Help with my rat
By prisoner101
@prisoner101 (13)
United States
October 16, 2009 3:01pm CST
I have had a rat coming into my cell for a few months now and have noticed that it's tooth is growing wild up the side of it's face.When it first started to visit i would throw crackers for it or whatever i had.I noticed it was loosing weight,that is when I realized it had dental problems.What can I do to either fix it's tooth or what can i feed it to keep it from dying.This is a very good friend and I dont want to lose it.
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1 response
@Galena (9110)
•
17 Oct 09
it sounds like you're referring to a wild rat, which complicates things.
if it's tame enough to handle, they can be taken to the vets to have their teeth trimmed. rodents teeth grow continually, and are usually worn down by gnawing. I give my rats things like wooden blocks and meat bones to gnaw and keep their teeth in good condition.
usually the teeth wear against the opposite teeth, in normal eating, so if they are growing too much, there is usually an underlying cause.
one of my previous rats, when she was very elderly, had a bottom tooth that started growing out at an angle, so wasn't being worn down anymore. she needed her teeth trimmed about every four weeks at the end of her life.
if it's visibly too long, it probably needs trimming really.
if you can get it trimmed you can help keep it from happening again by feeding things like bones, wooden blocks to gnaw (although most ignore this through lack of interest) at the moment my girls have some crab shells in their cage, which they are enjoying both playing with and gnawing on.
@prisoner101 (13)
• United States
19 Oct 09
Dear Galena,I'm locked up.I don't have any way to get the rat to a vet.I was wondering if maybe there was a way to break off a piece of the tooth.Someone told me that they are supposed to chew on things to keep them trimed.I dont know why this one wont.I've been sneaking it food from the cafeteria.It is ok to feed them stuff like that.It lives in the back walls where all the plumbing is and it come through the vent into the cell.I have even had it in my hands.I just hope it does not get so bad that it cant eat.
@Galena (9110)
•
20 Oct 09
I wish I could do something to help.
if it's tame enough to be held, and if you have access to something like nail clippers, or dog claw trimmers, you might be able to do it yourself. I know lots of rat owners do trim their own rats teeth if it needs to be done regularly, but they are usually taught to do so by their vet.
however I can't help thinking, if you can see the overgrown tooth, it's better to have someone trim it back without knowing how rather than leaving it untrimmed. it does need to be treated somehow at that stage.
clearly you have access to the internet, so it may be worth looking at fancy rat forums, or even on youtube to see if there's any rat tooth trimming clips to see how best to do it.
if it were my own rats, who have access to a vet, I would be too wary to do it myself, in case I did them some damage, but if there's no way of getting to a vet I can't help but thinking that trying is better than leaving it.
a quick internet search has given me these sites with advice on trimming rats teeth.
http://www.ratballs.com/RatTails/Tails089.html
this one shows how to identify where to cut the tooth to. this is how my old girls teeth were growing, splayed at an angle.
another site, good advice
http://www.ratfanclub.org/teeth.html
and this one is a little simplistic, but not too bad
http://www.ehow.com/how_2319417_trim-rats-teeth.html
you may also be able to use a nail file to wear it down, but clipping will be less stressful.
obviously it's important to be careful to avoid cutting any skin or the tongue.
if you are able to get the rattys teeth down, then gnawing will help stop it happening again, but if it's visibly overlong, then gnawing alone probably won't be any help.
again, I really hope you are able to help this little ratty. they're wonderful animals, and have a lot to give, as it sounds like you know well.
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