Update on the male rat! Hes back to normal!

For thoughs of you that don't know my male rat started loosing weight and detirerating. He lives by his onesy in a 10 gallon tank, which I figured out to be a problem, he was depressed! I started interacting with him way more than I had before, and he is now a happy rat! I also added vanilla extract to his water, he didn't like that at all, and I noticed he was hardly drinking. Changed the water back, and he is drinking normaly now! He has gotten some of his weight back. Thanks for the help to everyone! The females are up to size as well! Babies!:D

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Originally Posted by stangs13

For thoughs of you that don't know my male rat started loosing weight and detirerating. He lives by his onesy in a 10 gallon tank, which I figured out to be a problem, he was depressed! I started interacting with him way more than I had before, and he is now a happy rat! I also added vanilla extract to his water, he didn't like that at all, and I noticed he was hardly drinking. Changed the water back, and he is drinking normaly now! He has gotten some of his weight back. Thanks for the help to everyone! The females are up to size as well! Babies!:D

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Great news! *plays the Beatles "All we need is Love"*

Congrats!

Rats often go downhill fast if they are alone Justin. Rats are just such a highly sociable creature that they really do need buddies around to groom, play and just generally interact with. If possible you should consider a second male (and a bigger enclosure) so that your current male can mature into a well balanced adult. Being with a cage buddy also helps rats learn their manners i.e. nipping hurts so you end up with a better mannered adult animal which is always important when you're dealing with big breeder male rats.

Thanks guys!

Jo, i will be introducing him to the females today, and by the time he comes back into his own home, it will be a big tub, and his sons will join him! Along with a keeper male from his litters. It really does show. I didn't think that he would be alone as long as he was. You can definitely tell they are social!

Great job for figuring it out. I strongly advocate the buddy system for rats, and yours is a great example.

He isnt ok after all. I woke up this morning and checked on him(like I do every morning) and he was laying there cold, breathing heavily. I got him wrapped up and warm, and held onto him, and he passed. I am very worried, and am cleaning and disenfecting everything ASAP. My other rats are fine and happy, growing rapidly. It just doesn't make sense to me at all? I know he was going through rattie depression, but he kicked that, and was gaining back al his weight, and being his normal happy, hyper self, and i find him like this? I checked on him right before I went to bed, and he was muching on some cereal and wanting to come out and play. I haven't heard him sneeze once, like my other females. No coughing. Just don't know? Surely it wasn't megacolon?

I dont see any reason why it should be megacolon. Late onset is rare and very noticeable.

Unless you have a necropsy done, you will never know. I'm sorry to hear he passed. Perhaps he left you some future in those females.

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Originally Posted by littleindiangirl

I dont see any reason why it should be megacolon. Late onset is rare and very noticeable.

Unless you have a necropsy done, you will never know. I'm sorry to hear he passed. Perhaps he left you some future in those females.

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I forgot to check them to see if he got the deed done. Maybe? I wasn't sure if megacolon could be a late onset thing. There wasn't any signs of fighting at all, I watched them very closely to make sure. Could he have bred his little heart out enough to kill him? It was only 3 females. But I have heard that rodents can do that.

I can't really give you a sure answer. I dont know the history on him or his parents.

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Originally Posted by littleindiangirl

I can't really give you a sure answer. I dont know the history on him or his parents.

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Ok, thanks for all your help!:D