What is wrong with one of my rats? Please help

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Originally Posted by Deborah

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.

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I'm switching to rodent blocks with 18% protein.

I'd try something other than pine bedding. Can do aspen or the recycled paper bedding that comes in lots of colors. All of our rats and mice are fed either the Mazuri 6f or 9f depending on how much money I have from sales or what's in stock at the feed store.

I'd say ditch the pine. Pine releases aromic oils that rats can find extremely irritating. It can cause respiratory issues in them as well.

This guy looks like he may have either mites or lice though. The sores and fur loss point in that direction.

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Originally Posted by onna_shinigami

I'd try something other than pine bedding. Can do aspen or the recycled paper bedding that comes in lots of colors. All of our rats and mice are fed either the Mazuri 6f or 9f depending on how much money I have from sales or what's in stock at the feed store.

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Yeah, I've been reading up on pine. Some sources said it was fine, some sources said it was not fine. I'm going to switch, it's just that aspen and other bedding is much more expensive.

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Can someone recommend a place where I can buy aspen shavings in bulk? I change out their bedding about once a week, so I go through it pretty fast.

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Originally Posted by Bellabob

Yeah, I've been reading up on pine. Some sources said it was fine, some sources said it was not fine. I'm going to switch, it's just that aspen and other bedding is much more expensive.

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Can someone recommend a place where I can buy aspen shavings in bulk? I change out their bedding about once a week, so I go through it pretty fast.

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I would not worry would pine, I use pine shaving and pine pellets and produce thousands of rats each year and never had any issue whether respiratory or otherwise.

Looks like wood Mites That is found in the wood Shavings. Pine is fine as long as it is Dry kiln Pine.