# Rat over grooming and bleeding HELP



## Rainnykay (Mar 6, 2018)

Hello, I have 2 females and they get along nicely. But, I noticed on both sides of one of my females head behind her ears she is hairless and there are pretty big scabs. I know that they weren't from a bite but I don't know if its her or the other female over grooming. Byways, it isn't healing because she just keeps ripping it open. Please help I am really scared she is going to seriously hurt herself.


----------



## Shadow <3 (Jan 25, 2017)

If she's scratching to the point of bleeding, I'd rule out self-barbering (or even barbering in general). I have a girl who barbers, and it never gets to the point of bleeding (she just looks like she has perpetually clean-shaven arms ).

Instead, I'd think about her having mites or lice. Both these cause the rat to scratch themselves to the point of blood and scabs, and lice in particular also lead to hair loss. Most commonly, scabs from these parasites are found on the upper shoulder and under the chin, but my girl Latte developed scabs ALL OVER when she had lice (and she has weak hind legs as well!).

So I'd treat her with revolution preventatively, and if that doesn't work (revolution has a large margin of error dose-wise, and one drop on the skin on the neck is enough to kill all parasites in all stages of life on the rat), then consider other options. But I'm pretty willing to bet its something parasite based, just from prior experience with my Latte.


(Fur mites are actually too small for human eyes to see, so its very possible she's infested and you just can't tell - also, if you do decide to treat them, revolution is prescription only (so you need to buy it from the vet) and you'll need to treat both rats. But it works within hours and only need one application, whereas the more common and easier to get ivermectin is more dangerous (the change of accidental overdosing is much higher), less effective (requires several treatments + requires you to deep clean + freeze toys), and overall more difficult to apply. It still works, so if necessary, go that route. But I encourage you to try and find revolution as its super effective and quite safe, plus it requires no extra special cleaning on your part.)


----------



## Shadow <3 (Jan 25, 2017)

Forgot to add this picture of Latte right before treatment:
View attachment 295794

Fur loss + scabs visible 
(Latte had lice - these
cause fur loss + scabs 
from scratching - I initially
thought she had mites,
but the vet found a louse 
which I will picture below)









Rat louse (from Latte)


----------



## Rainnykay (Mar 6, 2018)

Okay thank you. I have ordered that before for my previous ratties and it took a while until I could get it, around a week and a half. Is there any ways I could use something else? Its okay if not, but I would hate for her to be infested and in pain.


----------



## Rainnykay (Mar 6, 2018)

Okay thank you. I have ordered that before for my previous ratties and it took a while until I could get it, around a week and a half. Is there any ways I could use something else? Its okay if not, but I would hate for her to be infested and in pain. Also, will her hair grow back?


----------



## Shadow <3 (Jan 25, 2017)

You can't order revolution, you need a vet prescription. I mean, unless you've found a site that ships without vet permission, in which case just be sure that its the real deal and not a fake.

If possible, I'd just get some from the vet. Its quicker, and if you've brought your rat in during the last year you might even be sold some without an appointment (that's how my vet's do it). If you have a cat or dog (or know someone with a cat or dog), you can use the same revolution those pets use and if you have any "extra" at the moment, just a drop of that would suffice (for each rat). 


As for what else you can do, there are really no home remedies. Olive oil and bathing are "rumored" to help, but they really do nothing to solve the base problem and they stress out the rats so much that its not really worth it. If you have to wait for the revolution to come in, then there's really nothing you can do in the mean time.


As for the fur, if its lice like my Latte then yes, it will grow back. Her fur grew back entirely within 3-4 days after I applied the revolution.


----------



## Rainnykay (Mar 6, 2018)

Okay, thank you sooo much for the help!!


----------

