Started breeding our own rats... question about adding breeders...

[jasbus]

I very rarely cull a rat or babies if I suspect myco. I also very rarely inject Baytril. An adult female rat I usually give less than 1cc. Has to be injected under the skin, but not deep in the muscle or it can cause a serious ulcer, not pretty!

Like I said, I just cull out the babies, just to stop the stress and slow death of a weak young rat.
Very rarely does an adult have to be culled.

As for ear infections, I use a piece of baytril tab with peanut butter... usually clears up after two or three treatments.
I like baytril injectible, cause I can use it on a lot of differnet animals, so I always keep it around...Ball pythons come to mind
If I don't have baytril tabs, I use tetracycline for birds...cheap, and you can get it without using your vet... My vet pretty much gives me whatever I need though..

[bokuza]

I very rarely cull a rat or babies if I suspect myco. I also very rarely inject Baytril. An adult female rat I usually give less than 1cc. Has to be injected under the skin, but not deep in the muscle or it can cause a serious ulcer, not pretty!

Like I said, I just cull out the babies, just to stop the stress and slow death of a weak young rat.
Very rarely does an adult have to be culled.

As for ear infections, I use a piece of baytril tab with peanut butter... usually clears up after two or three treatments.
I like baytril injectible, cause I can use it on a lot of differnet animals, so I always keep it around...Ball pythons come to mind
If I don't have baytril tabs, I use tetracycline for birds...cheap, and you can get it without using your vet... My vet pretty much gives me whatever I need though..

Where do you get your baytril from? Personally I do not have a good source. Vets around here charge insanely. I've used tetracycline but with horrible results. What dosage are you going by? They sayknow it effects fetal stages so I don't use it with preggos, have you? What is your general experience with it?

I cull just as you do: preventing a spread plus elongated deaths.

[RichsBallPythons]

Myco Ive noticed, is more so flared up when cage is dirty and cage not cleaned enough to disinfect the germs. Cant be passed on if one has it but if caught late the rat will go down hill in matter of days losing weight if you dont have baytril to give.

Now Pneumonia is another thing to watch out, can look like myco flare but its not. Wet Noses is a bad sign and can be passed onto the rest of rats in the tub.


I also hold back females and males when needing to replace groups. havent had to add any rats for a long time.

[RichsBallPythons]

I usually keep a bottle of Tylan on hand. Can get 200 or 50 i believe at TSC. Can do injections or just add 1cc per 8oz bottle of water and worked for me on a male that had it.

Doesnt work as fast when in water.

[Highline Reptiles South]

I do both. I like to add new blood to keep up the genetic diversity. I have added adult males once or twice. Since they are with females or by themselves - no problems.

I have also added very young outsiders to the colony to be brought up by my best moms - both have worked without a hitch - for me.

[bokuza]

I usually keep a bottle of Tylan on hand. Can get 200 or 50 i believe at TSC. Can do injections or just add 1cc per 8oz bottle of water and worked for me on a male that had it.

Doesnt work as fast when in water.

I've used the tetracycline powdered stuff and they ended up getting worse. :/ I wish I could get some baytril but I can't. Taylan 200 injectable can be bought at my local feed store. I'm afraid to use it since the concentration is so dang high and I use small bottles. Any suggestions? Im having to bring in blood and it's a crack and half.

[jasbus]

Baytril is vet only. You can pick it uP at herp shows sometimes. But, the 2.27% small vial is around $60.
Tylan works also, but I personally only use it on larger animals, is boas and burms. You have to use so much of it, it tends to leave "soft spots" that take forever to heal up. I tried it on rabbits once, was not happy with the results, and ended up following up with fortaz, which is also expensive like baytril.
Overall, baytril is the best "fix all" that I've found. so, I buy it from my vet and always keep it unhand. Fortaz, if I need it, I just buy as I need if the baytril didn't completely work. Usually a bad RI in a ball python.
Tetracycline works, but is kind of old school. You can get it from farm stores in a pinch or pet stores(I carry it), but it's like OTC versus Dr prescribed.
Bad thing about carrying oracyn/cyclines, I get shady "customers" asking for it to "cure a fish", or bird. When I ask what the symptoms are, they never know. Hmmm, shoulda kept it zipped up, now shouldn't ya? Of course I don't sell it to them, but it's always funny. Even had them call and flat out ask if I have it for them to use for an "infection".

[bokuza]

Baytril is vet only. You can pick it uP at herp shows sometimes. But, the 2.27% small vial is around $60.
Tylan works also, but I personally only use it on larger animals, is boas and burms. You have to use so much of it, it tends to leave "soft spots" that take forever to heal up. I tried it on rabbits once, was not happy with the results, and ended up following up with fortaz, which is also expensive like baytril.
Overall, baytril is the best "fix all" that I've found. so, I buy it from my vet and always keep it unhand. Fortaz, if I need it, I just buy as I need if the baytril didn't completely work. Usually a bad RI in a ball python.
Tetracycline works, but is kind of old school. You can get it from farm stores in a pinch or pet stores(I carry it), but it's like OTC versus Dr prescribed.
Bad thing about carrying oracyn/cyclines, I get shady "customers" asking for it to "cure a fish", or bird. When I ask what the symptoms are, they never know. Hmmm, shoulda kept itui zipped up, now shouldn't ya? Of course I don't sell it to them, but it's always funny. Even had them call and flat out ask if I have it for them to use for an "infection".

Tylan works we for rabbits from my experience. Anyways I have a show coming up maybe I can get some baytril. I know I can get tabs but im not sure id want to go that route. Im using tetteacycline as a test right now, well see how it goes.

[jasbus]

The injectable is better.
Yeah, I use Tylan on larger animals, don't like it for smaller animals. Mainly because of the amount that has to be injected. And the 200 is so thick, it makes it even worse to use...

[bokuza]

I have a 1.2 group on water soluble tetracycline powder for 4 days in a 8 oz bottle. I used a jug filled with 1.3 liters of water and a 500mg packet mixed in. The medicine bottle needs to be changed every 3 days and the water bottle needs to be switched out everyday. Both are covered due to light sensitivity.

Today after listening to their chest I can see a small improvement. I will continue the medicine for another 4 days and see how everyone is doing.