Expert: Robin Bartlett - 6/21/2008

Question
I just got a new hairless rat. I've had him for a few days now and everytime i pick him up he poops on me and pee's. I attributed this to him being scared. Today i noticed that he has a clear gooey kind of discharge that he's pooping now. He's 4 months old. He's eating a rat mix with the block food. I've offered him stuff like banana's and corn and carrots. he wont touch them. Could there be something seriously wrong with him or could it still be nerves? Please help!

Thank you,
Christina

Answer
 It probably still is nerves, as well as him simply getting used to a new diet.  It's normal for a new rat to have a bit of diarrhea or strange colored stools as their bowels get used to new foods and their mind overcomes the stress of the move.

 Unless there is blood in the stool, I would just keep an eye on him for now.  If the stool is still like this in a few days or he shows any other signs of illness you should take him to the vet for an examination.  Likely it will be back to normal within a few days; it sometimes takes a week or two for a rat to adjust to a new habitat, especially if he is not as tame.

 If you see blood, the poop is consistently runny for several days, he isn't pooping or peeing, isn't eating, or is losing weight, take him to the vet as soon as you can.  Buying a gram scale to keep track of his weight is a good idea, so you can tell if the food he is eating is going to the right place, or if he is even eating at all.

 Also, too much vitamin C and foods like lettuce can cause diarrhea, so avoid them if you can.

 You may also want to consider getting him a friend to live with, as rats do much better in pairs.

 Hope that helps, good luck with your new rat!



For more information on rat care please visit my website at http://careguide.evergreenrattery.com