# Weird pink stains on my rats bedding?



## Kuraudia (Jan 15, 2014)

Hello there 
I have paper based cat litter and toilet paper as bedding, and sometimes I find pink stains that look a bit like highlighter but I'm pretty sure it's not that as I've got no pink highlighter.
What is it? Is it normal? I've only been finding it mostly in my male's cage, where he lives alone for the moment.
I found a very small amount of the stained toilet paper in the female's cage, but that's it.
Here's a photo of it:


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## DustyRat (Jul 9, 2012)

Looks like blood to me. I am assuming you checked them for wounds? No idea what else it could be.


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## LeStan82 (Dec 31, 2013)

Do they have a red wood chew? Sometimes when the colored chews get wet the dye will run. Hmm, not sure.


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## DustyRat (Jul 9, 2012)

Could be that too. Doesn't look like porphyrin, too red.


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## Kuraudia (Jan 15, 2014)

It's usually much pinker... as in a pink highlighter. 
I haven't found any wounds. What is porphyrin?
They do have some red blocks, hmmm...
Thanks!


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## naley_2006 (Aug 19, 2013)

My girls have that too! When they get tissue paper or paper, they drag it to their hammock and make a nest of it in there and every time I clean it out, there's always a pink tinge to some spots. They never have any wounds though. Do females bleed during heat?


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## .275057 (Oct 22, 2013)

I am fairly certain females don't bleed during heat - my two never have. And porphyrin is a darker red that is excreted from the nose and eyes during general stress or illness. I have a sensitive female that gets sneezy easily and sometimes gets porphyrin around the nose because of it.


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## Kuraudia (Jan 15, 2014)

If it is porphyrin, does it mean Wedgie is unwell?
If it isn't...I'll keep having a look to see if it reappears.


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## LeStan82 (Dec 31, 2013)

Usually porphryn isn't pink or extreme amount like your pic. I would take that red chew get it damp and sit on the paper towel for a second. If it looks the same, that is the culprit


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## naley_2006 (Aug 19, 2013)

Dreamhowl said:


> I am fairly certain females don't bleed during heat - my two never have. And porphyrin is a darker red that is excreted from the nose and eyes during general stress or illness. I have a sensitive female that gets sneezy easily and sometimes gets porphyrin around the nose because of it.


Usually my girl's tissue gets very light pink and I'm 100% positive they've never had any injuries nor porphyrin.


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## Kuraudia (Jan 15, 2014)

LeStan82 said:


> Usually porphryn isn't pink or extreme amount like your pic. I would take that red chew get it damp and sit on the paper towel for a second. If it looks the same, that is the culprit


I did that, and it only got the toilet paper a little bit damp...
I found some more in Wedgie's cage. Here's a photo:


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## LeStan82 (Dec 31, 2013)

Hmmm, that is odd. It doesnt look like blood or porphryn, too pink. Im stumped...


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## LogixSTI (Feb 10, 2014)

any sort of snack he's getting? 

maybe the urine mixes with the chew and reacts a little more to cause a brighter pink??


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