Hi!:) i've had my two dumbo rats for almost a year now and i need a little advice. See,these are my first pet rats so i don't know much about them,and i was wanting to ask if i should get them neutered? They're both male rats and they grew up together and love each other,but whenever they play fight they get too rough sometimes,would getting them neutered help? Cause they've given each other bloody noses and have a couple scabs on they're necks,i don't know what to do.
Oh,and also,when i put a hammock in my rats cage they didn’t want to get in it,all they wanted to do is chew on it. I left it in there for a few days and they never got in it. What should i do? I put bedding and cotton in they’re cage and they like that,but they just chew on material. (And also,your blog is very helpful!:) )
You’ve asked some great questions.
First of all, here’s information about the bloodynoses and scabs on your rats’ necks that you’ve observed:
Rats do not generally get bloody noses fromfighting. What you’re most likely noticing is a secretion called “porphyrin”. Justin case you’re not aware, porphyrin looks exactly like blood but instead is a fluidsecreted by the Harderian gland located behind rats’ eyes. Prophyrin isusually seen around a rat’s nose and/or eyes and usually signifies illness and/orstress.
The above photo of Dwayne shows mild porphyrin. It looks different on every rat. Often, it looks much more pronounced (more like a bloody nose) than what’s shown above.
If what you’re observing is actually porphyrin,here are some things to consider:
How frequently are you seeing the porphyrin? Is it occuring on a daily basis?
Where do you observe the prophyrin? Just the nose, just theeyes or both?
Are you observing it on both of your rats?
Are you also hearing any sneezing?
Porphyrin is often a symptom of respiratory disease.If prophyrin is present on a daily basis,it is a very good idea to have your rats examined by a veterinarian who’sexperienced with rats. In fact, this is an extremely important thing to do. Thelonger you wait, the more advanced any illness can become, making it harder totreat.
Scabs are, in many cases, signs of externalparasites.
Are the scabs you’re seeing little round dots or do the scabslook more like “lines” rather than “dots”? If they are dots, they are probably from external parasites. In particular, your rats may have mites. Here’sa page on my website that explains more about mites and other external parasites.
Again, having your rats examined by aveterinarian who’s very familiar and experienced with rats will help determine whether or nottreatment for external parasites is warranted.
Sometimes it can be difficult to recognize thedifference between playing (or establishing dominance) vs. actual fighting.
Here are some signs that it’s a fight and notjust establishing dominance or playing:
Both rats stand on hind legs facing one another– if they stay this way for several minutes without moving, it’s a goodidea to distract them and have them move away from one another. If they do thisrepeatedly, I’d worry the aggressive rat is getting ready to do serious damage to the otherrat.
Puffiness: Rats only get puffed up when they’refighting or when they’re sick. If two rats are interacting with one another and onegets puffy, I’d remove the puffy rat from the scene immediately. If you don’tremove the puffy rat, it’s very likely that the puffy rat will attack and seriously injure the other rat.
Kicking the other rat with a hindleg is also usually a sign that a fight may ensue.
Making a “hissing” sound.
Above photo: Duking it Out - This is Serious!
Here’s how it looks if they’re playing ratherthan fighting:
A rat will establish his or her dominance bypinning the other rat onto his/her back. If the rat who’s being pinned actslike it’s no big deal and stays on his/her back without moving for several seconds while being pinned, then thedominant rat will be satisfied and they will be able to live togetherharmoniously.
It’s fairly common for male rats who’ve gottenalong during the first parts of their lives to reach adolescence and then begin fighting with one another. In these cases, neutering is usually very helpful. Your veterinariancan also give you advice on whether or not neutering is a good option for your rats.
Some ratslike to chew on different things and others don’t chew much at all. You just haveto find out what your rats don’t like to chew and give them sleeping optionsthat aren’t “chew-worthy” (in their opinions). Have you tried cardboard boxesyet?
Photo: Twyla and Vera inside a cardboard box
There are also various hard plastic shells (available for sale online or in pet stores) that are great for “nestingboxes”.
You mentioned placing bedding and cotton insidetheir cage. What type of bedding are you using? By cotton, do you mean cottoncloth or cotton balls? Just remember that many commercial types of beddingpotentially have problems. In particular, pine and cedar emit dangerous fumes. In addition, any dust from paper bedding products can also pose health risks.
Do you have plenty of things besides cloth onwhich your rats can chew? For instance, wooden chew sticks might be even more exciting forthem than cloth. When buying wooden items for your rats to chew, make sure thewood is designated as being safe for rats. The packaging for wood chews will specify whether or not it’s safe for rats.
Sometimes rats will chew up their hammocks forawhile and then they’ll stop. The hammock may still be in a usable state. Justmake sure there aren’t any holes as a result of the chewing. Holes in which your ratsfeet or head can get stuck can cause a loss of blood circulation and even result in amputation. Also, threads hanging off the chewed areas can act as “tourniquets”cutting off the blood flow—-so you really want to make sure this doesn’t happen.
Photo: Be careful of any holes chewed in cloth
If your rats don’t want to use their hammocks,try something different. I usually leave up ahammock or hanging bed for about a week before switching it out for somethingdifferent. My rats sometimes enjoy a hammock and other times they’re not interested at all. You just need to observe what they like and accommodatetheir tastes.
Photo: A different type of hanging bed
I’m so glad to hear you find my blog helpful. Hearing this makes me so happy—all I want to do is to help our pet ratslive the best life possible.
Please don’t hesitate to let me know if you have any other questions.
Best wishes to you and your ratties,
izzy806
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