Megacolon?

[AdamJB]

Hey all recently I've undertaken breeding rats. I had my first litter on the 13th. Every so often I go and inspect my ratties and the babys just to make all is well.

There eyes just opened yesterday and today I notice some brownish-yellow mess on some of the babys rears. They all look healthy other than that I just started to get a lil worried so I turned to the forums for help!

I am posting some pics of the parents and of one of the babys butt. Sorry I have an ancient digi and they dont stay still! lol

Mom a fawn hooded


Dad a black dumbo hooded with stripe on his face


Baby with mess


Any help is appreciated!

[rabernet]

Gosh, I don't know - but I'll bump it up for you so those more experienced with it can comment.

[alphaomegakennel]

It sounds like wet-tail. You can pick-up a liquid vitamin supply from a pet shop. I also provided dry, uncooked, regular oatmeal and veggies (no lettuce - it is mostly water). You have to catch it extremely quick or they will die.

This is contagious. Separate them from any well stock ASAP. Make sure you wash your hands after touching these babies and before touching other healthy animals.

If I were you, I wouldn't breed the stock that produced these babies because it is also believed to be hereditary. It really just produces a huge mess in a rodentry.

Hope that was of some help to you - Jennifer

[littleindiangirl]

Mom should still be cleaning the babies at that age, are you sure you didn't just pick one up that she hadn't gotten to yet?

If you can get a clear picture, it would help us. Is it one rat pup or all of them?

Don't go buying anything just yet, I doubt it is wet tail... I don't believe rats get wet tail like hamsters...

[littleindiangirl]

Ok, I had to go searching for an article... There is a lot of confusion among rodent owners about the origin's of wet tail in hamsters. It's been said to be triggered by high fiber diets, trauma and stress, and also a baterial infection in the intestines that is species specific.

It is also said that what we diagnose as wet tail in rats is completely different from what is infecting hamsters and should not be treated with Wet-Tail (the vitamin supplement)

The only other thing I can think of is a rotavirus, and that is pretty serious stuff...

You should wait for a clear answer from Becky (satanicintention) as I think she will be able to give us an answer on what it could be.


Also, dad there is a high white rat. Husky, head spot.

[AdamJB]

Also, dad there is a high white rat. Husky, head spot.

Thats what concerned me about Megacolon she still is cleaning them I caught here cleanin everybody When I put the baby back. Im hoping its a false alarm... Im pretty sure its not wet tail Ive seen it in hamsters and this doesnt look like that.

Thanks All!

[SatanicIntention]

Mom is a beige capped, which is considered high white. Your male is also very high white. You in turn, got high white babies(see the blazes?).

If they are small and aren't thriving, then yes, it's megacolon or the mom isn't producing enough milk to sustain them. If their feces smell VERY badly, then it may be megacolon. Rats do not get wet-tail, which is a stress-related or bacterial-related disease in hamsters. Rats do get diarrhea, from either stress, improper diet, internal parasites, and a few other things.

I would watch them until they are about 4-6 weeks old, and by then they should be showing signs if they do indeed have megacolon(bloating, failure to thrive, hard compacted feces with intermittant bouts of foul smelling diarrhea, etc).

For future prevention, it would be best to NOT use that male as a breeder, as he may be a carrier and you won't know until you get a whole litter of MC babies. Your female would be best bred to a SELF or a HOODED male ONLY, or not at all.

[littleindiangirl]

Becky said it all

[aldebono]

I know this is old... but self and hooded without white head spotting and a solid line down the back are considered "normal" markings?

Let me make sure I ask this the right way- Text book hooded is NOT considered high white?

Just trying to figure out what "unusual" makings consist of. I have read many of the links mentioned on other posts and I am thinking of doing an education pictorial with my rats and drawing on the pictures like a football play to make it clear.

Thanks!