Hair loss?

This is a medium rat i bought for a feeder, but its gonna be a breeder.
Anyways, she started with one bald spot about 2 weeks ago, i thought she got into a fight with the male she was with, but i fed him off, and 2 more spots popped up.

What is it? and it is contagious?

Sorry for the bad pics, but she wouldnt stay still.
http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f2...6/CIMG5625.jpg
http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f2...6/CIMG5627.jpg
http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f2...6/CIMG5629.jpg

What are you feeding your rats? There could be too much protien in their diet or she may have lice/mites. I can't remember the product off hand as to how to get rid of them mites/lice but it's a paste that you give to them....maybe someone else can help me out.

Not sure if rats can get ring worm,,,but I bought 2 kittens years ago that had hair loss like that and when I took them to the vet he said it was ring worm. Best of luck in getting her treated

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Originally Posted by Reptilian

What are you feeding your rats? There could be too much protien in their diet or she may have lice/mites. I can't remember the product off hand as to how to get rid of them mites/lice but it's a paste that you give to them....maybe someone else can help me out.

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Im feeding them a good dog food that has everything needed, but just a little high in fat.
She is housed with like 15 other female rats, I also have others in tubs right by her, if it was something like bugs, i wouldnt think she would be the only one affected.

Here are some links for you to look at. Just because the other rats aren't yet showing symptoms doesn't mean they haven't been exposed if this is indeed something contagious like ringworm. You should seperate and quaratine this female until you know what's going on.

http://www.afrma.org/med_ringworm.htm

http://ratguide.com/health/figures/d...s_figure_1.php

It could be protein sensitivity causing a scabbie coat, worsened by her scratching at it and those other rats climbing on her sore spots. Bit hard to tell from the pictures what's going on, only a vet could likely tell you for sure but a good search on Google for fancy rat sites will give you tons of information about rats and health issues.

Looks like ringworm to me. They ALL need to be bathed in an antifungal shampoo such as a povidone iodine scrub or a betadine scrub, you can also use a chlorhexidine scrub too. You can find these at your local vet. Take one rat in and let them use the Wood's lamp on him/her, and see if the rat glows green. If so... It has a fungal infection and everyone needs to be treated. All cages need to be bleached and all accessories bleached/rinsed as well.

Dog food is for dogs and doesn't include everything rats need to be healthy and thrive. Find a feed store that sells Purina Products(call around), and have them order you some 50lb bags of Mazuri Rodent Block 6F or 9F. They are formulated for rats and mice and will be a much better food source. Dog food, especially crappy dog food, contains alot of by-products, artificial preservatives, "meals", and also contain alot of corn, which makes them feel full, but they aren't getting any nutritional value out of it. Most dog food is filled with fillers and junk. Not healthy for the rats, and not healthy for the snakes who eat them.

Ringworm was the first thing that popped into my head when I saw that. It usually has a side effect of almost perfect circles of missing fur.

I got it from one of my animals and it wasn't fun! :P

It's molting... No biggie, be back to normal in a couple of weeks..

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Originally Posted by jasbus

It's molting... No biggie, be back to normal in a couple of weeks..

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That looks nothing like molting.

Looks like mites, hot spots, or ringworm perhaps

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Originally Posted by Rhasputin

That looks nothing like molting.

Looks like mites, hot spots, or ringworm perhaps

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It's molting.
I just noticed someone reopened a 5 year old post...