# over-grooming?



## Jest (Dec 29, 2008)

I have an adult female rat that I got from petsmart nearly six months ago. I was in getting food and they told me about a rat they had on "inventory" and that if I didn't take her, they were going to euth her because no one else wanted her. I took her in, and she (buttercup) has taken to everything wonderfully. She's still a bit shy, but comes and goes and she pleases and gets along with everyone else. Even when she's scared, she doesn't have a mean bone in her body. 

Lately, I've noticed that it looks like she's been really grooming one of her right front and right hind legs along the inside. Nothing has changed cage-wise, and she hasn't recently been stressed out or anything. I'm not sure what I can do about this? There is still hair, but it's getting thinner.


----------



## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

barbering, they groom/chew the hair off the bits of body they can reach...they love the top of the forearm and paws...


----------



## Jest (Dec 29, 2008)

Ava, if it was mites, wouldn't the rest of my rats be having the same symptoms? I haven't seen anything in her coat that would suggest them. 

Lilspaz, is there anything I can do to get her to stop, or is it something that she'll do regardless?


----------



## Crasher (Jun 15, 2009)

I found a thread on Goosemoose that may be of interest:
http://www.goosemoose.com/component/option,com_smf/Itemid,118/forum,rat/topic,4063206.0

In particular it says:
"Rats always have mites, but their immune system usually keeps them under control. When we say "they have mites", that really means there's a flareup, which is why some rats seem worse than others (especially older ratties), and some aren't affected at all while a cagemate or two is scratching like mad. Stress can cause a flareup, and of course dealing with a sickness often does." --DolciLady

Mites can be really hard to see, I only noticed them just barely when looking closely at one of my rats but I went ahead and dosed them both with Revolution.


----------



## Lea (May 15, 2009)

Do you have to get Revolution from your vet or can you get it at a store?


----------



## Crasher (Jun 15, 2009)

I got mine from this website:
http://www.petshed.com/products/item107.asp


----------



## Jest (Dec 29, 2008)

I can get revolution very easily from my local vet. I'll be making an appointment for her.


----------



## RMHmommy (Nov 24, 2009)

can rat mites geto onto humans? also can you guys check out my post about petco/smart


----------

