Dry itchy rat skin?

my rat mocha has dry itchy skin


i found a few scabs on her the other day


what would cure this?


i dont want her to itch herself t the point that it bleeds


help would be much appriciated

Dry itchy rat skin?
First, clip her nails so she doesn't harm herself anymore than she already has. Secondly, go to Petco, they sell a skin moisturizer for rodents, follow the directions and it will work. How often to you bathe her? Rats have very sensitive skin so bathing her too much is causing the dry skin, OR it could be caused by the weather. IF you do bathe her too much, you can use the Pet Sensations Rodent Coat deodorizer instead, it's a body spray. Good luck!


Here's some links to help


Waterless shampoo http://www.petco.com/product/13163/Pet-S...


Skin moisturizer (you can use it for rats too) http://www.petco.com/product/14298/Marsh...


Body spray http://www.petco.com/product/104006/Trop...


They also sell the body spray for Pet Sensations








Also, feeding her a little portion of avocado daily will help put oils back into her skin. Or break open a Vitamin E pill, separate her hair on her back so you see the skin, place a drop on the top or bottom part of her back or where ever it is dry. I did both of those before and it's worked for me.
Reply:It maybe mites so you can buy some flea and mite drops like you would for a cat but make sure they are for rodents and maybe put some tea tree cream on to soothe the rats skin. good luck.
Reply:We rescued two rats and one had dry skin as you describe. We did not think he had mites but treated with Ivermectin, just in case, but the condition only improved a little. We took him to the vet and he had lice, treated with several rounds of Revolution for puppies/kittens. We used a little Jojoba oil on his back to help sooth the skin. Hope this helps.
Reply:1. What are you feeding?


A diet too high in protein and fat can cause itching and scabbing around the neck and shoulders. Also a diet deficient in the essential fatty acids will give the same results-- scabs. If you are feeding a seed mix-- cut way back-- a balanced diet like rodent block, fresh fruits and vegetables, plenty of water and perhaps a vitamin supplement or better yet, a coat and skin conditioner for pets (pet shops sell a good one for ferrets-- but it smells like fish) would be your best bet.





2. What type of bedding are you using?


Sometimes hair loss, scabs and itching can be due to allergies or contact dermatitis. Cedar and pine are not good bedding materials-- may people use CareFRESH, a recycled paper product.





hope this helps
Reply:Try dipping some bread in olive oil, and giving that to her as a treat on occasion, the oils should help with her skin and coat.


I would've thought you were bathing too often, but you already commented that it's only every 2-3 months.


It could be genetic, maybe it's something that a vet who is familiar with rodent issues would be able to help with, but I'd start with the olive oil.

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