# Cone for a rat?



## Dark_Sama (Mar 14, 2015)

So I had to take one of my four new boys into the vet for an emergency the other day. I had previously separated the older and younger pairs of the four, because they'd been fighting. Well one of the older boys (George) got a nasty cut on his leg. I broke out my first aid kit and cleaned it up as best I could, but it got worse and worse, to the point where his leg swelled up so bad that I had to rush him to the vet. They cleaned his leg, and drew out a template for me to make a cone for him to wear so that he couldn't chew on his foot; the problem here is that I can't get it to stay on him. D: 
Does anyone have any experience with making cones for rats? Or is there anything I can do to keep him from chewing on his foot?


And as a side note, I've been given some medicated wash for his foot, and I'm under instruction to clean it twice a day. I've also got him quarantined from his brother (though their cages are right next to one another so they don't feel abandoned). He's got fresh bedding that I'm changing out every day to keep from anything getting into his wound and making it worse than it already is.


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## Dark_Sama (Mar 14, 2015)

Another note: The vet said that it already looked like he'd been showing signs of developing bumble foot before the injury occurred.


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## LeStan82 (Dec 31, 2013)

The small bathroom size Dixie cups for rising mouth out. Cut out bottom, leave a little so it will fit on head. Those work well or can try the small paper plates. Cut to fit. But make sure can still get to food easily. You can give it a shot!


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## JAnimal (Jul 23, 2014)

The problem is if you can slide it on they can and will slide it off.


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## ratbasket (Apr 26, 2014)

I feel your pain, my girl had to have a cone too  we had to hand feed her with the cone on (she had just had surgery) If you have a plastic binder divider that you can cut then you can make a cone, also you need tape. My vet made a cone for my rat but basically it's a plastic circle with a smaller circle cut into it and you cut a line into the circle so that the size is adjustable. You put tape around the edges so that he doesn't cut himself and around the inner circle and line you cut. then you can adjust it to fit around his neck. My vet told me that you should be able to fit two fingers between the inner circle of the cone and the rat's neck. then you pull the cone to fit that size and tape it down, try not to get his whiskers caught! When he has the cone on I suggest giving him something to sit on that he can hang his head off of, this was the only comfy position my girl could find when she had it on. You might also need to hand feed him because they can't get their hands to their mouth with it on.

Good Luck,

Ratbasket


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## cookiebear<3 (Aug 2, 2013)

I can help! ;D if he's still being stubborn use an athletic wrap around his midsection firmly but not tightly to prevent him from being able to bend his back around to chew on it. He'll look like a weiner-dog but it was the only way my stewie would stop ripping out his liquid sutures after his neuter.


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## luvmy4rats (Nov 29, 2013)

I made a cone out of a dollar store *plastic placemat *and used adhesive *hook and loop closures aka velcro closures *also bought at the dollar store. In order to ensure the plastic wouldn't dig into my rat's neck I bought some *Dr. Scholl's Moleskin *(from the foot section in Walmart's or another pharmacy) and placed in around the neck. It has to be cut in strips and cut out in a pattern below so that it will conform to the plastic: 

___n___n___n <This would be what the edges on both sides of the strip would look like so that the 'n's' hug the circumference of the neck.


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## Dark_Sama (Mar 14, 2015)

Thank you everyone for all your suggestions! I've tried pretty much all of them and no matter what I do he manages to slip out of them. D:
It doesn't matter anymore though; the swelling in his foot is almost completely gone now! And he's not bothering it as much anymore, so that's a good sign as well. c:


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