Pet Rats-Tumors

[conniff11]

I would like to hear from some rat owners. I have a 1 1/2 yr. old hooded rat "Tara" who has 2 tumors. i don't plan on removing them. i would like to get some advise. She is the first rat i have had.
I also have a blind albino rat. i would like to hear from anyone who is living with a blind one. "Tai" was found by Animal Control out on a busy street. of course, no one claimed her. she is wonderful!
I am a fairly new rat owner and i would love to chat with other owners.
thanks.....hope to hear from someone soon.
Ducky

I wish I could offer you exact and percise advise, but I only own boys. I get my boys neutered between the ages of 3 and 4 months always, for mainly their healths. But I can offer you what I have read and know from meeting other Rattie owners. First off best thing to do is go to www.ratfanclub.com and read up on females. Then get Debbie Ducommun's book, RATS! She's got tons of info and advise from working with them professionally and as a hobby. Her club The Rat Fan Club also offers members advise and info.

Spaying a female not only reduces their chances of getting tumors but cancer as well. I can't say if you should remove her tumor now or not. If it is hindering her in any way, then yes it should be removed. Will she live happily and healthy for the next 2 years with it being removed, I can't give you a set answer sadly But I would have it tested for cancerous cells at least just in case of that chance and for any plans that you might have to make.

As for the Albino rat I have no idea, Debbie didn't list anything about them being deaf, but I do know I have heard about it being a recessed gene. There are other breeds I think like the Blue Spotted Dalmatian it can happen to as well. :confussed:

I have posted in Pet Rescues about only getting ratties from the snake food bins. Well good luck and I'll keep an eye out here to see how you made out, Good Luck!!


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Please Help Me To Be Half The Human My Kritters Think I Am!

sorry that's www.ratfanclub.org

not the above link, it won't work

Good Luck!!!

[conniff11]

Thanks...I will check into that. The biggest tumor is in front of her left back leg. it doesn't seem to hinder her in any way. the small tumor is behind the right front leg and that is the size of a grape.
The reason i am not planning on having them removed is due to having a guinea pig with a tumor and hers was removed and the vet told me that it was a fast spreadable kind and it would be coming back with a week or two. i remember seeing her belly with all the staples and i did not even take them out. i had her put to sleep.
I don't want my animals suffering and i know that tumors are very common in rats. i just wanted more info. on how i can tell if she is in pain or not.
you mentioned only getting rats from snake food bins. i got Tara through a Petco Pet Store. I don't remember seeing a "snake food bin" of rats.
there is a local pet store that won't sell rodents at all for snake food. i was thinking of getting my next rat there. if i ever buy another one.
My second one came from animal control and there are rats turned into Humane Societies so i might just have to adopt one from there.
I did read a bit in the pet rescue and remember seeing you there. Are you getting wild rats from the feed mills or are they pet rats that were let go there?
Why do people get pets and then "dump" them. i have a dog that has been the best dog ever and she was found in a carrier with her 5 puppies and she was skin and bones. there was 2 inches at least of excrement in the botton of the carrier.
thanks for your reply!

The store I got The Boys from sells live snkae food as well as rats for pets, BUT they do tend to try to seperate them as best as possible. The biters and nasty ones that can't be tamed ones do end up in the snake food tank itself. The Boys came from both the pet and snake cages/tanks. All have worked out fantastic for me. I did this because I knew nothing about them when I wanted them, but only knew I wanted a few. Where I live, they kill them on sight as they are terrors to the crops and animals on the farms. I live in farm country and the farmers don't like them. People dump them because they tend to need a bit more time then some animals to get close to and understand, so they toss them away like it seems more and more people do these days with Kritters.

I've seen people toss puppies, kittens and other animals out windows of moving cars, boats and it's a nice sight.
I've also rescued countless animals people would dump on my acrage because they didn't want them anymore. If people treat their animals this way, can you imagine the way they treat their human kids???? *shivers down the spine!*
Keep up the good work with the rescues!!

And Debbie is always a good one to check with about the tumors more then me, and they don't always come back. Some people I checked with on a scan back on alt.pets.rodents did the wait a see method instead of spaying and they only had one tumor to ever remove. *shrugs* Personally I'd spay for the rat's health.

Good luck and keep me informed!


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Please Help Me To Be Half The Human My Kritters Think I Am!

[conniff11]

I do understand what you are talking about. Society pretty much looks at animals as "disposables" and the only thing we can do about it is do more educating.
I helped start a Humane Society in my area and this group has been struggling for the past 10 years to even try to get a shelter built. i,myself, would much rather see more foster homes than a shelter. i think pets need to be in homes instead of a cage waiting to be adopted. it's a rewarding job but it can be so heart breaking also!
I am calling my vet today to see about the cost of the spaying for "Tai", she is only about 6 months old.
Our animals are the world to us...my husband and i. i know he'd much rather have LESS pets but he can't say much. i know i will never have 4 dogs again at once!
I have enjoyed getting your replies. I am not much into chat rooms but when i saw this on Pet of the Day i was excited. i thought it might be a little better. More personal, if that makes sense.
Hope you have a great 4th and a safe one.
Ducky

If the cost is too much call to other Animal Societies and see what they do about spaying, some offer payment plans, most Vets do as well. Good luck and keep me informed on her I'd like to know

I know about more then 4 dawgies, we had over 25 at once But we ran a volunteer Search and Rescue for All of South Jersey and a lot of the Southern States. So for us it was more then worth living with 25+ Bloodhounds! (in a small rancher) Just don't drive with more then 3 in one truck at once, when they shake and the slobber flies it covers the windshied and you can't see out of it from the inside! *ROTFL*

My husband tells me the zoo is closed until our house is built, but I know he'll let me get more then But at one time we had the dawgies, 5 or so cats, iguanias, hamsters, 3 or 4 chinns, 8 ferrets, couple tanks of fish, and the mice, giunea pigs and whatever else.... *grins* I love animals...

Anyways, keep me informed I really would I like to know what happens.



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Please Help Me To Be Half The Human My Kritters Think I Am!

[conniff11]

I had a friend check into some of the vets in our area and not a one will spay a rat. "not worth it and there's no health benefits!", was what she was told.
So...any other suggestions? Tara is doing fine but i think i am going to really have to think about the time soon. She doesnt seem like she's in pain but that tumor in front of her back leg is getting so large that it drags on the ground. i just don't know when it's time, she doens't tell me that she hurts. I sure wish aninals could speak to us in a way that we could understand them. i really know i need to really think about having her put down. i will be with her and i will also have them give her an anesthetic before doing the shot. i don't want her to feel any pain!! i am not going to like doing this!

I'm sorry about the delay in replying...

no luck with Debbie's fan club vet list? Then you need to spend a day going through the entire phone book for ALL exotic Vets and finding one. Drat I hope I'm not too late with this, I had a failure and a Kitty in my Truck Engine! (read in Cat General)
Sadly she sounds like she'll need to be put down soon. If the tumor is getting to impair her walking and her face looks at you like I'm doing this for you Momma, you know in your heart its time. I just had a friend put down 3 rats within 3 weeks, 1 3 weeks ago, and 2 this week.
You can always email me direct, there's a button at the top, if not just get me at [email protected] and I'll repliy quicker in case i don't get here quicker.
Best I can offer now, is spoil the hell out of her! Offer her all the treats she wants, and cuddle her all the time.

If I didn't make this leter in time, please get ahold of me. I am sorry

Kaleigh-Gray & The Spoiled Brat Rats
<:3}---
Sage, Tegan, and the twins, Velcro & Vassar

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Please Help Me To Be Half The Human My Kritters Think I Am!

I'm sorry about the delay in replying...

no luck with Debbie's fan club vet list? Then you need to spend a day going through the entire phone book for ALL exotic Vets and finding one. Drat I hope I'm not too late with this, I had a failure and a Kitty in my Truck Engine! (read in Cat General)
Sadly she sounds like she'll need to be put down soon. If the tumor is getting to impair her walking and her face looks at you like I'm doing this for you Momma, you know in your heart its time. I just had a friend put down 3 rats within 3 weeks, 1 3 weeks ago, and 2 this week.
You can always email me direct, there's a button at the top, if not just get me at [email protected] and I'll repliy quicker in case i don't get here quicker.
Best I can offer now, is spoil the hell out of her! Offer her all the treats she wants, and cuddle her all the time.

If I didn't make this leter in time, please get ahold of me. I am sorry

Kaleigh-Gray & The Spoiled Brat Rats
<:3}---
Sage, Tegan, and the twins, Velcro & Vassar


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Please Help Me To Be Half The Human My Kritters Think I Am!

[mickey]

This is my first post and don't know how much I may come to this site, but do have condolences for the rat with the tumor and her family. I have a rat now and have had several in the past. I have a question.

My rat has always been rather chubby. She loves to eat and is nice and round like a butter ball. Anyway we noticed she is gaining rather fast lately and she is over 2 so my thought is a tumor. All but one of my rats have died of cancer and so this is my fear. What is your opinion without a trip to the vet? She does not appear to be in pain and is just as lively as normal, but her breathing is a little more shallow than before and she drinks twice as much water now than she has. Any other suggestions???

Thanks,

Mickey