Whether your rat injured themselves or you did it, it will bleed – a lot – and will need to be treated. If the toenail is still attached, remove what you can (carefully!!) with clippers – you might want to ask a friend or two to help restrain the rat gently. Use styptic powder or [...]

This can happen to rats if they are poisoned (which is why we prefer more humane methods to rid wild rats from a home!), or if the rat’s breeding line has epilepsy in it (why we don’t encourage random breeding). What do I do? Move the rat to a small confinement that is filled with [...]

Rats being rats are bound to have a little tussle now and then, and sometimes it can get a little more serious resulting in an open wound. What do I do? Gently but firmly restrain your rat and assess the damage. Use tweezers to remove any bedding (or similar) that might be stuck to the [...]

If your rat has ingested a poisonous substance, various symptoms can occur. Some include frothing at the mouth, diarrhea, bleeding from the mouth or rectum, and lack of co-ordination. What do I do? Get your rat to the vet, bringing the offending substance along (preferably in its original packaging/container). Your vet will advise further action. [...]

Although not too common, it can happen if your rat is left in the hot South African sun for long periods of time without shade or water (please note, this is cruelty to animals and action can be taken against you). Your rat might drool, become immobile and unwilling to move, and even lose consciousness. [...]

This is a very serious injury that should be treated immediately by a vet. Your rat may bleed from the nose or ears, fall in and out of consciousness, or even have seizures. Stay calm (for both your sake and the injured rat) and gently place your rat in its comfy travel cage. Have a [...]

This can happen due to falls, catching feet in wire floors of their cage, or even being stepped on while having their daily roaming time. It might be difficult for you to assess, especially if it’s of the ribs, skull, or paws, but the treatment will be the same: gently put the rat into its [...]

This can be caused by fighting, sharp objects in their cage, among other possibilities. Your rat might show signs of pain, light sensitivity, or be holding its eye shut, and even aggressive behaviour. What do I do? Get your rat to the vet asap for treatment. This injury is a delicate one and needs to [...]

This can occur if you leave your rat to play in an un-rat-proofed room! Your rat might receive burns to the mouth and paws, loss of consciousness and possibly even cardiac arrest! What do I do? Check for breathing. If its not breathing, then you can attempt resuscitation. Be aware that it might not always [...]

Degloving is a defense mechanism for rats, similar to a lizard/gekko. The whole tail is not dropped (like the aforementioned lizard/gekko), but rather the outer layer of skin tears away from the tail bone. Its very painful for the rat, and can occur when the rat’s tail is trapped and they pull away, or by [...]