If your rat becomes sick or injured before you can get to a
vet (such as a weekend or after hours), you can take measures to keep him safe and as
healthy as possible until the vet is available. Move your rat to a cage away from other
rats, a ten gallon aquarium or box is good because it is free of hazards and keeps out
drafts. Do not keep the rat on litter. Use cloth or plain paper towels instead. This will
eliminate dust which can make it hard to breathe for a sick rat and will not irritate an
injury like litter might. If your rat is in respiratory distress, put a hot water bottle
in the cage or a heating pad (wrapped in a towel and set on low) under half of the cage. A
towel should be placed over most of the lid to keep heat in, and you can use a hairdryer
to warm the air. (Rats with respiratory infections need to be kept warm.) If your rat has
an injury, you can rinse the wound with diluted peroxide and cover it with a bandage or
gauze. (If the injury is on the face use plain water or saline NOT peroxide.) Make sure
your rat is drinking. An injured or sick rat might not have the energy or drive to drink,
and dehydration is dangerous. If he won't use a water bottle, try getting him to lick off
your fingers, or an eye dropper or syringe. You can try using juice or fruits (like
seedless grapes) instead of water; your rat just needs to stay hydrated.
Do not hesitate in your decision to see a vet. Animals are stoic, and problems can get bad
or fatal very quickly. For rats, this can be a matter of a day or two or even within hours
of when you see symptoms. (www.curiosityrats.com/care.html)
Feeding sick rats
Sick rats often don't eat well, and lose weight rapidly. Their energy requirements can in fact be raised as a result of high body temperature, increased heart rate, extra effort used to breath or perhaps the extra effort of supporting a large tumor. It is important for sick rats to receive a diet that is rich in calories but low in volume. This is the time to drop the usual cereal based dry rat mix or lab blocks in favor of cereal products that are easier to eat. Human (low sugar cereals) with soy milk, cooked grains (pasta, rice, noodles, potato) or wholemeal bread soaked in warm soy milk can be offered instead. Oatmeal (the instant Maple and Brown Sugar is normally a big hit), eggs (hardboiled and mashed with mayonnaise or scrambled in butter or margarine), baby food (cereals, fruits, dinners, and vanilla custard), bananas, chicken, live full fat yogurt, banana, avocado and coconut milk are all useful in tempting sick rats to eat. Soya based human baby milk is very useful as it is high in fat and easy for the sick rat to digest. This can be used to make up powdered baby food, cereals or EMP. There is also a soft dietary supplement called Nutrical, which seems very palatable to rats and a small pea-sized blob of which will provide the sick rat with calories and a wide range of nutrients including vitamins and minerals.
Severely ill rats that need to be hand-fed will also need to be given water by hand. Do not put a bowl of water in your rats cage because he will tip it over and get himself wet, possibly making his illness worse. Instead, mix a teaspoon of sugar into 4 ounces of water and administer as much as he will drink with a small syringe, as often as you can give it to him. (www.shunamiterats.co.uk/diet.html + www.rmca.org)
For more information on Rattie-Express or any of our animals, please email me (Tara) at rattie.express@comcast.net.
Rattie Express, located in Reading (Allentown, Harrisburg, Philadelphia) PA, is a rattery dedicated to rat rescue, rehabilitation and adoption of rats as pets, includes information on rat adoption, nutrition and care. Rat Adoption, rat adoption PA, rat adoption Reading PA, rat adoption pa, adoptable rats, rat rescue PA, rat rescue pA, Reading, PA, rescued rats, Allentown, Harrisburg, Philadelphia.