Rat with twisted neck, doing barrel rolls!? UPDATE: She didn't make it :( And now her cagemate is d

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ChicknThief

ChicknThief

Songster
12 Years
Jan 12, 2008
1,802
10
183
Nor Cal
Name: Roxy
Age: ~2 years
Feed: Rodent Gourmet feed store blend
Litter: Pine shavings with shredded news paper bedding
Medical History: Occasionally experiences vaginal bleeding (rats do not mentruate, so this is abnormal)

Problem: Neck twisted to the right and compulsively does barrel rolls to the left. Does not seem capable of normal movement. One eye is bugging out more than the other. Responsive. Seemingly lucid. Does not appear to be in pain, but something is clearly wrong. Whole body seems twisted and she does not appear to be able to relax into a normal position.

I have a video, but I can't figure out how to post it? It's on photobucket....

I know it's not a chicken, but you guys cumulatively know EVERYTHING. If anyone has any idea, please help little Miss Roxy
 
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I hate to say that it sounds like rat poison or possibly a nose bot (fly larve) that has worked it's way to the brain.
In this situation it sounds like there isn't much hope. You might try a rabbit wormer. Have you fed your rat fresh greens ever - from your yard? Worms are common on leafy greens or unwashed veggies.
Ink on newspapers can be toxic to small animals if injested. I could even go on a stretch and say the vaginal bleeding could be from soy based inks on the paper if it was eating a lot of it. But that is just a guess. I had read that newspaper ink is harmful to humans - just touching it.
Those are all the things I can think of that it could be... If it does pass away I would not get another one from the same place. The breeding was poor to have a vaginal problem.
I'm really sorry this has happened to your fuzzy buddy.
If you think it's poison you can try activated charcoal. But the capsules and break one or two appart in water, mix it good - make sure it isn't in a paste and administer with an eye dropper.
 
Hmmmm... Well it can't possibly be rat poison. Our rats (we have 2) never go outside, and we don't have any rat poison in our home. Also, her cagemate is in perfect health.

As for the veggies, I do occasionally feed them scraps from cooking, but they are all store bought and I wash them well.

The only thing that could really make sense is the newspaper. She does like to chew it.... Do you know of an alternate bedding material that I could substitute the shreds with?
 
They already have pine shavings in there. They just love to have something they can bunch up into a nest of some sort
 
I have the PERFECT solution for nesting material - old socks! My gerbils and hamsters (when I had them) loved to shred them up (especially white tube socks) and make nests. They hold their shape really well!
 
Great idea! I will change out there cage when I get home! Hopefully Roxy will still be with us when I get there... I haven't been home since 7:30....
 
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Pine shavings = bad for rodents. Lots of volatile oils in pine (even more in cedar) which are irritating to their respiratory systems. And since they are quadrupeds and have their nose and mouth at litter level most of the time...yea, not good. Aspen or paper based bedding is really the best.

Anyway, I would suspect some sort of ear problem, such as a severe ear infection. It would mess with the balance systems and cause an animal to hold their head at an extreme angle at times to try and correct the problem. You REALLY need to take her to the vet.

And for those who think taking pet rodents to the vet is silly because they are inexpensive, short lived pets, that couldn't be farther from the truth. They are pets and sometimes need advanced medical treatment like a dog or cat. For example, my friend just had to bring one of his rattie girls to the vet because one broke a tooth, couldn't chew properly, and the other started to rub the upper jaw. Rattie girl had to get anesthetized and have her mouth fixed. My sister who also keeps ratties brings them to the vet if they need it. One girl who developed a mammary tumor at age two, so it was surgically removed and the rattie lived another two great years!
 
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An ear infection... now THAT makes sense. We will have to look for a vet in our area that treats rats. Last time we looked I think we only found one, and they were going to charge more than a hundred dollars just to walk in the door >.< Do you think feedstore antibiotics would do the trick? Or is a trip to the vet really necessary?
 

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