Massive rat die off - No idea what the cause is.

[MarkS]

The only time I've had that in the past was due to heat issues. Just because the temps look good when you check them doesn't mean they've been good all day. Get a MIN/MAX thermometer that'll keep track of the highs and lows so you can see how hot it really gets at certain times of the day.

Also might want to check to see if the sipper tubes on your water system are clogged. That'll kill em pretty fast too.

Don't always assume the worst, start by troubleshooting the simple/obvious things first.

[Anatopism]

The only time I've had that in the past was due to heat issues. Just because the temps look good when you check them doesn't mean they've been good all day. Get a MIN/MAX thermometer that'll keep track of the highs and lows so you can see how hot it really gets at certain times of the day.

Also might want to check to see if the sipper tubes on your water system are clogged. That'll kill em pretty fast too.

Don't always assume the worst, start by troubleshooting the simple/obvious things first.

The warmest it's been in the garage is 75, for part of one afternoon the last couple weeks. It's been very cloudy and rainy most of the last two weeks here in the Pacific Northwest. I was wondering if maybe the spike in humidity + temperature back and forth has caused stress? Not nearly as drastic as the temperature flip-flops of the midwest, but it's still been noticeable.

Boyfriend just cleaned the water bins on top, one he said was pretty dirty - assorted dust and grime. Wonder how dust got into the tub that has a lid. Moving the chickens out to their coop tonight, and spraying the starlings with the can of compressed air until they leave the house, then blocking up the entrance from the outside. This will at least reduce outside factors, and bird dander, that the chickens are so good at tossing around. Probably going to buy a kill-trap or two (or three) to place under and around the rat rack, so that if there are any wilds running around, I can catch and kill them. Ordinarily, I'd catch and release, except with the possibility of poisoning, I don't want to catch and release, and be responsible for killing one of the many hawks, red foxes, or bald eagles in the woods in this area.

I think tonight I'm going to take down the water tubs, pull all the rats out into other tubs temporarily, and use a diluted bleach solution to flush out all the tubes, check all valves, then flush again with dechlorinated water. Will do the same for any water bottles.

[satomi325]

Sounds like a good plan. Maybe try disinfect your rat bins too. Especially the ones where you found dead ones.

[Anatopism]

UPDATE -

Final results came back from necropsy, with Streptococcus Pneumoniae. Primary indicated mycoplasma, and we started on a round of azithromycin. Not fun treating each rat individually. I'm not entirely certain what this means, as I can't seem to find consistent information on the web about it. I'm finding info stating humans can get this, while other pages state there has never been a reported case of humans getting it. pneumoniae from rats, but rather that rats can get it form us. Finding some info that states it can be as common as myco, where it typically exists in the rat, but never causes issues unless the immune system is compromised, much like myco. All pages seem to agree that it cannot be fully removed from a colony without specific medical procedures (something that wont happen here), but that it also rarely causes enough issue to even interfere with research studies.

So... is this just another issue like myco, where our rats died by some freak chance, due to perhaps a fluctuation of temperature or something else that stressed them that I'm unaware of? Or is this an issue where I'm already a couple weeks late in making sure my meningitis shot is up to date, and I should start checking for brain abscesses? I assume if it were THAT serious, the lab would have informed our vet, however I'm more concerned with what this means as far as continuation of breeding. I need to know if this is something that will destroy new rats if added to the colony, and I need to cull all and clean, or if once they are done with their round of antibiotics, I can start adding new.

Appreciate any insight and help you guys have to offer!

[liv]

Here's a few links I found:

http://netvet.wustl.edu/species/rats/ratbact.txt
http://www.criver.com/SiteCollection...pneumoniae.pdf
http://ratguide.com/health/lower_res.../pneumonia.php

Sad to hear what happened to your colony

[Anatopism]

Thanks Liv, those are the same documents I was reading, and both are conflicting. I still have no idea if they are a hazard to human health or to new rats if introduced :/

[MSG-KB]

I so sorry to hear about this, since we have not seen each other for a while. Please let me know how it is going and if you all need anything that I can do?

The Kubias'

[strange]

Did you mean 16 oz or 16 quarts for 1 packet of that powder? I had 3 rats die in 1 tank last week... I am suspecting that this is my problem...

[satomi325]

Did you mean 16 oz or 16 quarts for 1 packet of that powder? I had 3 rats die in 1 tank last week... I am suspecting that this is my problem...

Sorry. I meant 16oz.

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[strange]

I was reading on petsmart s website they said 1 packet per 10 gallons of water so I'm gonna try that stuff hope it works....