# Rat barbering her younger sister



## blahbyduh (Oct 4, 2014)

Hi all, I got my first rats last Monday. I've noticed that the larger rat (Billie) often chases her sister (Lola) around the cage, pins her down and starts grooming her fur. Lola has a few bald spots, above her ear and the newest one is on her front leg. When she came to me, Lola already had the bald spot above her ear. There isn't any blood or scabbing (that I can see anyway).

I adopted them from a girl who decided to make more time for her other pets. She was very sad to see them go and had been keeping rats for many years. In other words, they've been in very good hands. 

Their previous owner did tell me that when their mother and other female rats used to fight and pull each others' fur out. However, I'm not sure when this stops being a show of dominance and starts becoming something I should stop. 

Would love to hear from all of you!


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## blahbyduh (Oct 4, 2014)

Guys? Anything? I'm mostly worried that due to her bald spots, I won't know if she has other issues like mites or too much protein in their diet.


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## Isamurat (Jul 27, 2012)

As long as the skin isn't sore or irritated i wouldn't worry.


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## blahbyduh (Oct 4, 2014)

Isamurat said:


> As long as the skin isn't sore or irritated i wouldn't worry.


How can I tell? I tried touching it gently. She doesn't seem to be reacting when I touch it. It sort of feels rough. There isn't any blood...


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## Akarah (Sep 2, 2014)

http://www.ratforum.com/showthread.php?t=226258


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## Akarah (Sep 2, 2014)

I remember something similar to yours, so I posted that thread for you to check out. Hope it helps!


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## Isamurat (Jul 27, 2012)

if its normal coloured, not pinkish or red then its fine, the roughness you are feeling is probably hair stubble.


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## blahbyduh (Oct 4, 2014)

Isamurat said:


> if its normal coloured, not pinkish or red then its fine, the roughness you are feeling is probably hair stubble.


It is pinkish! And i think a scab has formed. She doesn't react when i touch it. Any more than when i touch the rest of her body anyway

Here's a photo for reference. Along with the barber!


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## Isamurat (Jul 27, 2012)

Can you get a photo for us, ?


i would get some tea tree cream of you can get it. This had been pretty effective on sore barbered skin woth one of my guys. It also had the bonus side effect of tasting icky so can reduce the barbering too


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## blahbyduh (Oct 4, 2014)

Isamurat said:


> Can you get a photo for us, ?
> 
> 
> i would get some tea tree cream of you can get it. This had been pretty effective on sore barbered skin woth one of my guys. It also had the bonus side effect of tasting icky so can reduce the barbering too


Sorry did the picture not show up? http://imgur.com/k8cGLrL here it is again.

I actually do have a tea tree cream and a tea tree gel. Is there any ingredient I should be looking out for that is dangerous for them? I feel like if it works, she'll just pick another section to barber and I'll be tempted to cover the whole rat with tea tree 

The strange part is that she doesn't struggle when she's being barbered. It's only at night when they're more active that she is being chased down for another barbering session.


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## Isamurat (Jul 27, 2012)

That does look sore, you might not stop the barbering completely but stopping her doing it to the point of injury is the aim.

Generally if something is safe to use on human children or pregnant women your rats will be fine with it


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## blahbyduh (Oct 4, 2014)

Thanks for the advice. In the end I brought them to a vet for a general check up and asked to do a lice/mites test as well just in case. It came back negative so the vet thinks that they may have some sort of allergy and gave me a cream for them. I had changed my baby wipes brand and suspected that was the cause so I cleaned out their whole cage and have stopped using the wipes. She's starting to look much better!


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