# Rat eating her own tail????



## portugayth (Jan 30, 2016)

My rat Othelia has about two inches of the skin on her tail missing. I found a portion of her tail outside of the cage and upon investigation, I found her licking and lightly chewing on the bloody end peice of her tail. She hasn't been moving around much, except for when she screams in pain only to re-adjust herself and continue. I don't know what to do but we have almost no money and vet care is likely out of the picture. My dad would eat my pets alive before he spent lots of money on them.

She is probably about 7 months old (she was from a pet shop, I have no real way of knowing), is housed with four other adult rats and two litters of babies (one of them is hers... long story, but they live in the top unit of a Double CN), and she has had no previous health or behavioral problems. She is possibly my sweetest rat, because she locks my face and hands any chance she gets. She hasn't been seeming stressed or sick, and I've noticed no change recently. What do you think I can do to help her?


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## catty-ratty (Feb 21, 2016)

It sounds like degloving. I saw this yesterday. 

http://en.allexperts.com/q/Pet-Rats-3537/2009/1/Rat-tail-degloved.htm

Hopefully it will help.


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## RatAtat2693 (Jan 13, 2016)

catty-ratty said:


> It sounds like degloving. I saw this yesterday.
> 
> http://en.allexperts.com/q/Pet-Rats-3537/2009/1/Rat-tail-degloved.htm
> 
> Hopefully it will help.


I don't even want to look at that link. But if it matches what you're describing, the best thing I can think of without the vet is basic first aid (cleaning the tail and wrapping it in non-stick pads with a roll of gauze) and maybe making a tiny cone of shame. If you have a decent hospital cage that will fit in the main cage with her mates, put her in there. Even if it doesn't fit, you still want to separate her. If you can get your hands on Baytril and Metacam, you get bonus points for her and you.

The main thing you have to look for is infection, and if she isn't already living in fleece or some other non-shavings bedding, move her to some.

http://ratguide.com/health/trauma/degloving_injury.php


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## RatAtat2693 (Jan 13, 2016)

Oh, but the meds shouldn't run you much. Especially the first aid supplies, which really need to be kept on stock anyway for human emergencies.


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## Gribouilli (Dec 25, 2015)

Keep her cage super clean to avoid infection. What litter are you using? You can disinfect her tail with a mixture of betadine and water: the solution must be pink. Very important to dilute it with water first. Not sure what else you could use to des infect, but whatever you use it SHOULDN'T sting her. You can try BABY liquid ibuprofen fir the pain. Is it possible someone close her cage door on her tail?


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## catty-ratty (Feb 21, 2016)

RatAtat2693 said:


> I don't even want to look at that link.


The person asking for advise also had a parent who wouldn't help her child's pet. A kid asked the question. The parent responded to the expert, chewing out the vet for telling the kid show her mom the reply.

You'd probably appreciate the ass chewing that the vet get back to the mom!


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

Mild degloving but very painful. Liquid infant ibuprofen for a few days, and clean environment. She will eventually trim the dead end of the tail once it dries.I have a case history up on ratguide that should help.Even if you have adult ibuprofen tablets, I can help you make up a suspension from it to dose her. Ibuprofen is best because it helps with pain and swelling.


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

http://ratguide.com/health/figures/degloving_injury_figure_4.php


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## RatAtat2693 (Jan 13, 2016)

catty-ratty said:


> RatAtat2693 said:
> 
> 
> > I don't even want to look at that link.
> ...


Nice. I didn't click on it because every now and then there are pictures to go along with the case, and that's just... -shudders at the thoughtime of gore-

The worst ones are when they get infected.


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## Minky (Apr 4, 2013)

I clicked. There are no photos, just text.


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## portugayth (Jan 30, 2016)

Thank you guys so much for the help! Her tail is healing up nicely, and my dad said that he would buy me a quarantine cage and just take it from my future birthday money for future incidents, and I also pointed him to this forum for actual information on rat health instead of the information that he collected when he was young and had rats in ten gallons. (That is the reason I wasn't allowed on the forum for a bit, because he found my post and got angry)
All is well so far, and she finally chewed off the black tissue, buy her tail is still stiff at the end and is slightly permanently curled. I was still able to pick her up and pet her, however she is still cautious in letting me touch her butt, and I can't scratch it unless I start at her head.


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## portugayth (Jan 30, 2016)

Hopefully you guys can see.


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

It looks like it's healing well...good job!


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## catty-ratty (Feb 21, 2016)

Glad your your rat's going to be okay!


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