What is wrong with one of my rats? Please help

http://imgur.com/a/WTmOD#1

One of my male rats has these mini scabs all over his back. I'm trying to figure out where they came from. Could they be fighting at night? The rat he's with (not shown) is his brother and have been with each other since birth, so I don't see why they would fight. Or is it some kind of sickness? I've never seen this on any other rat.

It doesn't look like bites. It looks more like a skin condition...like he's been scratching profusely at his back. I'm not sure exactly what advice to offer, but I'm sure someone will chime in with the best course of action to treat it.

Looks like he's been scratching too much and too hard. Does he have fleas or mites? Could be an allergy too.

Have you changed anything about the bedding or food?

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by satomi325

Looks like he's been scratching too much and too hard. Does he have fleas or mites? Could be an allergy too.

Have you changed anything about the bedding or food?

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2

---

I have been using pine bedding and and dog food (mixed with other things to get the proper nutrients, I'm about to switch to mazuri though). This just started to happen recently. At first it just looked like a couple of scrapes, maybe from a little fight during the night. But then It slowly got worse, and as I was cleaning them today I noticed how bad it was. No fleas, I checked. I don't know what he could be allergic to.

He could be allergic to anything. Have you added anything new to the enclosure lately? Sprayed something in the room that you don't normally? Changed dog foods? He could have recently developed the allergy. That happens too. Have you tried bathing him with a special shampoo to help with itchy skin perhaps? (And by that I mean one that is safe for animals. Maybe scratchy cat? It has aloe and other natural ingredients that can help with itchy skin. I got it for my cat when she scratched off all the hair on her chest. She's allergic to something that blooms this time of year.)

Between the loss of hair and skin condition it can be various things.

Fights - Food allergies - Parasites.

How much protein do your rats get?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Deborah

Between the loss of hair and skin condition it can be various things.

Fights - Food allergies - Parasites.

How much protein do your rats get?

---

How much protein? I don't know exactly, but the dog food I've been using for 2 years says "High in protein." I think if it was the food, other rats would have shown the same symptoms as him, but I could be wrong.

It looks like a microscopic mite outbreak which causes them to scratch themselves up.

Ivermectin paste from a feed store in the mouth once every 4-5 days.
I also used hi-yield powder under the bedding to help control mites, nasty lil buggers...

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by snakesRkewl

It looks like a microscopic mite outbreak which causes them to scratch themselves up.

Ivermectin paste from a feed store in the mouth once every 4-5 days.
I also used hi-yield powder under the bedding to help control mites, nasty lil buggers...

---

Thank you so much! I'll go by the feed store tomorrow.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Bellabob

How much protein? I don't know exactly, but the dog food I've been using for 2 years says "High in protein." I think if it was the food, other rats would have shown the same symptoms as him, but I could be wrong.

---

Not all animals have issues with high protein diets, just like not all animals have food allergy, I would make sure not to feed too much protein.

Quality lab block with about 18% protein is what I would aim for high protein food in the mid to high 20's% is something I would stay away from with rats.