Why do rats sway their heads?
Swaying may help the rat figure out how far away various objects are. When a rat moves its head, the images of the objects around the rat move across its retina. Close objects will move faster than far ones, a phenomenon known as motion parallax.
What does it mean when a rat tilts its head to one side?
If your rat frequently tilts its head to 1 side, it may have an inner ear infection. A red, callus-like bump on your rat’s foot may indicate a foot infection, called bumblefoot. Reddish discharge around your rat’s eyes and nose, along with loud breathing or frequent sneezing, can mean your rat has a respiratory infection.
What kind of noise can a rat make?
A reliable way to check for wheezing is playing “telephone” with your rat: in a quiet room, carefully hold your rat next to your ear. If your rat is wheezing, you will hear the clear sound of whistling as they breathe. Sneezing is another common noise you will hear if you keep pet rats.
What to do if a female rat has Bumblefoot?
If your rat does have bumblefoot, a veterinarian can prescribe an antibiotic medication to clear up the illness. Palpate your rat to inspect for tumors. The most common type of tumor that female rats develop is in the mammary tissue. To look for tumors, pick your rat up and look at its underside: belly, chest, and legs.
What to do if your rat has an ear infection?
Notice if your rat frequently tilts its head to one side. This is a common symptom shown by rats with an inner ear infection. Ear infections are most often treated with medication, or by placing medicated liquid drops into the rat’s ear. The head-tilting behavior is also known as “wry neck.”
If your rat frequently tilts its head to 1 side, it may have an inner ear infection. A red, callus-like bump on your rat’s foot may indicate a foot infection, called bumblefoot. Reddish discharge around your rat’s eyes and nose, along with loud breathing or frequent sneezing, can mean your rat has a respiratory infection.
What do you need to know about pet rats?
Fact #2: Rats love to be petted in certain spots. Your rat probably likes having the top of his head stroked and gently scratched. He also appreciates it if you pet him along his back, from his neck to about the middle — the area closest to the tail can be sensitive. Rats usually enjoy having their ears rubbed. Fact #3: Rats can sense moods.
A reliable way to check for wheezing is playing “telephone” with your rat: in a quiet room, carefully hold your rat next to your ear. If your rat is wheezing, you will hear the clear sound of whistling as they breathe. Sneezing is another common noise you will hear if you keep pet rats.
If your rat does have bumblefoot, a veterinarian can prescribe an antibiotic medication to clear up the illness. Palpate your rat to inspect for tumors. The most common type of tumor that female rats develop is in the mammary tissue. To look for tumors, pick your rat up and look at its underside: belly, chest, and legs.
