So I ended up having a male, no doubt now, with that hueeeg sack.
I really want to keep it down to two, and I love my couple too much to get rid of them now, I'll call my veterinarian to spay my female so we won't have an unwanted and possibly dangerous litter.

I'm coming up with another issue, Pan's hair is thinning, except his belly who is white, you can clearly see on the picture, and it doesn't appear too thin in the dark, but under a light, he's definately pink on top. I looked around a bit and I read that rats who lose their hair end up being rex or hairless, but he has straight whiskers, so I dunno?

so the slight sneezing has progressed in willow, i found out this morning.

she's about eight weeks old, so this is heartbreaking to me. i don't know if she has a respiratory problem or chronic myco or what, but she's making those telltale pig sounds that have me worried beyond belief.

today is sunday, but i'm taking her into a small animal vet tomorrow (not my regular vet), regardless of appointments and whatnot. can you do walk-ins? i'd call in the morning and ask for pricing and let them know my situation before prancing in the door, but one day notice is short...

i just have heard baytril can affect young rats and won't be given to them? what can be done?

this morning i gave her one chocolate chip, echinacea and i plan on having a steaming hot shower while i locate her cage to the bathroom. i also have a humidifier and can put that in there if it will help.

i just am at a loss, i don't know what to do. she sounded fine the night i brought her home, i don't know if stress could have done this to her.

i'm just glad i quarantined her.

suggestions, please?

One of my girls, Tick, has a urinary tract infection. Our vet put her on antibiotics and an
anti-inflammatory (Metacam). The antiobiotics can be put in Ensure, and she gobbles it up. However, she won't touch the Metacam if it's in ensure or in various baby foods. we also tried (lite) maple syrup with no luck. Any advice? Has anything worked for you in the past? Can't say I blame her (the stuff smells like ferret) but she has to take this stuff.

( And a couple of pictures for your trouble.. )

Thanks!!

We were making some potatoes tonight and wondering about regular raw potatoes, nothing is said on any forbidden food list I've read about regular (non-sweet) potatoes; should they be raw or cooked or doesn't matter?

What about all veggies? Do your ratties prefer cooked or raw? Our rats have had both of different kinds and seem to prefer raw vegetables over cooked but I was wondering if one was better than the other. Most diets I've read seem to say raw.

Hi! I'm a long, LONG time lurker...first time poster. I've had pet rats for a few months now--four boys, all get along famously--so famously that trying to introduce them to anyone else has resulted in four lumps hiding as far away from the strangers as humanely possible. So they're happy with four, I'm happy with four, everything's grand.

But after making a trip to the pet store today, I came home with number five, a little girl--an absolutely gorgeous little girl that was given up by her owner for reported aggression problems with other rats. Needless to say I am not going to attempt to prove them wrong with four intact boys and a (to my knowledge) intact girl. I am too young to be a grandmother. The only reason I took her was because someone at the pet store almost passed her off as snake food, and I absolutely couldn't stand for it. (Good thing I had an extra cage at home.)

I'd really like to try and get her in a home with someone who can attempt to put her with other girls. Four is enough for me. She's sweet, if maybe a little shy. I don't think she's very old, but I don't know her age for certain. All I know is the reason for giving her up was aggression with other rats, and that her name is Tinkerbell.

( What kind of post would this be without *pictures*? )

If anyone's interested in giving Tink a forever home, I'm located in Lincoln, Nebraska.