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 #1869714


Ammeratsu
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 Rat Problem?

So I have this rat. I bred her with another rat, and ever since, she hasn’t seemed to be very healthy. She’s sneezing and wheezing, for one thing. She doesn’t have a runny rose or the red mucus that often accompanies a cold or RI. She’s eating less and has lost a little weight. She’s been less active. Until a couple days ago, I dismissed these as stress from pregnancy. He poop is not quite normal. It’s lighter in color and softer in texture. She pees like crazy. She must drink a gallon a day. Every time I lift her up to check her weigh her or whatever, she just pees for like, 10 seconds. She does this every time, too. Otherwise, she’s grooming herself and she’s a awake, but not active. She looks comfortable, she’s drinking. I have a vet appointment for her, but it’s on Thursday. I’m not even sure she’s pregnant. It could be an RI, but she’s not showing any other symptoms besides wheezing and sneezing. Also, none of her cage-mates are sick. I separated her when she started to wheeze and she seems to be really stressed out.

What can I do for her?
09/27/08  11:38pm

 #1869723


Manderzratz
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   Message To: Ammeratsu   In reference to Message Id: 1869714


 Rat Problem?

i’d give her soy infant formula to supplement her diet. it’s liquidy, she’ll lap it up and it’ll help keep weight on at least a bit and keep energy up. the poops are probably just stress poops. those tend to be softer but if you want try a little rolled oats. the stove top not instant kind. not cooked, raw. poor thing. do you have any amoxi on hand? also if she’s extra stressed from being alone, maybe offer a stuffed animal to cuddle with? unless she is destructive since of course she’ll shred the thing.
09/27/08  11:56pm

 #1869731


Ammeratsu
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   Message To: Manderzratz   In reference to Message Id: 1869723


 Rat Problem?

I think being with other(extremely destructive and energetic) rats stressed her out more than being alone. The stress of being pregnant(I think) seems to be a lot for her. I’ll get some soy baby formula and I’ll try some rolled oats. I don’t know what amoxi is, so I’ll have to ask my mom about it. What does it do? Is it medicine? I don’t really have any stuffed animals and I’m pretty sure she’d just shred the thing to pieces.

Do you think she has an RI? She’s been eating a little more today and she seems a little more active. Could it be passing?
09/28/08  12:10am

 #1869744


Ammeratsu
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   Message To: Ammeratsu   In reference to Message Id: 1869731


 Rat Problem?

Is amoxi amoxicillin? ’Cause I do have some of that. It’s in liquid form. Do you think it’ll help her? Should I just give her like, 1 line on a syringe? Is it safe?
09/28/08  12:29am

 #1869796


Manderzratz
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   Message To: Ammeratsu   In reference to Message Id: 1869744


 Rat Problem?

if she is prego amoxi wouldn’t hurt the babies like baytril would. and yes amoxi is amoxicillin. liquid form usually goes bad quick. how long have you had it? it could be ri it could be just stress either way it’s hard to say. make sure if the vet gives you anything no baytril (enroflaxin) unless she’s DEFINITELY not prego. i would say try giving her some amoxi if you have a small enough syringe. BUT it usually goes bad within 14 days of mixing it in liquid form. maybe a small humidifier? or vicks vapor plug in a few feet from her cage to clear her passages? (sorry i didn’t think of that before. tiredness got me.) if she’s drinking that’s great. if that stops, pedialyte or powerade zero are good to offer in hopes she’ll like them. good luck.
09/28/08  07:02am

 #1869859


Ammeratsu
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   Message To: Manderzratz   In reference to Message Id: 1869796


 Rat Problem?

Crap. It went bad months ago. Doesn’t it going bad just make it less effective? Couldn’t I just use more of it?
What if I found some in tablet form? Would she eat it?

I’ll see I can do something about the humidifier.
09/28/08  10:38am

 #1869924


Manderzratz
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   Message To: Ammeratsu   In reference to Message Id: 1869859


 Rat Problem?

no don’t use it. it may have settled or had something change in it’s formula. for future reference you should keep a copy of the rattie health handbook.rat health care it lists proper dosages and things to watch for. also if you can possibly order online i buy amoxi and syringes from jedd’s. fish mox syringes i prefer those, the 1 cc/ml ones and the needle is detachable so i just toss it. the other one i keep in my first aid kit is a 3 cc/ml one but the 1 ones are definitely what i use more. uhm. fish mox can be suspended in water or syrup (i use water). it is plain amoxi and a 250 mg capsule so i use 10 ml of water and it becomes 25mg/1ml and dose them accordingly. i still recommend the vet mind you but i like to be prepared for emergencies. the dosage is usually 10-30 mg/lb. i tend to start at 10-15 mg/lb. also if my rattie does have an ri or health issue i keep them on amoxi for life. it is common practice with most of the rat owners i know to do so. sorry for this being so long. it’s kinda late now but you could definitely be prepared in the future since the capsules don’t expire easily but once suspended in the fluid, it is again only usable for 2 weeks. for now i’d say a humidifier is the best option. and maybe getting your hands on that book. most rat sites sell it.
09/28/08  12:37pm

 #1869929


Manderzratz
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   Message To: Manderzratz   In reference to Message Id: 1869924


 Rat Problem?

if you found tablet form you’d have to suspend it the same way as the capsules. say it’s a 250 mg tablet and she’s 1 lb. at 15mg/lb, it’d be 15 mg. if you suspend it with 10 ml of fluid, 25mg/ml, it would be 0.6ml. you can get a food scale for 10 or 20 bucks at a store like bed bath and beyond or something.
i just read this-
"If the air in your home is dry, a humidifier will help your rats breathe more easily. If your rat’s nose seems congested, the decongestant pseudephedrine might help clear the breathing passages. Buy the non-drowsy pediatric formula. The best dose is unknown. Try 1.5 mg twice a day. The antihistamine chlorpheniramine maleate may also be beneficial. Try giving 0.2 mg/lb twice a day."
also i had forgotten about ferret/rabbit rx. petco and petland carries it. not sure if other stores do. it’s basically liquid vicks. you can put a few drops under the nose and in the bedding.
09/28/08  12:52pm

 #1870212


Ammeratsu
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   Message To: Manderzratz   In reference to Message Id: 1869929


 Rat Problem?

Okay, I don’t have any amoxi, but I have some augmentin. It’s amoxi with clavulanate potassium in it. Is that okay? It’s powder so how much should I give her?
09/28/08  07:41pm

 #1870258


Manderzratz
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   Message To: Ammeratsu   In reference to Message Id: 1870212


 Rat Problem?

i’m doing research on it (since i love to learn things). apparently you can though if it’s myco it won’t help. it is good against other infections though. the dosage that i have found is

"Augmentin can be used safely too...
6.25 mg/lb BID orally" (BID meaning twice a day)

what is the mg/(oz?) on the powder?

be careful not to overdose it as the (with further reading) overdose problems are gi upset. uhm. do you have a scale to weigh her? oh the other thing is it seems to be safe for her but if she is prego i don’t know about the babies. i haven’t found anything to suggest pro or con in that respect.

**please note though i hope all works out but i personally have never used that medicine. i can just tell you what i’ve found on it.
09/28/08  08:25pm

 #1870293


Ammeratsu
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   Message To: Manderzratz   In reference to Message Id: 1870258


 Rat Problem?

Hmm. I don’t want to risk the babies. I have weighed her. She’s only 6 ounces. I know she’s light, but, as I said, she’s eating little and the pregnancy(I think) is taking a toll of her ill body.

My mom suggested boiling some water, letting it cool down a bit, and then letting her breathe in the steam(Not hot enough to burn her after it cools down) and also to take her into the bathroom when I take a shower(Another steam thing) Because the humidifier I own is HUGE
09/28/08  09:05pm

 #1870301


Manderzratz
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   Message To: Ammeratsu   In reference to Message Id: 1870293


 Rat Problem?

that could help. that is why i also suggested the vicks plug ins or ferret rx. or if it’s not problematic for you you could keep the humidifier on on the opposite side of the room if it is that big. if you go with the bathroom/boiled water thing, do it every few hours. if you get the rolled oats or baby cereal and mix it either with baby food or formula, it’ll help with weight too. honestly, fruits and veggies are great for rats but i’d keep her on a plain diet of lab blocks and baby stuff. maybe a bit of ensure if she’ll take it. either way for future reference even if she isn’t ill, when you have a prego rattie adding those thing to her diet helps the babies develop. good luck with her. oh and how is your mouse?
09/28/08  09:14pm

 #1870352


Ammeratsu
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   Message To: Manderzratz   In reference to Message Id: 1870301


 Rat Problem?

I’ll try to get her some baby stuff, but I don’t think I can use the huge humidifier. It’ll make the whole room more humid, and I have leopard geckos which dwell in the desert, so humidity could give them an RI.

She’s on a diet of dry dog food, dry cat food, raw pasta, lab blocks, peanuts, and some other seeds. It’s mix and I feed it to all my rats. They do really well on it. I give pregnant rats wet cat food for protein sometimes, too.

Is her weight really bad? Should I be worried?

And the mouse escaped. =( I separated him into another cage to watch him more closely, and he managed to get out. I looked for him, but he seems to have left the room. When that happens, my dogs or cat always reaches them before me. The only rodent I have ever found when it left the room was a hamster and that was lucky because there was a dog in the same room sniffing around like he knew the hamster was there. I’m going to keep looking for him, but I fear the worst. =,(
09/28/08  09:51pm

 #1870367


Manderzratz
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   Message To: Ammeratsu   In reference to Message Id: 1870352


 Rat Problem?

that’s too bad for the mouse. i have ferrets so i know the fear of an escapee. heck, even a rat’ll hurt/kill a mouse. uhm. her weight may or may not be bad. one of my females is super light too but she’s not thin, she’s fit. she’s always on the wheel. it may just be the way your rattie’s bones/body is made. if she’s lost noticeable weight, that’s cause for obvious concern but she could just be a small girl especially if you feed peanuts. if i may make one suggestion though, i wouldn’t give cat food to my rats unless they’re nursing/prego myself but especially not to males. too much protein leads to kidney disease i give my males scraps of meat here and there but the fat content on most cat food is super high. again, not trying to be preachy but some people don’t know that fact. but hopefully everything works out with both rat and mouse.
09/28/08  10:05pm

 #1870387


Ammeratsu
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   Message To: Manderzratz   In reference to Message Id: 1870367


 Rat Problem?

I found one of the missing mice(Yeah, two were missing). I put him in an escape proof cage. He was super hard to catch. Luckily, the dogs were locked up when I found him scampering across the hall. The one with the prolapsed penis is still missing, though.

And yeah, I think she’s pregnant, so I’m giving her cat food. Did you mean wet or dry cat food? I give wet to prego rats for extra protein and dry cat food is just included in my rats’ mix. Is that okay?

She’s a regular sized rat. She’s a little slim, but not skinny and hasn’t lost much weight, but a little bit.
09/28/08  10:30pm

 #1870399


Manderzratz
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   Message To: Ammeratsu   In reference to Message Id: 1870387


 Rat Problem?

i never give cat food to mine. the protein/fat levels are super high. it’s good for prego/nursing or babies. but not daily as a staple. and especially not for males. kidney disease is common with high protein foods in males. uhm. as a rule of thumb. 14-16% protein for adults is preferred. 18% if young (under 8 months). and 18-21% if prego/nursing. fat at most should be 7-8%, lower being better of course. and the main ingredient of the dry food should never be corn. (fresh or frozen corn is fine though. just not dried corn.)
i’m glad you found the mouse. hopefully the other will be okay as well. she might just be a slim girl though if she’s prego, she’s gotta get bulked up. a little whipped cream might help too. it’ll fatten her up. just like a dollop of it.
and sorry if i talk a lot. i like talking about rodents. especially mice and rats.
09/28/08  10:48pm

 #1870407


Ammeratsu
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   Message To: Manderzratz   In reference to Message Id: 1870399


 Rat Problem?

Okay, I’ll pick the cat food out of the mixture whenever I give them food. My bad. I thought it’d be good for them. Is the dog food okay? Is a little bit of corn okay? There’s not much, but there is a bit. I’ll try to get this food thing right. xPP

Also, it seems to be passing. Should I still take her to the vet? Do you think they could find out if she was pregnant without running tests?

I’ll try giving her some whipped cream and other yummy stuff. She’s my first pregnant rat, and it seems I have bad luck. I just hope she’ll be okay and I hope she produces a healthy littler and she stays healthy.

And yeah, I like this mouse. It’s a really light blue-grey with red eyes.I’m glad I found him.

My gerbil ate her sister. =,( O.O



09/28/08  10:58pm

 #1870451


Manderzratz
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   Message To: Ammeratsu   In reference to Message Id: 1870407


 Rat Problem?

aww. poor mouse. and some corn is okay. again fresh or frozen thawed. if it’s the dried bits that come in rat/mouse mix, it can harbor a fungus that is fatal so it shouldn’t be given.

dog food is good but it should be a premium brand. things like beneful and pedigree are bad. the main ingredient is corn and protein and fat levels are too high. i don’t feed dog food to mine as a personal choice but if i did i’d go with nutro natural choice lite. basically you want wheat or brown rice as a primary ingredient. and again protein between 14 and (tops) 18%. and fat at most 8%.

if you have a little dried corn in the mix, you can pick it out or just wait for it to finish. what do you do mix lab blocks and rat/mouse seed mix? if that is the case it is a lot better to just (when you go food shopping) pick up a bag of roasted unsalted peanuts in the shell or sunflower seeds. give them as a handfed treat, not free choice since they’re high in fat. low fat foods are better, though fatty treats like those can be given twice a week or so. like one peanut or two sunflower seeds twice a week. it’s better too because you get a pound for like two bucks.

if you wanna go to the vet, go ahead. really you are the only one who can see and get a feel for the state she’s in. if she is pregnant you can usually feel the lumps on her sides and she’ll (most likely, but not always) become more nippy and aggressive. i really would order the rat health care booklet and some amoxi and/or baytril (not for rats under 4 months) and syringes to keep on hand.

i tend to like pew animals myself. one of my guinea pigs is a pew. one of my ferrets too. both my mice and four of my rats. pink/red eyes are just awesome. hope everything goes well. also if you want to know more about rats. great site they also have a yahoo group. a lot of people can give you good info and there’s always someone on at some time of day since there are people from different countries.
09/29/08  12:21am

 #1870473


Ammeratsu
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   Message To: Manderzratz   In reference to Message Id: 1870451


 Rat Problem?

Interesting. I never realized rats were so sensitive about it. It’s strange that they thrived on the streets off of trash and leftovers yet they need such a specific diet as pets.

The brand of dog food I feed it Nutrimax. I think it’s pretty good. I have a mix for them. With the info you gave me, it’s turned into this: Raw pasta, dog food, lab blocks, seed mix without the sunflowder seeds or corn, and wheat crackers. I give them a little of what I’m eating for a treat and sometimes some raw veggies. I’m giving my prego rat, Rikka, some dry and wet cat food. Does that sound okay?

I’ll try and get the rat handbook. Do you know where I can buy a copy and for how much?
09/29/08  01:23am

 #1870523


Manderzratz
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   Message To: Ammeratsu   In reference to Message Id: 1870473


 Rat Problem?

it’s about 9 bucks. i posted a link to it above. as well as a link to a place to get amoxi capsules, baytril, and syringes.

and yeah they live on the street but nowhere near the life expectancy of pet rats. and also wildies tend to try a little of something and wait. if they feel pain, they never eat it again. pet rats expect you to know what’s safe and willingly eat whatever you offer. oh but let me add this. they survive and multiply outside but do not thrive. it is rare that they live to 18 months, if they even live to 12.

honestly in terms of the dog food. that brand must not be sold widely near me because i don’t know anything about it. but just follow the dog food guidelines i posted above and you can see if it’s good for rats or not. (that wouldn’t mean it’s a bad food. heck i LOVE evo food for carnivores but that’ll mess little rattie bodies up.)

uhm. also your mix sounds great. you can definitely feed as is. if you do notice slight constipation or harder-than-normal poops, just drop the wheat crackers and pasta to twice weekly. you shouldn’t have a problem at all, but it’s always better to have a guess of what might be causing a future ailment right? i feed them all the time too without issues, but just something to keep in mind. anyway. the handbook link is in one of my first responses.
09/29/08  07:40am

 #1870663


Cinderellawkids
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   Message To: Manderzratz   In reference to Message Id: 1870523


 Rat Problem?

I wanted to add for RI, in addition to Clavomox and/or Amoxi I put 3 drops of echinachea for kids in the water bottles, daily for 2 weeks and off for 2 weeks. It helps heighten immunity and is ok from prego and nursing rats.
09/29/08  12:24pm

 #1873271


Ammeratsu
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   Message To: Cinderellawkids   In reference to Message Id: 1870663


 Rat Problem?

Well, I went to the vet today. I got some medicine flavored with some sweet syrup.

But the problem is this: The vet said that viral respiratory infections can be a chronic problem and she should be housed alone all her life. Isn’t there something I can do so that she can be housed with her friends and breed? She doesn’t like being alone.
10/02/08  05:15pm

 #1873323


Manderzratz
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   Message To: Ammeratsu   In reference to Message Id: 1873271


 Rat Problem?

you can order the amoxi like in the link i posted and dose her every day for the rest of her life, which should be done anyway to prevent respiratory issues in the future. one of my babies, rupert is dosed daily. and once anyone shows any issues they go for lifetime doses in my home. well the rats/mice anyway. you could just treat them all or treat them if they show/you suspect issues. and you could make it into treats.medicine treat #1 medicine treat #2 if she is stressed on her own, as long as they don’t pick on her and she can get food and water etc. easily enough, keeping them together is fine. just make sure that you check on her every so often to see that she’s again eating, drinking, pooping, etc. normally.
10/02/08  06:24pm

 #1873414


Ammeratsu
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   Message To: Manderzratz   In reference to Message Id: 1873323


 Rat Problem?

Okay, so when am I allowed to put her back? Should I wait until she’s off her medicine and I start to dose her with the medicine treats? Or can I move her while she’s still on the prescribed medicine? Should I wait to give her the treat until she’s off the medicine? I think the medicine is called orbax.
10/02/08  07:52pm

 #1873420


Ammeratsu
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   Message To: Ammeratsu   In reference to Message Id: 1873414


 Rat Problem?

The amoxi drops link stopped working
10/02/08  07:55pm

 #1873440


Manderzratz
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   Message To: Ammeratsu   In reference to Message Id: 1873420


 Rat Problem?

ahh. i’ll try again. if it doesn’t work, it’s jedds. just type jedds into google and it should come up. it’s a pigeon supply store. the item is fish mox 250 mg capsules. and the 1 ml syringes have needles, but they come right off. i just throw ’em away in a paper towel in the trash once i get the package. did the vet tell you how much she weighs?
amoxi capsules
1 ml syringes
3 ml syringes
10/02/08  08:14pm

 #1873451


Ammeratsu
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   Message To: Manderzratz   In reference to Message Id: 1873440


 Rat Problem?

OKay, cool. I’ll order those as soon as I can.

I have another problem. I couldn’t get her to take the medicine. I didn’t want to force the syringe in her mouth because last time I treated rats with the medicine, half of it ended up on the rat or me. I tried offering it to her, hoping the sweet smell would get her to eat it.

I didn’t have much time, so I injected it in a piece of bread, mashed some banana, rolled the bread in it, and gave it to her. She won’t eat it, though. What do I do now?
10/02/08  08:19pm

 #1873460


Ammeratsu
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   Message To: Ammeratsu   In reference to Message Id: 1873451


 Rat Problem?

Oh, and the vet didn’t tell me how much she weighed, and I forgot to ask. I weighed her at home, though. She’s 6.6 ounces.
10/02/08  08:23pm

 #1873491


Manderzratz
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   Message To: Ammeratsu   In reference to Message Id: 1873460


 Rat Problem?

ahh okay. so if you get the amoxi... at 10mg/1lb.

basically the capsule would be diluted in 25 ml of syrup or water. 250mg/25ml=10mg/1ml. the dose would be .41 ml twice daily for 6.6 ounces or .44 ml twice daily for 7 ounces.

if you did it at 12.5ml of fluid meaning 250mg/12.5ml=20mg/1ml, it’d be (closer to .21 than .20) .21 ml for 6.6 ounces twice daily or .22 ml twice daily for 7 ounces.
10/02/08  09:04pm

 #1873496


Manderzratz
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   Message To: Ammeratsu   In reference to Message Id: 1873414


 Rat Problem?

i would wait to give her amoxi til she’s done with her meds since i don’t know how they would mix. but you should be able to put her with them once you notice that the meds start to help her since if they don’t help she can infect the others badly. but if the meds are keeping her in good health she can go back. again, just watch that they don’t take advantage of her though most cagemates will just try to care for the sickie.
10/02/08  09:09pm
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