Rats and lice!!

[the_knot]

Ok I know this is in the wrong section but I am trying to get as many answers as possible, I have 4 breeder rats bt are also considered pets. I aso have 7 babies left from the two litters I was trying to grow up a bit. The problem I have is they have lice, not sure where they got it or how long they have had it. I know feeding a rat with lice to a snake is not so bad, apparently most rats have it at some point. I also know they are host specific so I don't have to worry about getting them or being passed to anything else.

I have treated them with vegetable oil, apparently supposed to drown them, tried a home remedy shampoo from a rat forum and that didn't work either. I really want them gone my rats are very annoyed and I don't wanna see them like that.

My question is if I treat them with an over the counter flea medication something for kittens maybe or I was reading I can use ivermectin, will I still be able to use the rats as feeders? It says can use revolution too but I do not want to risk poisoning my snakes? I also cant cull and start over de to them being my pets( well girlfriends pets) What can I do?

[satomi325]

Get some Horse Dewormer from a feed store. It is oral Ivermectin.
A tube runs about $3-7 depending on the brand.
The dose is a rice grain size per rat and should be applied once a week for 3 weeks. Oral or Sub-Q is ok if you're using straight out Ivermectin and not the dewormer paste.


While I don't think it will kill your snake, I don't recommending treating the rats you're going to feed off. Just QT those rats away from the ones you're keeping and treating.

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[snakesRkewl]

When I have had outbreaks I would give each rat a rice sized piece of Ivermectin paste once a week for 3 weeks.
I also use hi-yield powder for under the bedding to kill any newly hatched babies or adult that are in the bedding.
It's a little cheaper picked up at a feed store.
http://www.domyownpestcontrol.com/hi...lb-p-1710.html

I tried Ivermectin alone and didn't have nearly the success getting rid of the bugs.

[the_knot]

When I have had outbreaks I would give each rat a rice sized piece of Ivermectin paste once a week for 3 weeks.
I also use hi-yield powder for under the bedding to kill any newly hatched babies or adult that are in the bedding.
It's a little cheaper picked up at a feed store.
http://www.domyownpestcontrol.com/hi...lb-p-1710.html

I tried Ivermectin alone and didn't have nearly the success getting rid of the bugs.

It can get Ivermectin at the feed store in another town but they only have 50ml bottles for 50 dollars and that's a bit too much for me.. What about the stuff for kittens the drops you put on them. I read online it should work, I only have a wall mart in my town and that is all they had. So I guess I will treat my breeders, and kill of the ones I'm gonna feed? But if I treat the breeders can that affect the babies if they are pregnant?

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When I have had outbreaks I would give each rat a rice sized piece of Ivermectin paste once a week for 3 weeks.
I also use hi-yield powder for under the bedding to kill any newly hatched babies or adult that are in the bedding.
It's a little cheaper picked up at a feed store.
http://www.domyownpestcontrol.com/hi...lb-p-1710.html

I tried Ivermectin alone and didn't have nearly the success getting rid of the bugs.

It can get Ivermectin at the feed store in another town but they only have 50ml bottles for 50 dollars and that's a bit too much for me.. What about the stuff for kittens the drops you put on them. I read online it should work, I only have a wall mart in my town and that is all they had. So I guess I will treat my breeders, and kill of the ones I'm gonna feed? But if I treat the breeders can that affect the babies if they are pregnant?

[snakesRkewl]

http://www.amazon.com/Ivermectin-Pas.../dp/B000HHLWPI

http://www.smartpakequine.com/iverme...ste-6127p.aspx

and other places.

I would not use any cat or dog flea treatments on rats

[satomi325]

Kitten Revolution can be used on rats. However, I've seen mixed messages about Revolution and Prengnant/nursing Does and pups.
Some say that the pups must be at least 5 weeks or older to use it. The mother rat that is nursing also cannot be treated as it will be in the milk and the pups cannot have it. But I've also seen that Revolution can be used on pregnant and nursing Does/pups. I guess you can aways call a vet to ask this. But Revolution is expensive for the quantity, so I'm not certain it's really worth using on rats anyway. (I do use them on my other animals though)

Ivermectin can be applied to the mother once the pups are at least 2 weeks of age or older. The babies wouldn't need treatment since they'll be treated through nursing. But don't use during pregnancy.

Like I said before, you don't need bottles of Ivermectin. Just get some horse dewormer paste, which has Ivermectin in it. It runs $2-7 for a tube. It works great for cheap.
I wouldn't even bother with the Walmart stuff. They're not known to be really effective.

[the_knot]

Kitten Revolution can be used on rats. However, I've seen mixed messages about Revolution and Prengnant/nursing Does and pups.
Some say that the pups must be at least 5 weeks or older to use it. The mother rat that is nursing also cannot be treated as it will be in the milk and the pups cannot have it. But I've also seen that Revolution can be used on pregnant and nursing Does/pups. I guess you can aways call a vet to ask this. But Revolution is expensive for the quantity, so I'm not certain it's really worth using on rats anyway. (I do use them on my other animals though)

Ivermectin can be applied to the mother once the pups are at least 2 weeks of age or older. The babies wouldn't need treatment since they'll be treated through nursing. But don't use during pregnancy.

Like I said before, you don't need bottles of Ivermectin. Just get some horse dewormer paste, which has Ivermectin in it. It runs $2-7 for a tube. It works great for cheap.
I wouldn't even bother with the Walmart stuff. They're not known to be really effective.

Thank you very much I'm going to try to get the paste... So you ate saying if my rats are pregnant I should not treat them? They have no babies now but they are withheld male so there is a chance they are pregnant.

[snakesRkewl]

I have treated pregnant moms without adverse effect, but I wait until the babies are weaned before feeding them off.

[satomi325]

Thank you very much I'm going to try to get the paste... So you ate saying if my rats are pregnant I should not treat them? They have no babies now but they are withheld male so there is a chance they are pregnant.

Well. Jerry said he's done it without any adverse affects. But there have been cases where babies have been deformed. However, these were animals that were given straight out Ivermectin. The Paste is much less concentrated, so that makes it safer as well.

In the end it's your call.

[wilomn]

What do you guys recommend for ring worm?