so I could do it as soon as I can without vets)

# do you know what they possibly be?
# should I seperate them NOW? (meaning another cage..that would be too sad for me and Buttons! they cuddle DAILY)..
# what does rash on rat looks like?

and I'm going up online, researching more on these bumps.. I wish I could cancel my first classes today to keep an eye on Buttons and Zippers --

[Uabassoon]

I wish I could offer some advice, but I've never had a problem like this with my ratties. I'm sure Luckies4me will help when she sees this. You can also check out this message board I'm sure there will be lots of people able to help.

ratsrule

[sandragonfly]

err, why did not the post I responsed to ubs is up from yesterday? strange -

anyway I've been surfing through the site you gave me, still am not able to find the specific thread I want to know yet - still going and why luckies? she's heading to her home and hopefully I'll get an answer by today - Zippers is suffering still.

[luckies4me]

Can you describe in more detail what it looks like? Are they scratches, or little blood scabs? Has he been scratching at all? It sounds as if he could have either lice or mites. How much protein are you feeding them? If boys are fed too much protein they can get protein scabs as their skin becomes very itchy. Usually with itching the first signs are scabs on the head/neck area.

Get back to me!

[sandragonfly]

I still don't understand because I have two rats in the same cage, so they eat same food, (Nutriphase with enough protein and plenty nutritional sources) and the other healthy rat, Buttons could have gotten lice or mites too but he looks great. and no, I haven't seen him stratching more than usual. I fill up right after the food is gone. water dail, of course. another thing, yes Zippers probably react differently from Buttons however, I've not changed any bedding (carefresh) or food (nutriphase) for almost a year, there's no better product than those! how "too much" protein is it to you?

[sandragonfly]

oh and to describe.. when you hold him, you could feel many "flea" rocks around his neck and chest. it's red but dried red (crimson)...and...that's all I could describe. I've recharged my batteries and try to get picture of him TONIGHT!! he has been isolating in other smaller cage and being observed of his behaviors.. I feel bad!!

[luckies4me]

It sounds like mites or lice. But I don't have a picture so it's hard to tell. Have you ever considered making your own food? I stay clear of bagged rat food due to them using certain chemicles, dried corn etc. Here is my feeding article:

http://www.rompingrattiesrattery.com/feeding.html

This may help you. Could you take him to the vet?

Looks like that food is better than most on the market, so I wouldn't be too worried.

[sandragonfly]

yes, I've seen that part when you had your link in your signature. like I said above, I give them fresh chopped fruits and marzuri blocks too, so I usually spoil them with three different food daily. I work at the ZOO too, they have more than 40 rats there and I've been under responsiblility of rats often, especially for food. so I should SEE a problem from food, you know?

and why do you think it's mites/lice, I change their cage biweekly, does not that matter? mites could harm my other cats, right? and my cats haven't had a problem for last four months after I gave my older cat, Zephyra a treatment of (*#(*&# annoyed mites!!

and vet, like I said I couldn't bring them or any other pets until I pay off. maybe I should go to other vet but again, that vet I've been going HAS the reasonable prices!! I'm soo stuck right now.

[luckies4me]

Mites and lice can live a VERY LONG time on rats, and in bedding. The lice lay eggs on the rats, that keep on hatching. The only thing I can advise you to do is take them to the vet. Just any vet to make sure they do not have lice or mites.

[sandragonfly]

okay..I guess that's the only way now, thanks for your words. in despite of hoping for more answers, I'll update as soon as I bring him to vet.

[sandragonfly]

hi again..

instead of taking him to hospital...I've took myself to one!

but good news, when I got back home, he looks very well! and for some reason, he's being sweeter.. and am still feeding the same pebbles and fruits.

hope this will continue...thanks a heap for your tips!

hugs,
gina & zipper