# Limping rat :(



## Nieve5552 (May 20, 2014)

One of my rats Wolf is suddenly limping, trying his best to not use his left hind foot.
I just had a closer look at his foot and he seems to have a slight bruising on the outside bit of his foot (by his pinky toe). He is able to bend the foot and toes with no problem, he is just limping around and when he isnt using the foot it is off the ground, semi-curled up. He seems to have no aversion to me touching his foot, no squeaks or aversive behaviour.
He was fine yesterday, I just noticed it today just before letting them out of the cage for playtime. 
He is still in good spirit though, moving around the whole room more than usual (he is usually quite skittish)
Could it be just a sprain?
It is Thursday here (New Zealand) and I am super busy with attending a conference on Friday so I wont have enough time to take him to a vet till next week 
Also their cage has 4 levels that are not covered and the bottom level is covered with coconut husk bedding. Ive had them for almost 1 year and half since they were about 3 months old.

Any thoughts or experiences would be very helpful!


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## Nieve5552 (May 20, 2014)

* oops I meant bruising, not sprain


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## Malarz (Sep 7, 2014)

Sprains are quite common. Rats like to jump a lot, especially if you let your rats free range they will climb up, then jump down. If it is just a sprain or slight injury to the pinky, it will likely heal by itself in a couple of days. How old is your ratty?
I have had two different experiences with limping (or limb ailments). One was my girls losing control of her hind leg for roughly a day - that was attributed to nerve/spine issues by vet, and nothing could be done except pain killlers, and the issue went away. Second is an ongoing issue with my old boy - he is limping on his hind leg, and that is most probably age-related since he is over 2 years old now.


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## mis.kay (May 29, 2015)

A week after I adopted my boys, Hartley came down with a URI and I noticed that Duke was favoring his hind foot. I really wish I had taken a picture of it now because it could have proved useful. But I took them both to the vet and she showed me the sheer size difference between his two feet. I also was able to feel a small bump in his injured foot. It was very red and had slight bruising surrounding it. The vet concluded that he'd probably got his foot stuck in the wire while playing and when he flipped just completely broke his foot. All that's good for them is separation, and something for the pain and inflammation. 

I would suggest putting Wolf in a separate cage if you have one, with no levels. If there are levels, figure out a way to block them off. Keep everything very simple so he isn't enticed to overexert himself, and just monitor him. He may not need any medication but this also means that he could be in pain. It is just your responsibility to make sure he has minimal play time, but LOTS of love from you and supervised time with his brothers. The vet told me that they have a high tolerance and a fast healing rate thanks to their wild ancestors. I'd just wait it out until next week, maybe set up an appointment just to save a spot and if he seems better next week, cancel. If he seems the same or worse, go for the meds. Sometimes their little bodies just need a boost in the right direction. Good luck! And keep us updated. =)


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## Nieve5552 (May 20, 2014)

[Malarz]
My rats are about a year and 7 months old so probably not age related. They are still very energetic, and prefer to run around and explore than to stay calm and cuddle haha
He still tries to use the leg with the sore foot, and imitates scratching motions with that foot but the foot doesnt actually make contact with the spot hes trying to scratch. 
I saw him putting some weight on his sore foot yesterday while walking on the floor, but still prefers to not use it much and has some difficulty jumping up and down things.


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## Nieve5552 (May 20, 2014)

[mis.kay]
Wolf's foot is normal size and the slight bruised appearance seems to have almost gone away. 
Im unsure about separating wolf from his brother, they cuddle a lot and currently seem fine together as Chamois doesnt annoy him much with playfights. Ive put water and feed on the top level (where their sleeping area is) so that Wolf doesnt have to go all the way down to the bottom for food and water, but he does still make trips to the litterbox. I have ladders in the cage and he seems fine using those. He is still very active, and I saw him putting some weight on his sore foot yesterday and having it opened and flat on the floor for a bit so hopefully he is getting better. 
Thank you for your advice, I will keep monitoring him at home and see if it resolves on its own


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## mis.kay (May 29, 2015)

Nieve5552 said:


> [mis.kay]Wolf's foot is normal size and the slight bruised appearance seems to have almost gone away. Im unsure about separating wolf from his brother, they cuddle a lot and currently seem fine together as Chamois doesnt annoy him much with playfights. Ive put water and feed on the top level (where their sleeping area is) so that Wolf doesnt have to go all the way down to the bottom for food and water, but he does still make trips to the litterbox. I have ladders in the cage and he seems fine using those. He is still very active, and I saw him putting some weight on his sore foot yesterday and having it opened and flat on the floor for a bit so hopefully he is getting better. Thank you for your advice, I will keep monitoring him at home and see if it resolves on its own


That is wonderful! I'm glad it wasn't too serious. They really bounce back quick and tend to surprise us. =)


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