# FREAKED OUT! Small White Dots on Black Fur



## Lohosey (Apr 10, 2012)

I just noticed that there are small white dots on the tips of my black rat's fur... Now I'm kind of creeped out, thinking he might have mites or something gross. At first, I thought they were dander or fuzz, but they won't come off the hair if I try to pull them off. What could this be and can it live on me too?!?

Please get back to me soon! I'm definitely creeped the heck out!!!


----------



## Maiden (Mar 9, 2012)

If they won't come off or move they could be nits. 

My boy always had a dandriff problem so when i saw white spots I didn't think anything until he started to scratch a lot. It turned out to be lice.

Are they in a line, scattered or random? Are some areas spotty and others are "clean?"

If it is nits then you should notice extra scratching. With my boys they would twist to groom until they fell over. Once they fell over they would keep grooming before righting themselves and getting back to it. After the lice were gone this behavior stopped.


----------



## Lohosey (Apr 10, 2012)

Yeah, I'm pretty sure they both have rat lice... After looking online at pictures, I know almost for sure that the white specks are nits. Next step... how the heck do I get them away?! I saw something online about putting extra virgin olive oil on them, suffocating the lice. I also saw some type of de-worming horse product. What should I do?!


----------



## Maiden (Mar 9, 2012)

There is this thing called revolution that you can put on the back of the rats neck. I had it put on my boys and it cleared everything right up. You can take them to the vet to get it, that was how I got mine. There might be a way to get it without going to the vet but I don't know it.


----------



## Lohosey (Apr 10, 2012)

I went to Petsmart and bought some rodent flea and tick spray. I sprayed the crap out of them and let them air dry before returning them back to their cage. I'm hoping this rids them of those nasty critters! I read that in a week I'll have to spray them again once the eggs hatch. What a mess.


----------

