Rolling rat?

[wolfy-hound]

So... what's wrong with it? I just got 5 new rats, from 3 different people at the Tampa show. All 5 were in a generously sized bin, aspen bedding. Feeding them mazuri rat diet, fresh water.. some cardboard boxes to hide in(these are pet carrier boxes, not just general cardboard).
So last night outof nowhere, I see this one red hooded female lying on her side, then rolling in a twisting motion, like a dog rolling over for a treat, but way faster. Touching her made her almost spin(like she was on a flexible spit). She didn't seem to be 'awake', and I decided to kill her immediately, since it was obvious she was in quite a bit of distress.
Any ideas? I mean, I've had her since sunday only(btw they are all quaretined from the rest of the rats), so what could cause this? She had no marks or obvious injuries, and couldn't have gotten squished or falled in the bin.
Perplexed is,
Wolfy

[SatanicIntention]

She could have had a serious inner ear infection. It messes with their equilibrium and that's how they get head-tilt and if it's worse enough, it can affect how they function(gets to the brain).

Sometimes even with antibiotic therapy, they never do get better and it was probably best to end her suffering then and there anyway.

[lord jackel]

Any chance she could have gotten poisoned somehow? Back in the day when rats were pets (before they become food) we would put those poison trays in the barn and they would act similar in their last moments.


Just an idea.

[Rapture]

I bought a hairless feeder like that once... the poor thing couldn't veer right at all, only left.

[KittyJ]

Ear infection seems likely. But recently one of my mice had a seizure. She was bitten on her rump side quite severely, then it started to heal and do very well, then it cracked open and bled then started to have the seizur, having a seizure every minute or two, having about 10 in the hour. But is fine. Also when I put meds on her rump to soothe her pains,the smells, (very very smelly) one made her very limp.

So I figured extreme pain or smells could trigger these or other medicals reason.

Poor rat

[KittyJ]

Any chance she could have gotten poisoned somehow? Back in the day when rats were pets (before they become food) we would put those poison trays in the barn and they would act similar in their last moments.


Just an idea.

When animals are about to die they do make a flip flopping and scream and twitch in their lat moments. Like being hit by a car or head trauma, or poison as you say.

[wolfy-hound]

This was a true fast logroll in place. It was not a veering to the side. And I've seen tons of critters die, with the brain injury and such, this was soooo structured in the ONLY logrolling activity, no walking, no flopping.. it was seriously weird.
There is nothing for them to get poisoned with in the bin. Of course I don't know what they might have been exposed to before. But she looked fine at the show, and when I got her home. As long as it's not a contagious desease, I guess I just have to wonder.
Thanks for the responses, they make me feel a bit better. Now... I guess it sounds bad, but I wish I had taken a video of her action. At any rate she's out of pain/distress and that's the important thing. Now the other 4 will stay in quarentine for a extended period.
Wolfy