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Rat head tilt? Voleta
So, /an/ I went to my local petstore, and was buying lab blocks, and happened to glance at their rat cages. Normally, they carry only PEWs, with occasional dumbo rexes (The owner's project rejects). Today though, there was a really really sickly looking black rat in the female cage. A bit of talk with the owner, and it turns out she was given to the store by a family who had gotten her from a breeder. A few days after they had her, she started tilting to one side. Now she turns to her right contantly, going in circles usually, with a very very distinct head tilt. Nearest we can figure, she might have had a stroke. Other than the tilt and balance problems, she seems extremely healthy. A bit thin, but excellent coat, skin, and she is very active and energetic. Extremely sweet and adores being petted.

The owner gave her to me for free, and gave me a 50% discount on everything I bought (I didn't want to take advantage too much, so I just got lab blocks). Anywho, her name is now Dizzy Anon.

I have four rats right now, all in excellent shape (one over four years old even), and Iv'e some experience with sick rats (Myco, megacolon), but this stumps me. I've never heard of a rat with a tilt to it like this. About to go google some ideas up.
>> Voleta
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More Dizzy
>> Voleta
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This one shows off the tilt the best, I think. She keeps trying to walk along the edge of the tray (Big tray under my boy rat's cage, because he's messy) but falls off, and gets right back on. VERY motivated little lady.
>> Anonymous
Fitting, that she has WRYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY NECK
>> Anonymous
I bought a rat to feed to my snake. Oddly enough he didnt want to eat her, so i got out an old hamster cage and put her in it and not a week later, i noticed her nesting and getting plump...

She was preggo and had 7 babies... ive never har a rat, or rat babies. T_T

how do i take care of them?
>> Anonymous
They're easy to take care of. A water bottle, some rat or other rodent food, maybe a small house for them to stay in or some kind of tube, sawdust(or whatever it's called) on the entire bottom of the cage. Give them new water once a day and food twice a day, but since you have so many of them maybe you should refill it more often. You need to clean the cage once a week and replace the sawdust and maybe let them out every now and then. Have them supervised though, they can hide and/or chew trough cables/clothes/bedsheets/wood etc etc. You can feed them with pretty much anything. One of my rats loved ham, but you shouldn't feed them meat too often. The other one loved popcorn and crisps, but you shouldn't feed it to them too often either. Both of them also loved liqorice, but I never gave them more than one piece a month or so since I don't know if it's good for them or not.

They are very social animals, and a lonely rat get's depressed and dies an early death if you don't spend a lot of time with it. If you have several it's okay. You should play with the young ones a lot while they're young. Pick them up and pet them and so, so they're familiar with humans and don't try to run away all the time like mine did. You should also hold them a lot in your hand while they're young so they get used to it. I got mine when they're where about 3-4 months and the former owner never did this so they always tried to scratch me whenever I picked them up, and they only stayed in my lap if I gave them food or cookies. If the young ones does something they're not allowed to do, take them to the place and hold them up by the tail, altough not for too long. If it does something you want them to do, give them a treat. That way they'll learn what to do and what not to do. It's really simple.
>> Anonymous
Oh, and by the way. Dizzy's really cute. She has a nice color on her fur.
>> Voleta
>>48859
Woot, advice on 4chan!
Do what this poster said, person with the unexpected rats.
A few things: Dont use sawdust! Pine or cedar will give your rats serious allergy and skin problems, so if you must go with some sort of chip-bedding, go with aspen chips or pellets. I would highly reccomend a paper based product though, such as carefresh or the like. it looks like shredded clumps of paper, and thats what it is. its also really cheap. If you have a paper shredder, shred some old letters or bills or whathaveyou, and use that for bedding (Only if you can jam your hand in a bag of it and not get a paper cut. Some shredders leave really sharp edges. Inch long strips or smaller should be great).
I would also reccomend aginst ever holding your rat by the tail anywhere other than very close to their rump. The bones are very delicate and can break, or skin can bruise and come off. Using a quick yank upwards with the tail shouldn't be too bad of a punishment, but please dont ever have their tail support all the weight (Ie, keep all four feet on the ground).
>> Voleta
I heartilly endorse enteracting with the babies when they are little! I generally get my rats when they are small, with their bodies about thumb size (a lot of people dont keep track of their ages, so its easier to judge size). If you teach them when they are small to not bite fingers, toes, or faces, then they can be wonderful. Right now, I have two rats that I had gotten for my mom, and one of them is a downright terror to hold. I picked them out because they had moderate personalities and good markings.. but when I took them back from her a year later, they were both extremely skittish, and one will lunge from across the cage to attack your hands. They simply didnt get enough attention when they were young to understand that was bad.

Anywho, Dizzy is currently cudding up to my eldest rat, and I've learned it may be an ear infection causing the head tilt. It stil may be a stroke, but I'm going to give her some ginger and try a few other things to see if I can get it cleared up.
>> Anonymous
>>48855
My dog did something similar this for a while. It turned out she had a benign cyst in the movement center of her brain and the pressure was causing her to tilt. Was able to medicate it away, thankfully.

The most likely explaination? She has an issue with her inner-ear, and thats wreaking havok on her abillity to balance.

I'd advise just calling a few of your local vets office's and getting an over the phone opinion. I wish ya luck.
>> Anonymous
>>48855
I remember one of my Gerbils being like this shortly before it died. Its been a long time, so i dont remember what exactly caused it (if the vet even figured it out). It ws either in-ear infection, or even something with the brain.
It was really sickly though, dont recall if it just died from that, or if it was put down.
>> Voleta
Calling around is a good idea, I hadn't thought about that. Most vets down here dont even treat rats, which is why trying one of them is kinda a last ditch effort (Stress, possibly picking up further illness, unable to be treated, and cost are the issue). I'll get ta callin!

I'm sorry bout your gerbil and your dog, but glad the latter got better! I had one rat that was sick her entire 3 and a half year long life. So many times I considered putting her down, but she just didn't want to go, despite being half blind and arthritic at the end.

She has a WONDERFUL satin coat with just a little bit of curl around the head. Same colouration as my male (you can see him in one of the pictures I posted), both of them are black smoke berkshires with excellent form and personality. If she turns out okay, I might try breeding them, I'd get more black smokes, maybe an agouti, and possibly dumbo or rex! She's kinda half-dumbo, I'm unsure if the posture of her ears are because of the head issues or what, but she has very round-shaped ears.
>> Anonymous
I've had at least one rat who did the same thing. She ended up living a pretty full life regardless.