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Q. MOUSE CATCHER
Is there a way to catch a mouse (besides poison) that has escaped its cage? I
cannot seem to get him and he doesn’t trust me enough to come to my hand on
his own because I’ve only had him for three weeks. I want to catch him - what
can I do?
A.
Pet mice are a little more difficult to catch when they escape than pet rats
are, unfortunately. You can try baiting a humane trap with peanut butter in
the hopes that he’ll go in for a snack, but many times I’ve heard from mouse
owners that their attempts at this didn’t work. Another possible way to catch
him would be to put his cage on the floor, making it easily accessible to him
so he may decide to go home on his own.
Q. RATTIE HICCUPS
Do rats get hiccups? If so, do some make chirping sounds like a bird? If "no",
do they have a respiratory problem?
I have been told by one person who breeds rats that they do hiccup and
that the chirping sound is because it feels uncomfortable. I talked to a vet
and he stated that they could possibly have a respiratory problem. He said
they do hiccup but that it's normally silent. Is this accurate? He also said
that, in general, rats are quiet, and if they make chirping or grinding
noises, it could be an indication there is something wrong. Is
this accurate?
A.
Your vet is right regarding the chirping noises. Rats do get hiccups and they
are indeed silent. Chirping noises could be an indication of a possible
current respiratory problem, or even scar tissue from a previous respiratory
infection.
Grinding noises, like when they're grinding their teeth, are completely
normal, but for the most part, rats are extremely quiet. Grunts, chortles, and
chirps are frequently signs of impending or current respiratory infections.
Q. VET VISITS
When does one know when to take a rat to a vet concerning a respiratory
problem? I read your article about mycoplasma and it was helpful; however, how
much sneezing is normal if they continually have this mycoplasma?
A.
Small amounts of sneezing are normal, but anything beyond that is not. It
doesn't necessarily mean they have mycoplasmosis if they're sneezing, either -
it could be allergies, winds blowing, a virus, etc... If you are not
knowledgable or experienced enough in dealing with rat respiratory problems to
treat them yourself, you should take them to the vet if you have any doubts
and let your vet be the judge of your rat’s condition.
Some people think starting antibiotics immediately is the way to go and
others think you should wait a short time and see if the rat’s own immune
system will knock it down. Basically, if you're not familiar enough with rat
respiratory symptoms, then you need to rely on an experienced vet to tell you
when to treat and when not to treat. There's not really a specific sign I can
tell you about because many rats hide their symptoms until they are extremely
ill.
Q. GENETICS RELATED?
I just had a Siamese rat pass away from pneumonia. It just seemed to come on
very fast, unless I just wasn't aware of the signs. We were wondering if
because she was a red-eye Siamese, the genetics which produced her eye color
and breed weakened her system? Does breeding and all that's involved make one
breed weaker or stronger than another?
A.
Absolutely not. The only time it may be common to have sickly rats associated
with a particular color or type is when it is something brand new to the fancy
and has a weak bloodline. This isn’t always the case, either, as many new
colors, markings, and varieties have popped up without having weak bloodlines.
Another possibility would be if the breeder has been breeding irresponsibly.
By that, I mean breeding from lines that are not resistant to disease or animals that
already exhibit symptoms of disease.
The symptoms coming on extremely fast are quite often associated with the
rat getting another viral or bacterial infection, secondary to a mycoplasma
related respiratory infection. When that happens, the rat’s condition can
accelerate to pneumonia seemingly overnight.
Q. BARFLY RATTIES
Would small amounts of alcohol hurt a rat?
A.
Not at all, unless your rat is allergic to alcohol. Just remember - everything in
moderation. What you consider to be a very small amount of alcohol might be
an extremely large amount for a rat. Just be careful.
There are studies that say a little bit of alcohol is good for humans, so
it might very well do rats some good, too. However, this is a definite subject
for debate, so although I have had rats who have shared a little cheer with me
without any ill effect (when I used to drink), I would not recommend that you
try to extend your rat’s life by giving him a daily dose!
Q. PARVOSOL
What happened to Parvosol? RMCA doesn’t have it anymore and I can’t find it
anywhere.
A.
The company that makes Parvosol changed the formula quite some time ago and is
still waiting for the EPA to approve the new formula. It’s all just a matter
of paperwork, but you know how the government works! Once the federal
government gives its approval, it will have to go through the California EPA
process as well before RMCA will be able to sell it.
UPDATE: Castle Pet and RMCA now have Parvosol "Ready To Use" formula, which
has already been approved by the EPA. We’re still waiting for the concentrate.
Send questions to: Rat & Mouse Gazette
13075 Springdale St.
PMB 302
Westminster, CA
92683
or Email: ratinfo@egroups.com
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