Neurological issue with my colony......

[Scherf]

So in the past two days, I have had two rats develop neurological issues, both females cam from a store sold as feeders. I have not had the greatest luck finding good well taken care of rats to start my colony... I do not know what is causing this... both litters that’s these females have produced are healthy as can be... I did notice they have been lathargic the past few days and just thought it might be the “mommy woes”.... I do believe a couple of the rats I have been able to obtain did have or begun to have URI’s and between the GF and I we have been administering antibiotics (she is a vet tech and the vet we deal with said the antibiotics would not harm pregnant/nursing rats and along with the litter)....

any help is greatly appreciated....

Zack

[CALM Pythons]

So in the past two days, I have had two rats develop neurological issues, both females cam from a store sold as feeders. I have not had the greatest luck finding good well taken care of rats to start my colony... I do not know what is causing this... both litters that’s these females have produced are healthy as can be... I did notice they have been lathargic the past few days and just thought it might be the “mommy woes”.... I do believe a couple of the rats I have been able to obtain did have or begun to have URI’s and between the GF and I we have been administering antibiotics (she is a vet tech and the vet we deal with said the antibiotics would not harm pregnant/nursing rats and along with the litter)....

any help is greatly appreciated....

Zack

What are you considering a neurological issue? Ive had Pups get dehydrated from not being able to drink from a Ball thats to heavy in a water bottle and get Dizzy and Drunk acting.. What are the symptoms your noticing?
I had problems trying to breed feeder pet store Rats period.. Failure to thrive etc for 90% of offspring.. Try looking on Craigslist for Domestic Norway's that are from pets litters not isolated unhealthy/unsocialized feeder Rats.


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[Scherf]

What are you considering a neurological issue? Ive had Pups get dehydrated from not being able to drink from a Ball thats to heavy in a water bottle and get Dizzy and Drunk acting.. What are the symptoms your noticing?
I had problems trying to breed feeder pet store Rats period.. Failure to thrive etc for 90% of offspring.. Try looking on Craigslist for Domestic Norway's that are from pets litters not isolated unhealthy/unsocialized feeder Rats.


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so we have talked more with a vet and the reason we thought neuro is from their constant bahavior of morning able to walk straight, they were both falling consitanly to one side and spinning.... be since then we have determined that the were URI’s that went to the eardrum/equilibrium.... I am trying to find rats feom
small breeders but I have not had any luck finding any.... I have even considered buying rats from breeders out of my state and having them flown in....

[CALM Pythons]

so we have talked more with a vet and the reason we thought neuro is from their constant bahavior of morning able to walk straight, they were both falling consitanly to one side and spinning.... be since then we have determined that the were URI’s that went to the eardrum/equilibrium.... I am trying to find rats feom
small breeders but I have not had any luck finding any.... I have even considered buying rats from breeders out of my state and having them flown in....

I cant find anyone that will Ship Rats period.. With that said if i were you id order from JEDDS and get some Doxy Liquid and Baytril (http://www.jedds.com/shop/misc/)
..http://www.jedds.com/shop/doxyvet-liquid-vetafarm/
to keep on hand. These rats also suffer from Respiratory problems 85% of the time once they get to 3 months + old. My Rats have been on Both Doxy & Baytril added to their water for over a yr. These 2 drugs are good as maintenance not like some antibiotics that the system gets use to and no longer works. Doxy is especially good for UTI's etc..


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[Scherf]

I cant find anyone that will Ship Rats period.. With that said if i were you id order from JEDDS and get some Doxy Liquid and Baytril (http://www.jedds.com/shop/misc/)
..http://www.jedds.com/shop/doxyvet-liquid-vetafarm/
to keep on hand. These rats also suffer from Respiratory problems 85% of the time once they get to 3 months + old. My Rats have been on Both Doxy & Baytril added to their water for over a yr. These 2 drugs are good as maintenance not like some antibiotics that the system gets use to and no longer works. Doxy is especially good for UTI's etc..


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Ok so so here is my deal with doing this.... I am all about it but how and what is the most effiecent way of doing this, because I do know both of these things are light sensitive and what is the “mix” that you use and do you use it 24/7 or when needed

[Scherf]

And I ask how to add this to their water because I want to be cost effective with little waist and I am on a watering system and do not know how much water I go though in a day or how much water one of those bottles will treat... I feel it’s safe to say they are not sinking over two liters a day due to the cooler weather... I filled a 5gal bucket two weeks ago and I am just under 3 gal now

[CALM Pythons]

And I ask how to add this to their water because I want to be cost effective with little waist and I am on a watering system and do not know how much water I go though in a day or how much water one of those bottles will treat... I feel it’s safe to say they are not sinking over two liters a day due to the cooler weather... I filled a 5gal bucket two weeks ago and I am just under 3 gal now

This might be hard to understand as im doing 2 things at once hahhaha.
Although some say light effects them i have never had a problem with regular indoor light. I also have windows on both sides of my room. As far as Dose, for what your talking about id say all you need is Doxy.. The Respiratory probs can not be cured as all Rats except Lab rats are born with the problem. Feeder Rats have the most trouble as they were not bred with their Health in mind. My Pet Rats dont suffer as they were bred from good genes and although they sneeze now and again they dont suffer at all like the Feeder Rats I bought at a Pet store do. Those are the ones I have to maintenance dose.. For URI's you all you do is antibiotics for 3 to 6 weeks and all should be fine. Did your Vet already take care of that for you?
With Doxy I dose 1 drop (use dropper) per Oz of water. They say you need to replace water everyday (doxy looses potency) but I only do that with a Bad Respiratory infection until it clears (couple weeks) then I go back to Maintenance dosing by replacing water only once a week. I have done this for a year strait only going back to everyday water changes twice for bad Respiratory infection so it works very well.
On another note if you replace your Breeders by six months old you most likey wont have to treat them for problems and will get much healthier larger litters during that time. I replace my ASF's every 5 months which allows females 3 litters.. The Norway breeders (pet store feeders) I now also replace except for the 4 that have that became my buddies.


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[CALM Pythons]

Also if you filled a 5 gal pail 3 weeks ago and haven't used it thats to much water to be stagnant. That can contribute to urinary track problems because of bacteria growth. I would not use a bucket with more than a weeks water.
If its a auto fill have a smaller amount (smaller bucket) to be replace more often.
Having fresh water is the key to rats thats have UTI or bad immune systems.


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[Scherf]

Also if you filled a 5 gal pail 3 weeks ago and haven't used it thats to much water to be stagnant. That can contribute to urinary track problems because of bacteria growth. I would not use a bucket with more than a weeks water.
If its a auto fill have a smaller amount (smaller bucket) to be replace more often.
Having fresh water is the key to rats thats have UTI or bad immune systems.


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So the GF brought home enough for a weeks worth of doxy for the two that had the horrid URI, they didn’t get better so feed off they went. At the same time we did get cultures and they came back a few days latter positive for URI... so now we are reaching out to our vet friend for bulk doxy (he has a wild life rehab deal so we should get it for free seeing as I provide him with “free” feeders)....

as for the water, it has been treated to maintain its drinkability and NOT build bacteria, hell I feeling drank a few cups to test it.... but yes I understand changing it out frequently and will be switching to a smaller tank so that doxy is not wasted or waist is minimized....

Yes I understand the feeder rats I have based my colony off are not the best and I planned on keeping all females produced from high litter counts, growing them out and retiring their mother ASAP, this is due to the health concerns.... but so far my smallest litters have been only 12 pups.... these aren’t commercial feeders but local people who do have a substantial need for their own so I would say they are better than a big store feeder deal, but at this point it’s neither here nor there in my current situation. But from what I have produced is all very healthy and growing very rapidly so I am content to an extent with my first generation and feel they will be good producers and be heathy...

so the maintenace dosing is a once a once a week refresher of doxy, that’s good to know, I didn’t know if you did a once a month thing or what, but that’s good I can work with that so I am not dealing with what I am now....

im more than likely will swinging by our friends place after work to get doxy and work up some fashioned two liter tonight to start the dosing and flush it to the nipples ASAP....

[Scherf]

And thank you so much for the help.... we honestly didn’t know the best way to deal with this, even the vet was stumped to an extent because we didn’t know if we should mass treat (using drinking water) or to do it as they pop up... and it’s is helping the GF not cry every time I have to take a nice easy to handle momma to the retic tank for a nice hug.....