PSA: Petland doesnt take care of their rats.

[SnakeySnakeSnake]

I guess I should have figured some would be like this, but petland just had 3 tanks (10 gal) with 10 rats in each (small-large) of mixed gender... We picked up a few from them, but one tank had a bunch of pinkies in it that were getting trampled by the rest.. and they dont even have snakes to feed them too.... kinda weird...


I was picking out which ones I wanted, and I think while I was checking gender on a few another few got tossed in... I ended up with an extra male, and a small sized rat with a tumor over her eye :-/ Should I try to feed her up and get her strong? Or.... I really dont have any humane ways of euthanizing or a large enough snake to eat her yet...

Last time I ever go to that place... I even feel bad for the kitties and doggies in there, place reeks.

[SnakeySnakeSnake]

So far she isnt eating any food we put in front of her. She is very docile and just sits there, doesnt move around much, and feels really bony/skinny.

Is this something that will kill her shortly and that we should just put her out of her misery?

thanks


Edit: hopefully this resized it for you Bryan....Jo

[Jeanne]

It may not actually be a tumor, it looks to me like an abcess. It may need to be drained by a vet, but it does look at bit raw too, maybe put some triple antibiotic on it for now and see how it goes till you can get her to a vet. If you feel you need to euthanize her, you can use vinegar and baking soda to make CO2 and it will do the job. Do this in a sealed chamber.

Call your local humane officer and report Petland, if the other rats they have are any example of what I am seeing in this one, they are being cruel and can be punished for this. I would get pics of the rats you just purchased from them for your humane officer also.

Also, please re-size your pics, they are causing this thread to have to be viewed goofy and over scrolling.

[SnakeySnakeSnake]

sorry its big so you can see the mark above the eye . i will try to figure out how to resize on here

[frankykeno]

A lot of those bigger chains are pretty awful Bryan...some aren't but if you ever have a question about the rodents...just pass em by. You can get all sorts of issues when it comes to sick rats. I find most of my breeders through smaller pet stores and I'm picky about which ones I'll buy. 10 gallon tank with 10 rats in it of various sizes and sexes...disgusting! Pinks being trampled by overcrowded adults...blech! Call your local humane law enforcement folks and insist they check out this pet store.


As far as that female it could be a tumor, it could also just be an absess from infection from a nip or scratch from another rat. You'll see that a lot when they are overcrowded and have to tussle each other for food/water or just even under the best circumstances, they do occasionally play rough with each other. Triple antibiotic (no name neosporin) is a handy thing to have around.

I'm sure once Becky sees this thread she'll have some further advice for you as far as what is feasible for this rat. If the rat is refusing food and staying very still and quiet I'd be worried...that's very unusual for an active healthy rat and the only ones I've ever had that were that way...generally keeled over pretty quick or snapped out of it suddenly....they just aren't a quiet non-active critter by nature.

~~Jo~~

[Ginevive]

Wow, that is seriously upsetting. Any pet store with brains would put aside any sick animals and treat the poor things, not leave them out for sale like that. What a shameful store that is.
I would work on fattening her up gradually; I am not that familiar with abscesses in rats but it seems like something that is worth treating. Like the others said I would wait and see what Becky posts; I know she will have some input here.
Man people; I seriously am tired of these freakin' stores being so cruel to their animals. It seriously makes me want to punch someone! (and I am not violent!)

[SatanicIntention]

Looks like an abscess, but being so close to vital structures, I would just euthanize her. The recovery would probably be quite long, and the wound, after it got cleaned up, would be pretty cavernous. A friend of mine has had a few like that, and most of the rat's face on that side just necrosed out. He was put to sleep.

it would be in the rat's best interest to put her to sleep humanely.

[SnakeySnakeSnake]

It looks like it is flatter now and has scabbed over. She is eating food and drinking water now and appears to be doing better. I cant tell if she is in pain, but she doesnt seem to be. We will see how it goes, and go from there.

Thanks!
Bryan

[SnakeySnakeSnake]

So far she isnt eating any food we put in front of her. She is very docile and just sits there, doesnt move around much, and feels really bony/skinny.

Is this something that will kill her shortly and that we should just put her out of her misery?

thanks


Edit: hopefully this resized it for you Bryan....Jo

she looks much better!

[JLC]

Hey SnakeySnake.....I'm REALLY glad she's doing so much better! Looks like it is healing up very nicely.


I'm going to have to ask you to resize that picture though...it really throws the forum totally out of whack. I understand you wanting to show the healing progress on that injury, and that's fine...but you could just crop the picture around the eye, rather than trying to fit the whole rat in the picture at that scale.

Thanks!! And excellent job taking care of her!